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

Republican party disavows Bowen

Candidate faces incumbent Wood

Chris Bowen says he wants to join the state Legislature to help bring comfort and prosperity to the public.

“Being an elected official is my dream, and I will be successful,” said Bowen, who filed for office as a Republican.

But if his goal is to get elected this year, Bowen is off to a difficult start – especially since he faces longtime Democratic incumbent Alex Wood in a district that leans Democratic.

Wood says he has important experience in the Legislature, including a difficult stretch when leaders had to deal with significant budget shortfalls – as is predicted for next year.

“We learned a lot of things five years ago on what works,” Wood said, “but it’s not going to be easy. It’s not going to be pleasant.”

Bowen has been disavowed by the Spokane County Republican Party, and he was fined last month by the Public Disclosure Commission, which says he didn’t file required paperwork for his run for office.

In the August primary, Bowen squeaked out a second-place finish for the right to take on Wood in November.

In several interviews, Bowen has been vague about his career.

Asked what he did for a living when he lived on the West Side of the state a few years ago, Bowen said: “That’s a good question. I think I was working for a nonprofit organization over there.”

Bowen says he currently owns a moving business, but he has repeatedly refused to name it. Instead, he has directed reporters to check forms he filed with the Public Disclosure Commission.

But the PDC says he never filed the information. Last month, Bowen was fined $300 by the commission’s chair for not registering his campaign or filing a personal financial affairs statement. Statewide, he is the only candidate on the November ballot who still hasn’t filed the forms, said Lori Anderson, commission spokeswoman.

Bowen argues that he submitted the information, and therefore will not take the time to file it again. He has requested a hearing on the topic with all the commission’s membership, Anderson said.

Another blow to his campaign occurred this week after the county Republican Party refused to back his campaign. Party Chairman Curt Fackler said Bowen is the only candidate running as a Republican in Spokane County that the party declined to back.

“We’re not considering him a Republican,” Fackler said.

Bowen is challenging Wood, a longtime radio reporter and anchor in Spokane. He left the media business in 1996 to run for the House, where he has served for more than a decade.

Wood is critical of state leaders who have declared that tax increases are off the table to help solve looming projected budget shortfalls. He said he would prefer a mix of budget cuts and tax increases with expiration dates so that the state can avoid devastating cuts to important programs.

“We’re going to have to cut deeply anyway,” Wood said. “It’s just if we can have a small tax increase for a year to two years to get us through this and then bring it back to where it was, that, I think, would be smarter.”

Bowen said he would work to cut wasteful spending to help solve shortfalls. He said he wants to promote economic development, but he didn’t offer a specific plan.

“That will be one of the little things that I’ll give you later on,” he said.

Both candidates have had to deal with legal difficulties.

In 2001, Wood was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in Olympia. He entered into a deferred prosecution program, and the charge was dismissed after going through counseling and being on probation

Wood calls his actions leading to the charge “stupid.”

“I know I never want to go through that again,” Wood said. “I don’t take chances any more.”

In August 2002, Bowen was charged with third-degree theft in a case that originated with Eastern Washington University police. Most of the records from the case have been destroyed, but a court docket indicates that a Cheney Municipal Court judge deferred a ruling on the charge for six months and Bowen, who pleaded not guilty, was placed on probation. The case was dismissed in March 2003.

Asked about the charge this week, Bowen said he doesn’t remember what he was accused of stealing.

“Anybody can charge anybody,” Bowen said. “It was dismissed because I didn’t do it.”

Jonathan Brunt can be reached at (509) 459-5442.