Candidates face tough questions in district race

Two years ago, Don Barlow became the first Democrat in more than a half century to win a House seat in Washington’s 6th Legislative District.

With incumbency on his side, Barlow is locked in a tough battle for re-election against coffee franchisee Kevin Parker.

While 2006 marked the first time in years Democrats won in the district, the 6th has featured some of the most competitive races in the state over the past several elections.

And several signs point to a continuation of that trend.

Money has flown into the races, with Parker raising $141,000, compared to Barlow’s pot of $130,000 as of Tuesday, according numbers from the state Public Disclosure Commission.

In the August primary, Barlow topped three other candidates by a significant percentage. Even so, a slight majority of voters selected Republicans. Parker beat another Republican and an Independent for the right to take on Barlow in November.

The recent history of close races in the district also could explain why both candidates appeared uncomfortable answering questions about one of the state’s most divisive issues: gay marriage.

When the topic was first asked in an interview, Barlow noted that he has a son who is gay and that he supported civil unions.

He fluctuated, however, when he was asked if he supported extension of marriage rights to same-sex couples.

“I’d have to think about that,” he said when he was first questioned.

But he then said he didn’t support gay marriage.

“I just don’t think that it’s ready,” he said.

Later, when asked how he would vote on the issue if there was vote on the floor, he said he would vote yes.

In an interview, Parker repeatedly stressed that the state’s recent move to allow domestic partnerships already has been decided.

“It’s not that I don’t want to answer, it’s that they’ve already decided that one,” he said.

Eventually, Parker said he “would have voted against it, I believe.”

Parker said he “can’t get there on gay marriage” and repeatedly downplayed his stance on the issue.

“It’s not really an issue I’m running on,” he said.

Both candidates say local governments should have to contribute money to pay for the completion of the North Spokane freeway and light rail project. But they differ on specifics.

Parker said that with the fading economy, local governments should use existing resources to come up with a match.

“More options would have been on the table three months ago, that’s for sure,” Parker said. “The thing I keep hearing is, ‘I can’t afford new taxes, I can’t afford new taxes.’ ”

Barlow said he doesn’t have a specific preference for how local governments come up with a match, but that they should at least contribute 10 percent of the cost.

Parker said he objects to the creation of toll roads because they disproportionately target the poor.

Barlow said the state should consider turning some freeways into toll roads in Eastern Washington, including Interstate 90. Asked if all of Interstate 90 should be a toll road, he said, “pretty much the whole thing.”

“If we’re going to raise money for our roads, we’ve got to come up with some sort of way to do that,” Barlow said. “I’ve lived in other states where they’ve had toll roads and they seemed to have worked out fine.”

Barlow said he supports sex education that includes information about birth control in school curricula. He added that he does not have a problem with evolution being taught in public schools.

Parker said local school officials should determine how sex education and evolution is handled in schools.

“This is the very thing that should fall into the jurisdiction of local school board members and parents,” Parker said.

Both candidates say the state should avoid tax increases next year as the Legislature determines how to fix projected deficits.

“I will not vote for a tax increase,” Barlow said. “We’ll take a look to see what we’ve got and work with what we have.”

Parker said legislators have spent too freely in recent years without considering if their spending was sustainable.

“I will not use a tax increase to balance this budget,” Parker said. “It’s important that government lives within its means.”