Island County Commissioner Phil Bakke got a little bit of breathing room in the latest vote count for the District 1 commissioner’s race Monday afternoon.

In the most recent vote count, Bakke is now up by 39 votes — a 15 vote gain over the last count — in his battle for the number two spot on the November ticket against no-party candidate Curt Gordon.

Democrat Helen Price Johnson remains firmly in front, with 5,202 votes.

Reece Rose remains in fourth place, with 1,589 total votes.

The top-two finishers in the race will advance to the general election in November.