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U.S. Senate hopeful Baumgartner endorses marijuana initiative
The Republican challenger for a Washington U.S. Senate seat endorsed a ballot measure Wednesday that would legalize marijuana for personal use in the state. State Sen. Mike Baumgartner, R-Spokane, said it was time for a new approach to the nation’s drug policy, and called Initiative 502 a “thoughtful step forward.” Time spent as an adviser to a counternarcotics team in Afghanistan convinced him that drug cartels are gaining from the United States’ approach to criminalizing marijuana for adults, he added.
Incumbent Republican faces same-party opponent
State Rep. Joel Kretz isn’t a Republican you would expect to see challenged for his seat by another Republican. He’s ranked highly by state business groups that generally lean Republican and he’s the party’s deputy minority leader in the House.
Debate claims a bit sketchy
WASHINGTON – As President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney rhetorically sparred in Wednesday night’s televised debate, both candidates exhibited a propensity toward misstatements, falsehoods and exaggerations. From the economy to immigration, health care to military spending, both Romney and Obama sometimes played fast and loose with the facts. Here’s a look at some of what was said:
Baumgartner endorses marijuana initiative
Baumgartner endorses marijuana initiative
Debate watching, in a group
Debate watching, in a group
Today’s fun video: Stewart preps audience for tonight’s debate
Today’s fun video: Stewart preps audience for tonight’s debate
Immigration surfaces in McKenna, Inslee debate
Rob McKenna began his opening statement in Spanish. Jay Inslee talked of “bucking hay” and working to pass a levy to build a local high school. And while Washington’s two gubernatorial candidates mostly continued long-running arguments over jobs, health care and school funding, Tuesday night’s debate in Yakima at least gave them a chance to air new disagreements over immigration and driver’s licenses.
McKenna v. Inslee, round 3, in Yakima
McKenna v. Inslee, round 3, in Yakima
Inslee v. McKenna, tonight at 7
Inslee v. McKenna, tonight at 7
Today’s fun video: Anti-Pelosi Zombie ad
Today’s fun video: Anti-Pelosi Zombie ad
GOP group to emphasize ‘differences’
GOP group to emphasize ‘differences’
Veep candidate makes local stops
Veep candidate makes local stops
GOP comes to McLaughlin’s aid after campaign misstep
GOP comes to McLaughlin’s aid after campaign misstep
Doug Clark: Stunt Shea pulled far from clean campaigning
Matt Shea – the Road Rage Republican running for re-election in Spokane Valley – has his knickers in a knot over his opponent’s supposedly dirty campaign tactics. Or in other words …
Obama on Letterman, Romney in USA Today
Obama on Letterman, Romney in USA Today
Read the police reports that led to Shea’s gun charge
Read the police reports that led to Shea’s gun charge
Anti-Shea mailer features pointing gun
Democratic challenger Amy Biviano is turning incumbent Republican state Rep. Matt Shea’s road rage case into a campaign issue. But the mailer that began arriving in Spokane Valley mailboxes over the weekend includes embellished details of the lawmaker’s armed Nov. 23 encounter in downtown Spokane. Complicating matters, Shea includes some misrepresentations of his own in his denouncement of the Biviano attack ad and in other efforts he’s taken to downplay the severity of the encounter.
Today’s video: Romney’s 47% comment, and his response
Today’s video: Romney’s 47% comment, and his response
Today’s fun video: SNL’s new Obama
Today’s fun video: SNL’s new Obama
Inslee, McKenna propose tax tweaks
With state unemployment staying stubbornly above 8 percent and the economy on many voters’ minds, economic issues play a major part in the campaigns of Republican Rob McKenna and Democrat Jay Inslee for governor. Both candidates don’t just want to stimulate the economy. They need an improving economy to pay for other things they want the state to do without raising taxes, which both candidates say they want to avoid.