Two years ago, we endorsed incumbent Barbara Bailey’s opponent in the contest for House Position 2 in the 10th Legislative District race, in large part because the Oak Harbor Republican seemed to be in slogan-chanting lockstep with the party’s sound bites rather than having her own perspectives.

Since then, Bailey seems to have found a bit more of her own voice and more confidence in using it. Her answers to policy questions are more thoughtful and nuanced. We hope that development as a legislator will continue during another term in the House. Bailey has our endorsement this time, but she faces a spirited, legitimate challenge from the Democratic candidate, Patricia Terry.

Terry, a registered nurse with a master’s degree in public administration, is emphasizing health care as the foundation of her campaign to unseat the three-term incumbent. She has some innovative proposals for ensuring universal health care in the state and talks about them with confidence and authority.

Terry, a political newcomer who has lived in the district for two years, is less steeped in other pressing issues such as education, transportation and state spending. She’s not a one-note candidate, but health care clearly is her passion. And passion can get things done in Olympia. But it’s more difficult from a back bench, even in the majority party.

Although Terry has immersed herself in the community in a short time, Bailey’s longer experience and broader connections in the 10th District give her an advantage.

Bailey remains enthused about being in the Legislature and says she feels like she is just beginning to hit her stride. She is particularly insistent that the state do more to develop a long-term plan for replacing its transportation infrastructure and that the Legislature rein in spending as a huge budget deficit looms.

If re-elected, Bailey and her fellow Republicans are likely to be outnumbered in both chambers of the Legislature. Even if the state elects a Republican governor, the GOP will face high hurdles in moving its agenda through either the House or Senate.

Bailey says she is determined to help get things done, which means working with the Democrats or not being a meaningful part of the process. The district’s issues, and the state’s, are too pressing for Bailey to retreat to a partisan corner and hope for a different nose-count in the next session.

We expect that Bailey will stick to her principles and, at the same time, continue building a record of leadership in the House.

• Editorials reflect the consensus opinion of the editorial board and are written by its members: Publisher L. Stedem Wood, Editor Don Nelson and City Editor Dick Clever.