Since we've provided answers from all other candidates seeking public office in the city of Spokane, readers might be wondering what John Ahern, a longtime Republican state legislator and candidate for council president, had to say.

Unfortunately, he did not provide answers to the questions we sent him. He politely, through firmly, said he would not answer any questions or submit to any interview from the Spokesman-Review.

Ahern said the newspaper “has always been quite negative to everybody that’s a Republican.”

“I’d be glad to give you a full blown interview after I win the election,” Ahern said. “Like a colleague of mine said to me in the House, he pulled me aside and said, ‘Ahern, what you don’t say can’t hurt you.’”