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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

State Representative, Pos. 2

Election Results

Candidate Votes Pct
Timm Ormsby (D) 29,894 61.95%
Dave White (R) 18,358 38.05%

* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.

About The Race

The candidates for position 2 have framed the race as one about the need for experience or change. Incumbent Timm Ormsby, who if re-elected would become the senior-most legislator representing any part of the city of Spokane, says his experience in the Legislature makes him effective “at bringing the voice of our community to Olympia,” as he said at a recent League of Women Voters forum. His challenger, Dave White, says Democrats have burdened businesses and citizens with too many taxes and regulations. “We need a change in direction,” White said at the same forum.

Legislators are paid $42,106 annually, plus healthcare benefits. House terms are two years.

The Candidates

Timm Ormsby

Party:
Democrat
Age:
64
City:
Spokane, Washington

Education: Graduated from North Central High School in 1977.

Political experience: Appointed to current House seat in 2003. Elected to seat every two years since 2004. Current chairman of House Appropriations Committee and member of House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee.

Work experience: About 40 years in construction, primarily as a concrete finisher. Business representative for Northeastern Washington-Northern Idaho Building Trades Council since 2000. President of Spokane Regional Labor Council. Board member of SNAP and Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. Member of Spokane Area League of Women Voters. Past board member of Spokane County United Way.

Family: Married. Has three adult children.

Dave White

Party:
Republican
Age:
71
City:
Spokane, WA
Occupation:
County public works inspector

His pitch: A principled conservative focused on street and utility work, and public safety, who will help right the overreach of the current City Council.

His words: “I’m a very strict constitutionalist, both the U.S. Constitution and the Washington state Constitution. Here in Washington, our constitution is a work of art. It is a well-designed document that will work for us well if we pay attention to it.”

Neighborhood: North Hill

Day job: Spokane County public works inspector

Notable experience: Public works inspector for Spokane County utilities department since 1999. Formerly an inspector for Spokane County engineering department, starting in 1991. Former owner-operator tractor-trailer driver. Served in U.S. Navy during Vietnam War. Republican Party precinct committee officer, district leader on Republican Party executive board.

Education: Graduated from Medical Lake High School in 1970. Earned associate degree in applied science from Spokane Community College in 1977.

Complete Coverage

Statewide report grades lawmakers on racial equity

Republican lawmakers from Spokane and Eastern Washington received failing grades in a new statewide report on racial equity issued by a liberal-leaning organization. Only Democratic state Rep. Andy Billig from Spokane’s 3rd District received an “A” based on votes on 25 pieces of legislation over the past two years. Billig will move to the Senate in January.

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.

Party lines clearly divide candidates

The race between incumbent Democratic state Rep. Timm Ormsby and his Republican opponent, Dave White, gives voters a clear choice along party lines. Dave White, a Spokane County public works inspector, says his priority is to lower taxes and regulations. Businesses are struggling in the current economy, he said.

Judge rules against two-thirds tax law

OLYMPIA – Requiring a supermajority for the Legislature to approve tax increases, as Washington voters have required several times over the past two decades, is unconstitutional, a King County Superior Court judge said Wednesday. The state constitution says legislation is to be passed by a simple majority and voters can’t change that standard with an initiative, Judge Bruce Heller ruled in a case brought by a dozen state representatives, the state teachers union and education advocates.

Supermajority for taxes unconstitutional, judge rules

OLYMPIA — A King County Superior Court judge says the super-majority approved by voters for tax increases is unconstitutional.

White enters 3rd District House race

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