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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Duane Sommers (R)

Resume: 63, moved to Spokane in 1977 from West Side … Picked to finish Rep. Todd Mielke’s 6th District term this year; served from 1986 to 1992, state House of Representatives; lost bid for U.S. Congress, 1992; former Republican Party county chairman … Retired after 25 years in governmental health agencies; then consulted with hospitals, nursing homes … Served two years, Army, Korea; retired after 26 years, Army Reserve … Bachelor’s degree, microbiology, Washington State University; master’s, public health, University of Minnesota; some doctoral work, leadership and human development, through U.S. International University, San Diego … Married, four children.

Finances: Raised $34,573.45 as of Oct. 21, including $3,000 from the House Republican Organizational Committee, $1,100 from the Washington State Dental PAC and $1,000 from Metropolitan Mortgage and Securities Co. Inc.

Why he’s running: “We need to reform government. It’s too large and too intrusive. It needs to be downsized, and I want to be part of the team that does that.”

Top priority: His bill to send about $300 million from the state real-estate excise tax to cities and counties for infrastructure improvements.