Election Center
Related Coverage, Page 10
Fate of Expo ’74 sculpture murky as park is revamped
A dirt lot north of Riverfront Park holds the ruins of Expo ’74. The dismantled wings of one of the giant, welcoming butterfly sculptures from the World’s Fair lie near some weeds.
5th District hopeful Tom Horne challenges Cathy McMorris-Rodgers
A retired engineer and volunteer firefighter who joined the race against Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers on Friday said he’s unimpressed with the five-term incumbent and others in House Republican leadership on issues ranging from immigration to health care. Tom Horne, 65, of Nine Mile Falls, said he wants to replace the Affordable Care Act with a better system but questions House Republicans’ multiple votes to repeal it, only to have the bills die in the Senate.
Dave Wilson hopes for 5th District victory
Spokane businessman Dave Wilson has at least two lofty goals in his run as an independent for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ seat in the House of Representatives. A triumph in August’s primary would be the first by an Eastern Washington congressional candidate not aligned with either Republicans or Democrats since the state switched to the top-two primary system a decade ago. He would be just the second independent candidate to advance to the general election statewide since that time.
Breean Beggs, Larry Haskell tout skills at prosecutor debate
The two men vying to replace longtime Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Tucker touted competing advantages at a debate downtown Wednesday night. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Larry Haskell, running for the GOP, said his 16 years of experience in the office and assisting federal prosecutors should make him a clear favorite over his opponent. Democratic candidate Breean Beggs, a private practice civil attorney who led the Center for Justice for several years, said he would bring fresh ideas to the office that would upend the status quo.
Twelve candidates crowd 4th Congressional District slate
An even dozen candidates are running for an open seat in Central Washington’s 4th Congressional District, making it the most crowded race in the state’s Aug. 5 primary. The district trends heavily Republican, and so did the candidate filings. Eight are Republicans, with two Democrats and two independents. Under the state’s primary system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party.
Party time
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Bring on the Zamboni
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Eight candidates seek to replace Hastings in 4th Congressional District
In a sign that politics abhors a vacuum almost as much as nature, an open seat in Central Washington’s 4th Congressional District has drawn eight candidates with two days left in the state’s filing week. State Sen. Janéa Holmquist Newbry, R-Moses Lake, on Wednesday afternoon joined six other Republicans and one Democrat seeking to replace 20-year veteran Richard “Doc” Hastings in a district that stretches from Canada to the Columbia River and includes Yakima and the Tri-Cities.
Day 1 of filing week
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Spin Control: News is something to click about
OLYMPIA – With the Legislature gone and the campaign season not officially starting until Monday, there was time last week to catch up on things like news of the world, email and important calendar dates. The capital bureau office television has been stuck on TVW for months, but the cable subscription includes the 24-hour news channels. Wonder what’s on?
Washington election filing week runs through May 16
Washington residents with political ambitions have from Monday morning until Friday afternoon to file for office. Voters will elect 10 members of the U.S. House, half the state Senate, the full state House, four state Supreme Court justices and many county executive posts in this fall’s election. Except for the judicial positions, most offices are partisan, so candidates are asked to indicate which party they prefer when they file their paperwork and pay the filing fee, 1 percent of the salary for the office sought.
U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers launches re-election campaign
Cathy McMorris Rodgers made her re-election campaign official Monday, announcing she’ll seek a sixth term in the House of Representatives. The announcement is a formality as the Spokane-area Republican has already collected some $1.3 million for the upcoming campaign since the 2012 election ended.