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NRA endorses Newhouse for Congress despite opponent’s gun-rights focus
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) — In a somewhat surprising move, The National Rifle Association has endorsed Republican Dan Newhouse for central Washington’s U.S. House seat.
Prosecutor candidates promise fresh approach to criminal justice
Both candidates for Spokane County prosecutor promised change as they debated Thursday at a downtown candidate forum. The extent of those changes, and the person most qualified to make them, divided the two men vying to succeed Steve Tucker, who has held the office since 1998. Private-practice attorney and former Center for Justice Director Breean Beggs touted his work with the Smart Justice campaign, which led to the lengthy “blueprint” for criminal justice reform that has been adopted in principle by city and county officials.
Study: Criminals easily skirt law buying guns online
This spring, a man in King County posted an ad on an online gun market, seeking a 9mm handgun. “Cash in hand for the right deal,” he wrote.
Competing state gun initiatives vie for police support
Law enforcement agencies may not be getting much love in most of the country after images of heavily armed cops filled news coverage of protests in Ferguson, Missouri. But here in Washington, the dueling gun initiatives are competing for the claim of “cops love my initiative better.” Initiative 591 would keep background checks the way they are now – sales from licensed gun dealers covered, private sales not – until federal law says different. Its supporters counted first coup in the race for cop commendations with the endorsement of the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs. WACOPS, as the group with considerable clout is known around the Capitol, voted to go with I-591 and oppose Initiative 594 back in June after presentations on both measures.
Gun control measure backing from Seattle region
The vast majority of money supporting the initiative to expand background checks on guns comes from just 10 ZIP codes in the Seattle area, much of it from people with ties to the tech industry. An analysis of contributions reported to the state Public Disclosure Commission shows more than $2.8 million in contributions for Initiative 594 – or about 84 cents of every dollar contributed – comes from downtown Seattle, areas around Lake Washington and Shoreline. So far, the ballot measure to extend background checks from licensed dealers to most private sales has raised about $3.2 million, about three times more than the campaign for a counterproposal.
Two write-in candidates make November ballot in Spokane County
Two write-in candidates on the Aug. 5 primary election ballot in Spokane County have qualified to have their names listed on the November ballot. The county’s election canvassing board certified the results on Tuesday.
McMorris Rodgers offers Pakootas three debates
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers challenged Democratic opponent Joe Pakootas on Monday to three debates this fall, including two in Spokane. Pakootas said he planned to counter with a proposal to do at least two more in other areas around the large 5th Congressional District. McMorris Rodgers has debated opponents at least once in her previous re-election campaigns, although scheduling has sometimes been a problem when Congress stayed in session late into the fall. Congressional candidates usually get far more invitations to debate than they accept, but this may be one of the earliest efforts by the five-term incumbent to nail down a debate schedule.
McMorris Rodgers explains vote in favor of Obama lawsuit
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers said her vote authorizing a lawsuit against President Barack Obama was cast to voice frustration over what she called executive overreach. “I certainly have heard a concern about the executive branch, the administration deciding unilaterally what the law is going to be,” McMorris Rodgers said in her downtown Spokane office Wednesday.
Doug Clark: Election write-in Mr. Chicken has major ‘IT’ factor
The prelude is over. Once again, the primary election has performed its time-tested purpose of separating the lax from the lackadaisical. Speaking of the 5th District Congressional race …
McMorris Rodgers will face Pakootas
Congress may be unpopular, but in Eastern Washington’s 5th Congressional District, five-term incumbent Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers was popular with voters casting ballots in Tuesday’s primary. McMorris Rodgers, a member of the GOP leadership in the House, finished the evening with more than half the votes cast in the 10-county district. She’ll face Democrat Joe Pakootas, the chief executive officer of the Colville Tribe’s business operations, in the general election and said she was encouraged by the strong showing in the four-way primary.
Two Spokane County incumbents face strong challenges
Two incumbent Republicans in the Spokane County Courthouse appear to be facing tough challenges from Democratic opponents. GOP County Commissioner Al French was virtually tied with Democratic challenger Mary Lou Johnson, with each scoring 36 percent of the vote in the county’s initial returns Tuesday night for the District 3 seat.
Christian out; McCaslin and Wilhite qualify in 4th District
The state representative picked early this year by Spokane County commissioners to fill an open seat won’t get a new term. Incumbent Republican Leonard Christian came in third in Tuesday’s top-two primary.