SEATTLE (AP) - State schools chief Terry Bergeson and Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland were locked in tough re-election fights Tuesday, while Democrat Jim McIntire and Republican Allan Martin squared off for the vacant state treasurer's office.

Bergeson sought her fourth term as superintendent of public instruction, promising to overhaul the way the state pays for teachers and determines class size and to deliver more money to help struggling students. But Randy Dorn, a former lawmaker, teacher and principal, took a 51 percent to 49 percent lead in early returns Tuesday night.

Dorn tapped into voter frustration with the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. He said he'd replace the test and fire the department's upper management if elected.

In the lands commissioner race, Sutherland was leading Democrat Peter Goldmark in early tallies, 51 percent to 49 percent, but Goldmark was gaining ground in left-leaning King County. Goldmark, fresh off an unsuccessful attempt to unseat U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers in 2006, had the backing of environmentalists who consider the Republican Sutherland too cozy with the timber and mining industries, which have donated heavily to his campaign.

"It's really a race about who the commissioner is going to be responsive to, the people or the industries," Goldmark said.

Sutherland played up his administrative credentials, saying he balanced industry and environmental interests while cutting the Department of Natural Resources by more than 300 employees, to fewer than 1,400. Sutherland campaign spokesman Todd Myers said Goldmark had run a "100 percent negative" campaign and represented a "last gasp of extreme environmentalism."

The department manages 5.6 million acres of state lands, with income generated by harvesting timber or leasing land to farmers being used to pay for construction of schools and other state expenses.

In other statewide races, the incumbents coasted to victory.

The one open seat was for state treasurer, with Democrat Mike Murphy stepping down after three years. Murphy crossed party lines to endorse a Republican to replace him, assistant treasurer Allan Martin, who in early returns was narrowly trailing Democratic state Rep. Jim McIntire, 51 percent to 49 percent. McIntire is chairman of the state forecast panel and former House Finance Committee chairman.

Democratic Lt. Gov. Brad Owen easily beat Seattle Republican Marcia McCraw, an attorney, after taking an early lead of 59 percent to 41 percent.

Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna trounced Democratic challenger John Ladenburg, the current Pierce County Executive, 60 percent to 40 percent, while Democratic State Auditor Brian Sonntag was beating Republican Dick McEntee, vice president of an Edmonds-based investment advisory firm, 61 percent to 39 percent.

Secretary of State Sam Reed, a Republican who's been in office eight years, beat Democratic challenger Jason Osgood, 59 percent to 41 percent in early returns.

In the insurance commissioner race, Mike Kreidler won a third term, 58 percent to 42 percent, against Republican John Adams, who owns a Seattle-based insurance brokerage firm.