U.S. Representative
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R) | 134,895 | 60.69% |
| Joe Pakootas (D) | 87,390 | 39.31% |
* 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
U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, is seeking her sixth term representing Eastern Washington in the U.S. Congress. Democrat Joe Pakootas, former CEO of the Colville Tribe, is challenging her.
The Candidates
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 54
- City:
- Spokane, Washington
- Occupation:
- U.S. congresswoman
Education: Graduated from the Columbia River Christian Academy, Kettle Falls, in 1986. Earned pre-law bachelor’s degree from Pensacola Christian College in 1990 and executive MBA from the University of Washington in 2002.
Political experience: Appointed to state House of Representatives, serving the 7th Legislative District, in 1993. Elected to state House in 1994, where she served until joining Congress. Elected to Congress in 2004. Former Vice Chair of House Republican Conference. Elected chairwoman of House Republican Conference in 2013. Serves as ranking member of the House's Energy and Commerce Committee since 2021.
Work experience: Aide to state representative, 1990-93. Worked at her family orchard and fruit stand for 13 years, prior to election to Congress.
Family: Married. Has three young children.
Joe Pakootas
- Party:
- Democrat
- Age:
- 66
- City:
- Inchelium, WA
Education: Graduated from Inchelium High School in 1975. Attended Eastern Washington University. Received executive MBA University of Washington 2006.
Political experience: Former tribal chairman of the Colville Confederated Tribes; member tribal business council 1987-99, 2001-13. Unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Congress 5th District seat in 2014.
Work experience: Enterprise Executive Officer for the Nez Perce Tribe. Former chief executive officer Colville Tribal Federal Corp. Worked in logging, construction. Former executive director of medical and dental services for Kalispel Tribe.
Family: Married. Has four adult children.
Complete Coverage
Washington, Idaho senators agree economy should be Obama’s focus
President Barack Obama is right to focus on improving economic conditions for America’s middle class, Washington and Idaho senators of both parties agreed after the speech. They disagreed, however, on whether he has the right solutions.
Washington, Idaho lawmakers evaluate Obama’s address
President Obama is right to focus on improving economic conditions for America’s middle class, Washington and Idaho senators of both parties agreed after the speech.
McMorris Rodgers backs immigration measure; foresees action in 2015
U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers joined almost all her Republican colleagues in supporting the bill Thursday that would nullify portions of President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration reform. “Just because the president didn’t like the timeline, or the fashion in which Congress was addressing immigration reform, doesn’t mean he has the power” to act unilaterally, McMorris Rodgers said.
McMorris Rodgers’ son watches House approve ABLE Act
Wednesday’s legislative victory had a deeply personal touch for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. The House Republican Conference Chair was joined on the floor of the chamber by her 7-year-old son, Cole, who has Down syndrome. The boy looked on as 403 of his mom’s colleagues voted to amend the tax code, allowing families of those diagnosed with disabilities to set up tax-exempt savings accounts to pay for housing, transportation, education and even funeral costs.
Farmers, workers want better immigration reforms
Washington farm owners and farm workers want Republicans in Congress to go even further than President Barack Obama’s executive order on immigration reform. Leaders and workers of Central Washington’s fruit and dairy industries are lobbying for changes in immigration laws they hope to see passed in the coming months. Those include greater border security measures and an improved guest worker program.
McMorris Rodgers, Pakootas square off in final face-to-face
In his final attempt to fire barbs before Election Day, 5th Congressional District hopeful Joe Pakootas went on the offensive against Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers in Spokane on Thursday, calling her tenure in Congress a “decade of disaster.” McMorris Rodgers, who topped Pakootas and defeated two other candidates in the August primary, highlighted what she called a legislative record of successful bipartisanship, pointing to two of her bills that became law in the last session with unanimous congressional support.
McMorris Rogers criticism can’t find a home in reality
At least once a week, and more frequently during election season, the newspaper gets a call, letter, email or online comment alleging a scandal about Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Sometimes it comes in a conspiratorial query just above a whisper. Other times it’s stated as a verified fact, written in all-caps with multiple exclamation points. It might come from someone fairly inexperienced in politics who heard it from a friend who heard it from someone else – generally unnamed but usually “in the know.” Occasionally it comes from someone in the campaign wars long enough to be a bit more skeptical but doesn’t seem to care.
Shawn Vestal: Pakootas has 16-to-1 problem
What does the yawning gulf in fundraising between Cathy McMorris Rodgers and her challenger, Joe Pakootas, tell us? A lot – and maybe a lot more than David-and-Goliath narratives about political money suggest. Yes, the incumbent has leveraged all the advantages of incumbency – perhaps including the improper mingling of the public’s business with her campaign, which has been the subject of an ethics complaint. And yes, lots of money from out of the district has come into her coffers.
Election 2014: McMorris Rodgers faces Pakootas for Congress’ 5th District
With Congress’ approval rating plunging to single digits, being part of the leadership that controls the U.S. House of Representatives could work against an incumbent’s effort to stay in office this year. That’s what Democrat Joe Pakootas hopes as he takes on U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers for Eastern Washington’s 5th Congressional District seat. The Inchelium businessman is questioning her effectiveness after five terms in the House, where she currently serves as the majority Republican Conference chairwoman, the No. 4 position in the GOP hierarchy.