Two Oak Harbor women are vying for a state Senate seat that may be crucial in determining which party is in the majority.

Sen. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, received the most votes in District 10 in the Aug. 2 primary election, a total of 16,426 or just under 51 percent.

Democratic candidate Angie Homola, Oak Harbor resident former Island County commissioner, got 12,733 votes, or 39 percent.

The third candidate, Democrat Nick Petrish of Skagit County, got 1,113 ballots cast in his favor, or 19 percent.

The Democrats did especially well in Island County.

Homola got 44 percent and Petrish got 7 percent, while Bailey received 49 percent of the vote.

In a statement, Homola said she was delighted by the primary results, which she said exceeded her expectations.

“This sends a powerful message,” she said, “that the people of the 10th Legislative District are tired of corporate run government and are ready for a candidate that will work in the interests of citizens at large and the place they call home.”

Although she came out on top, Bailey was circumspect about the results and said they don’t necessarily reflect what will happen in the general election. She said the number of votes a candidate receives is lower when there’s more than two people in the race. Also, she pointed out that fewer people are engaged and participate in primaries as opposed to the general election.

Still, she said she never takes voters for granted and will be campaigning hard.

“I really enjoy the opportunity to get out and speak with voters about their concerns,” she said, adding that’s also an opportunity to educate people about state government and talk about her accomplishments.