2020 saw young conservatives emerging as activists in Jefferson County. They had not previously been involved in politics of any kind. They are fearless, motivated and already making a mark on their community. They have deep roots here, all of them having grown up in Jefferson County. These are people to watch.

The year started with Josh Peacock being pulled over by police in Port Townsend. Two 911 calls had come in of a young man flying a big Trump flag off the bed of his pickup. In defiance of the sometimes oppressive political local monoculture, Peacock had established a routine of driving a circuit around Uptown and Downtown with a flag pole on the back of his truck. On one of these days, a police cruiser followed him and its lights came on. The officer told him about the 911 calls. He had been watching Peacock but couldn’t see him doing anything wrong. He apologized, wished him a good day and complimented Peacock on his good driving skills.

Word of what happened to Peacock sparked other public displays of support for President Trump during the following year. Those 911 calls backfired.

Peacock and his friends later marched in the January Women’s March–or Womxn’s March, whatever it is. They brought up the rear flying Trump banners and a huge American flag. For blocks they shouted, “Four more years!” to the consternation of people in odd pink hats who looked back over their shoulders at the boisterous crew at their heels.

Peacock has participated in protests and rallies in Portland and Seattle in support of President Trump and law enforcement. He participated in the peaceful march of thousands of Proud Boys across a bridge and into downtown Portland. He works in security professionally and has provided his services to protect others against the violence of Antifa and Black Lives Matter.   

Danielle Rain’s business was declared “non-essential” by Governor Inslee, though it was absolutely essential to her family’s survival and well-being. She was instrumental in launching the Reopen Washington State Facebook group. That resource has connected those forced out of work by the Governor’s “guidance,” business owners ordered to shut down and bleed red ink, local officials seeing their communities ravaged not by a virus but by the Governor’s actions and medical patients denied critical care because the Governor had inserted himself into the doctor-patient relationship. It has served as an organizing tool for rallies across the state.  That group now has over 50,000 members.

Rain and other young women organized the first Reopen Jefferson County rally on May 19, 2020. I wrote about that event in “Fear and Loathing in Port Townsend.” 

Rebekah White jumped into the County Commission District 1 race against incumbent Kate Dean just weeks before election day. She’s not kidding herself about her chances. She stepped up to make a statement, gain experience and build towards another run for office in the future. She says she had to do something after watching Dean ally herself with Black Lives Matter and push a “systemic racism” declaration through the Board of Health while for four years Dean has done nothing about the county’s suicide, drug addiction, joblessness and affordable housing crises. Dean was instrumental in preventing Sheriff’s deputies from receiving small gift bags for law enforcement appreciation day. White had raised the funds for those tokens of recognition and assembled dozens of the bags. Before a similar complaint made it to the Port Townsend Police, White rushed to the Port Townsend police department and left bags for every officer in the reception area. She is resourceful in that kind of creative, fun, tenacious way, like posing for a campaign shoot in front of Dean’s failed Cherry Street Project. One of her major goals is to get more young people involved in local politics. White is a pediatric medical assistant. Her campaign Facebook page is here at this link.

Leanne Dotson is a powerful woman in many ways. She teaches weight training for women and can dead lift more than most men. She comes from a law enforcement family. Her father was Sheriff and her husband is a deputy. She had seriously considered pursuing a career in law enforcement, but opted against it so that both parents of her children would not be putting their lives at risk every day they stepped out the door.

Watching the political attacks on law enforcement spreading to Jefferson County, in particular the calls to disarm police and leave them defenseless, drove her to say, “Enough!” With other law enforcement wives, Dotson organized several pro-law enforcement demonstrations around the county, culminating in the massive August 30 Back the Blue motorcade. That event drew over 400 vehicles that formed a six-mile line of cars, trucks and motorcycles stretching from H.J. Carroll Park in Chimacum to downtown Port Townsend. Her confident and calm leadership and her wide network of contacts in the community made that such an impactful and successful event. Dotson works as a courtroom administrator and continues to steer her piece of the pro-law enforcement movement in Jefferson County. 

If Jefferson County has more Culp for Governor signs per capita than any other county the credit goes to Robyn Middleton. Middleton is the Jefferson County coordinator/field manager for Loren Culp. She has never participated before in any political campaign, let alone been in charge of one. Her efforts have spilled over into neighboring counties. She produced the 1,300 person rally for Culp in Port Angeles in September.

She seems to know or know about everyone in Jefferson County. She is a fighter. She has hunted down sign thieves and relentlessly replaces destroyed Culp signs, working day and night with her husband and the crew of volunteers she has built. She also cares for a seriously ailing father, driving him to medical appointments and taking him hunting. She never says much about her own battle. While working overtime for Culp and her family, Middleton is living on 2/3 of a kidney and waiting for a transplant. How she finds the strength and energy to keep going astounds all around her.

Aside from the stunning proliferation of Culp signs, Middleton has engaged hundreds of people who, like her, have never “been political” about anything. They are the working poor and the old rural families forgotten and ignored by Port Townsend’s political elites. That is the mark of a real leader and an effective activist. 

He is only starting out, just getting on his feet in the position, but honorable mention goes to Aronn Wilke, the head of the brand new Jefferson County Young Republicans. You read that correctly: young Republicans.  Imagine that. 

However this election turns out, it is encouraging to see a desperately needed diversity of voices speaking up and being heard in Jefferson County. Keep your eye on these people in 2021 and beyond.