Voters have good options in 9th District
Voters in Washington’s 9th Legislative District have a problem of the best kind. On Tuesday they have to pick three state legislators from a field of six candidates who are all bright, articulate, reasoned and astonishingly civil campaigners.
But choose they must, and the difference may boil down to experience in and out of office.
The district’s Senate seat is vacant because Larry Sheahan ran for Congress. Six-term Rep. Mark Schoesler, a Ritzville Republican, is running for the office against Democrat Gail Rowland of Pullman, a retired administrative assistant at Washington State University.
Schoesler has been an effective lawmaker in the House, thanks in part to his knack for working across party lines. He partnered with former state Rep. Jeff Gombosky, a Spokane Democrat, to resolve a business and occupation tax issue that affected an auction business in his district. He was able on short notice to spearhead legislation that mitigated the damage done to Washington’s cattle industry by a mad cow disease outbreak.
Rowland has an impressive resume of her own, having had budget and program responsibilities at WSU, plus extensive campus committee work and statewide and local civic roles.
For his familiarity with the legislative process and his working relationships with other lawmakers, Schoesler impresses us as the better choice.
The luminary of the district may be Rep. Don Cox, a Colfax Republican and former school superintendent. When other candidates were asked to name a legislative figure they’d like to emulate, two of them, including Cox’s challenger, named him.
In his first term in the House, he has been a steady voice for the 9th District. He especially understands the issues surrounding education – K-12 as well has higher education – and the daunting concerns that must be resolved soon, largely funding-related.
Democratic challenger Sean Gallegos is a small-business operator and understands the difficulties facing business. He offers his computer expertise for dealing in such high-tech arenas as identity theft. Cox’s experience and broader grasp of issues make him the better choice, however.
Although David Buri has not served as a legislator before, the Colfax Republican has been an elected school board member and he has hands-on legislative experience as Sheahan’s aide. And he’s been a banker and active in Chamber of Commerce activities.
His rival, former Whitman County Democratic chairwoman Eileen Macoll is no slouch. Her efforts to make her party’s state platform reflect support for dams and gun owners demonstrated her political effectiveness.
Buri’s breadth of experience may explain his refreshing candor. He’ll be a back-bench freshman, probably in the minority party, and has a lot to learn. We recommend him in a close call over Macoll.