Spokane County Commissioner, District 2
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Kuney (R) | 119,638 | 62.47% |
| Rob Chase (R) | 71,869 | 37.53% |
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
The Candidates
Mary Kuney
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 59
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Education: Graduated from Central Valley High School in 1983. Attended Spokane Falls Community College and graduated from Gonzaga University in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in accounting.
Political experience: Appointed Spokane County commissioner in 2017. Won election to same seat in 2018 and 2020. Ran unsuccessfully for Spokane County treasurer in 2014. Former Republican precinct committee officer.
Work experience: Certified public accountant since 1993. Served as Spokane County chief deputy auditor for more than two years before becoming commissioner. Audited Spokane County during her 10 years with the Washington State Auditor's Office. Launched two small businesses. Owned Contineo Compliance PLLC, 2012-2013. Co-owner of Spokane-based Summit Tea Company, 2006-2008. Member of Hutton Settlement board of directors, a position she has held since 2009.
Family: Married to Max Kuney. Has two children.
Fundraising: Has raised nearly $60,000 as of Oct. 5. Multiple political action committees funded by developers, builders and contractors have donated to Kuney's campaign. She's also received donations from several individual developers and contractors, Avista, Cathy McMorris Rodgers For Congress, Spokane Republican state Rep. Mike Volz, Spokane Indians (baseball) President Chris Duff, former Spokane Valley Mayor Diana Wilhite, Spokane Valley City Councilman Ben Wick and former Spokane County Commissioner Todd Mielke.
Rob Chase
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 70
Education: Graduated from Kellogg High School in 1972. Graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, operations management.
Work experience: Is semiretired, but has recently worked as a U.S. Census Bureau enumerator and security guard for Phoenix Protective Corps in Spokane Valley. Worked as an expeditor with Haakon Industries based in Cheney from 2006 to 2007. Held mortgage origination and real estate licenses. Served in U.S. Army Reserves from 1972-78.
Political experience: Elected as a state representative in 2020. Served one term and lost his re-election bid in 2022. Elected Spokane County treasurer in 2010 and 2014. Republican Party precinct committee officer. Ran unsuccessfully for state Senate in 2000, U.S. House in 2002 and Spokane County Commissioner in 2012 and 2018. Served as Eastern Washington coordinator for Ron Paul for President in 2008 and 2012 and Eastern Washington coordinator for Clint Didier’s 2010 Senate campaign.
Family: Married to Chris Chase and has four children.
Campaign contributions: Has raised nearly $4,000 as of Sept. 26. Notable donors include former Spokane County GOP Chairwoman Cindy Zapotocky, attorney Marshall Casey, Spokane County Republican Party Vice Chair MJ Bolt and Duane Alton, a prolific donor to conservative politicians and causes who founded Alton’s Tires.
Complete Coverage
Plan for public group to buy Avista has major obstacles
Setting up a public entity to buy Avista may be unprecedented and definitely faces obstacles.
Spokane County commissioners open union contract negotiations to the public
The move means members of the public and media will be able to witness the collective bargaining process in real time, even though state law allows that process to take place in private meetings. “Salaries are our largest cost, and the citizens ought to know how we’re negotiating contracts and how we’re trying to represent the best interests of both the taxpayers and our employees,” Commissioner Al French said.
County approves $790 million budget without raising taxes
Spokane County commissioners unanimously approved a $790 million balanced budget for next year that largely avoids cuts to county departments while maintaining funding for public safety, infrastructure, parks and capital projects.
Spokane County Commission again votes for 1 percent property tax increase
Spokane County Commissioners approved a 1 percent property tax increase to fund core county services, road construction and property acquisition for the Conservation Futures program.
County commissioners vote to sue state over commission expansion
Spokane County commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to file a lawsuit to block expansion of the board from three members to five.
French, Kuney sworn in as Spokane County commissioners
Spokane County Commissioners Al French and Mary Kuney took the oath of office Tuesday evening surrounded by family members, friends and county employees.
Kuney defeats Chase for seat on Spokane County Commission
Incumbent Republican Mary Kuney is likely to retain her seat on the Spokane County Board of Commissioners against challenger Rob Chase.
Vestal: Avista’s $200,000 for French, Kuney TV ads puts timing, Hydro One sale in spotlight
Avista Corp. gives a lot of money to local candidates. If it leans in any political direction, it is toward incumbency – toward those already in power. But Avista’s recent decision to spend $200,000 to signal-boost the candidacies of French and Kuney with TV ads is a dramatic, puzzling departure from business as usual.
Editorial Endorsements: Kuney and French for Spokane County commission
Among the candidates running for Spokane County commissioner are a relatively new commissioner and an experienced one. Mary Kuney in District 2 and Al French in District 3 deserve election on Nov. 6. Generally speaking, District 2 is the southeastern part of the county and District 3 is the western part. District 1, the northeastern part of the county, is not up this year. Josh Kerns currently represents District 1.
Avista spends $200,000 supporting county commissioners Kuney and French
Avista Corp. is spending heavily in the Spokane County commissioner races by dropping nearly $200,000 on re-election television advertisements for commissioners Mary Kuney and Al French. In Avista Corp.’s largest independent campaign expenditure to date, the company in August contributed more than $99,500 per commissioner in “independent expenditures” for television ads and production costs, according to Washington State Public Disclosure Commission filings.
Spokane County prosecutors demand raises, complain of unfair bargaining practices
The union representing Spokane County’s deputy prosecutors has launched a public pressure campaign in hopes of rebooting contract negotiations and obtaining wage increases. Mediated negotiations stalled in August when the union, Local 1553-PA, voted to reject the county’s “last, best and final offer,” which would have immediately raised wages for senior attorneys by 2.5 percent and wages for the two lower attorney classifications by 4.25 percent.
Mary Kuney, Rob Chase are familiar opponents in race for Spokane County commissioner
The race for county commissioner between Rob Chase and Mary Kuney mirrors a split in the Spokane County Republican Party between more traditional Republicans who have lined up behind Kuney and those whose influence grew in the last decade with the rise of the tea party who have mostly backed Chase.
Spokane County Treasurer Rob Chase trying to block Avista’s sale
Rob Chase doesn’t want Avista Corp. to sell to a Canadian utility, and the Spokane County commissioner candidate says he’s deploying a little-known part of federal laws to try to block it. Washington regulators, however, said the laws Chase cites don’t apply to the sale.
Commissioners to host public meetings on Spokane County budget
The Spokane County commissioners will host a series of community meetings to inform the public and gather input as they craft the county’s budget for 2019.
Spokane GOP chairwoman defends alt-right provocateur James Allsup at tea party meeting
The chairwoman of the Spokane County Republican Party offered a defense of James Allsup during a meeting of local conservatives this month, claiming the 22-year-old alt-right provocateur – whose views have been widely condemned as racist – was a victim of “label lynching” by the political left and the mainstream media.
For first time in 40 years, Democrats forgo chance at Spokane County Commission
For the first time in 40 years, Republicans will run unopposed by Democrats for a seat on the Spokane County Board of Commissioners.
Spokane County budget includes $400,000 cut for regional health district
Some agencies and departments that receive funding from Spokane County avoided steep cuts in 2018. The Spokane County Regional Health District isn’t one of them.
Split Spokane County Commission approves 2018 budget
Commissioners Al French and Mary Kuney voted in favor of the spending plan, which will use money set aside from the road construction budget to cover day-to-day expenses next year for the first time. Commissioner Josh Kerns voted against, saying the county should have taken a deeper look at where it could cut funding.