Baxter seeks Spokane County Commission seat

Jeff Baxter, who represented Spokane Valley briefly in the state Senate, has asked to be appointed to the open seat on the Spokane County Commission.

The vacancy on the three-member commission is due to the departure of Todd Mielke, who is leaving to lead Greater Spokane Inc.

Baxter started his own credit-card processing business and moved to Spokane in 1998.

He is a Spokane Valley Republican and in 2011 was appointed to the state Senate to complete the term of an ailing Bob McCaslin in the 4th Legislative District.

He attempted to keep the seat in the fall but was defeated by Mike Padden.

Baxter is among several Republicans interested in fulfilling Mielke’s term on the commission.