Marcus Riccelli
A candidate for State Representative, Pos. 1, Legislative District 3 (central Spokane) in the 2012 Washington General Election
Party: Democrat
Age: 45
City: Spokane, Washington
Education: Graduated from Mead High School in 1996. Earned a bachelor’s degree in business admission from Gonzaga University in 2000 and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Washington in 2007.
Work experience: Worked as Eastern Washington Director for U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell from 2007 to 2010 and as senior policy adviser to state Sen. Lisa Brown from 2010 to 2012. Previously worked as an adjunct instructor at Eastern Washington University. Worked as project manager at CHAS Health for three years and currently the part-time community relations manager for CHAS Health.
Political experience: First elected to his current position in 2012 and re-elected four times. Currently serves on the health care, transportation, rules and capital budget committees. Serves as the House Majority Whip for House Democrats.
Family: Married to Amanda Marie Riccelli. Has two children.
Campaign finance: Raised nearly $198,000 as of Oct. 12, 2022, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission. Has received more than 100 contributions of $1,000 from unions, corporations, political action committees, tribes and others. Those contributors include Amazon.com, pharmaceutical firm Norvartis, pharmaceutical firm Pfizer, Anheuser Busch, Washington State Auto Dealer PAC, Kaiser Aluminum, Avista, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Washington Education Association PAC, Premera Blue Cross, Washington State Troopers PAC and State Employees International Union Local 925.
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More about Marcus Riccelli
Race Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Marcus Riccelli (D) | 29,906 | 62.56% |
| Tim Benn (R) | 17,895 | 37.44% |
Related Coverage
Democrats holding edge in Legislature
Democrats appear likely to hold on to both chambers of the Washington Legislature. Republicans had pushed to recapture the state Senate, where the Democrats currently have five more seats than Republicans. Control of the House has not been as much in dispute because Democrats have a wider margin, with 14 more seats than the GOP, and the party appeared to easily maintain a wide majority there.
Benn takes lead on Snyder, Apple
A Republican surge of late votes gave a big boost to a Republican running for a central Spokane House seat. After the first round of vote-counting in the state’s primary election on Tuesday, Democrat Marcus Riccelli was the clear winner, but three candidates, Republican Tim Benn and Democrats Jon Snyder and Bob Apple, were within fewer than 100 votes of each other vying for the right to advance to the November election.
Five candidates vie for Billig’s seat in the House
The last-minute decision of state Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown to retire at the end of the year set off a quick, frenzied rush among Democrats to determine how to maintain control of the three seats representing the only Democratic-leaning district in Eastern Washington. In the end, state Rep. Andy Billig became the standard-bearer for the party for the Senate seat. That left Billig’s House seat open.
Marcus Riccelli, Q&A on 15 topics
MARCUS RICCELLI, Democrat 1. Why do you feel that you are the best candidate? I was raised on Spokane’s north side in a middle class home, graduating from Mead High School and Gonzaga—I truly understand the challenges, priorities, and passions of Spokane families. My work with Senator Brown and U.S. Senator Cantwell prepared me to be a strong voice for local businesses, schools and quality of life. I’ve worked alongside and developed strong relationships with regional leaders while advocating for expanding our aerospace industry, investing in the Riverpoint Campus, and developing a 4 year medical school. I have experience navigating Olympia protecting uniquely Spokane programs like Crosswalk, the Guild School and Sally’s House.