MOSES LAKE — Bob Dove and Nathan Pack both conceded early Wednesday morning after it became clear Tuesday evening both candidates were trailing substantially in their races to become a Grant County commissioner.

“I’m still the loser,” Dove said. “Going against the establishment in this courthouse isn’t the easiest thing to do.”

As of Wednesday morning, Dove was down slightly more than 4,500 votes in his race against three-term incumbent, Commissioner Richard Stevens, garnering 6,922 votes to Stevens’ 11,446.

“I’m a lot smarter for this race,” Dove said, adding that next time he runs — assuming he runs again — he will start “six or seven months” prior to the filing deadline, rather than waiting until the week before to throw his hat into the ring.

Dove, who owns a trucking company based out on Coulee City and Ephrata, said he will watch the new County Commission carefully, and if the issues he is concerned about — employee contracts, the building commission, more assistance and attention to small businesses — then he won’t run again.

“I probably will run again,” Dove added. “Agribusiness gets all the attention, and they will do okay. Someone needs to look after the little guy.”

What angered Dove more than anything, however, was the fact that roughly 5,000 ballots cast in Grant County had no vote whatsoever for county commissioner.

“That’s a little disheartening,” he said.

In an e-mail statement released to the Columbia Basin Herald early Wednesday morning, Nathan Pack congratulated Tom Taylor on winning the county commission seat currently held by Carolann Schwartz, and he thanked his supporters for all their help.

“It wasn’t the result we were looking for, but I learned a lot about myself, my family, friends and what it’s like in the political arena,” Pack said. “It wouldn’t have been possible for all those who supported me.”

Pack, owner of a small taxicab and delivery company, was down by more than 7,200 votes as of Wednesday morning, earning 5,714 to Taylor’s 12,978.