9th District Representative, Position 2
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Schmick (R) | 31,749 | 60.54% |
| Matthew Sutherland (D) | 20,697 | 39.46% |
* 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.
The Candidates
Joe Schmick
- Party:
- Republican
- City:
- Colfax, WA
Education: Graduated from Colfax High School. Has bachelor's degree in accounting with minor in economics from Eastern Washington University.
Work experience: Farmer and small-business owner for 35 years.
Political experience: State representative representing 9th Legislative District since 2007. Served on Washington Barley Commission from 1990 to 1997 and National Barley improvement Committee from 1991 to 1996.
Family: Married. Has no children.
Matthew Sutherland
- Party:
- Democratic
- City:
- Pullman, WA
Education: Graduated from Rogers High School in Puyallup, Washington. Has bachelor's degree in political science and pre-law from Washington State University. Working on master's degree in global security policy.
Political experience: Vice chairman of Whitman County Planning Committee. Current member of the Pullman Board of Adjustment and Pullman Police Advisory Committee. Announced last year his intent to run for Congress before dropping out of the race.
Work experience: Joined U.S. Army at 17. Deployed on a humanitarian aid mission to El Salvador as an noncommissioned officer. Currently officer in Washington National Guard.
Family: Single.
Complete Coverage
Schmick, Dye win new terms in southeast Washington’s 9th Legislative District
Republican state Reps. Joe Schmick and Mary Dye have defended their seats representing southeast Washington’s 9th Legislative District.
In 9th District, Schmick facing first Democratic opponent in a decade
For the first time in a decade, a Democrat is challenging state Rep. Joe Schmick for his seat representing southeastern Washington. Matthew Sutherland, a graduate student at Washington State University, hopes to benefit from a nationwide “blue wave,” with Democrats hoping voters dissatisfied with President Donald Trump will vote for their party down the ballot.
Spin Control: Enough credit and blame to go around on McCleary
With the McCleary case over, Democrats and Republicans differ on who gets credit or blame.
Better health care coverage for Marshallese pass Legislature
More Pacific Islanders, including those from the Marshall Islands, would have access to healthcare under a bill that received final approval in the Senate.
Matthew Sutherland drops bid challenging Cathy McMorris Rodgers, backs Lisa Brown
The Washington State University alumnus will turn his attention to state-level politics, as Brown ramps up a run to unseat Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers next year with the backing of national political strategists.
McMorris Rodgers’ seat in Congress targeted by national Democrats emboldened by recent electoral wins
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added Washington’s 5th district to its list of 91 contests nationwide it believes are winnable to take back control of the House of Representatives. The designation doesn’t necessarily mean national Democrats will start spending money in the district, but signifies renewed interest from the left in a seat that has been occupied by a Republican since 1994.