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I-1634 would ban new local taxes on all groceries, including soda
Soda industry backs an initiative that would keep local governments from putting taxes on soda or groceries.
Lisa Brown, Cathy McMorris Rodgers face off in first public debate
In their first public debate, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Democratic challenger Lisa Brown lobbed criticism on numerous issues, including health care, tax reform, gun control, the farm bill, the special counsel investigation and “dark money” in campaigns. The debate, hosted by The Spokesman-Review and KHQ, drew more than 500 people to the Bing Crosby Theater on Wednesday evening.
Mary Kuney, Rob Chase are familiar opponents in race for Spokane County commissioner
The race for county commissioner between Rob Chase and Mary Kuney mirrors a split in the Spokane County Republican Party between more traditional Republicans who have lined up behind Kuney and those whose influence grew in the last decade with the rise of the tea party who have mostly backed Chase.
Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Lisa Brown in their first debate
Join us for Pints and Politics: The Spokesman-Review’s Northwest Passages Forum and KHQ welcome Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Lisa Brown for a Town Hall event on Sept. 19.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Lisa Brown set for town hall event in downtown Spokane on Wednesday
The event, co-hosted by The Spokesman-Review’s Northwest Passages forum and KHQ-TV, will air live on local broadcast television from the Bing Crosby Theater in downtown Spokane. It’ll be the first time McMorris Rodgers and Brown share a stage in pursuit of Eastern Washington’s seat in Congress this November.
Steve Gonzalez faces Nathan Choi in Washington Supreme Court re-election bid
This year’s campaigns for seats on Washington state Supreme Court have shaped up to be relatively tame affairs.
Timm Ormsby’s election opponent focused on legislation, not Ormsby’s recent driving charge
Voters and donors aren’t backing away from incumbent 3rd District Representative Timm Ormsby, a Democrat, despite him being charged with driving under the influence in February. Since then Ormsby has apologized and said the incident was a wake-up call that caused him to quit drinking entirely. In the August primaries Ormsby collected a commanding 64 percent of the vote against his opponent, retired Marine Lt. Col. Dave Lucas, a Republican and a political newcomer. Ormsby also holds a substantial lead in fundraising, collecting nearly triple the cash Lucas has.
Spokane libraries to ask voters for $77 million that will update branches and pay for new locations
The Spokane library system will ask voters for $77 million to pay for large renovations. It’s the first major update the system has seen since new libraries were built in the 1990s, staff say.
Spin Control: Let’s talk about polls
Some basic rules of polls.
Lisa Brown, Cathy McMorris Rodgers disagree on Social Security
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, challenger Lisa Brown differ on what to do about the Social Security system.
I-1631 campaign pits environmental groups against oil companies
Carbon-fee initiative has supporters with deep pockets and opponents with even deeper ones.
Sue Lani Madsen: Stealing campaign signs
Sign wars have been fierce in the 5th Congressional District campaign. Both sides are suspicious of an organized effort behind the thefts.
Other states watching I-1631, Inslee says
Other states are watching what Washington voters do on Initiative 1631, Gov. Jay Inslee said.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Lisa Brown lay out health care philosophies at Spokane conference
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers said the role of the federal government is to increase choice and competitiveness in the U.S. health care market, while Democrat Lisa Brown urged a push toward universal coverage in remarks Thursday afternoon to assembled industry heads and education experts in downtown Spokane. The Republican congresswoman appeared via teleconference at the sixth gathering of The State of Reform, a conference that has brought together local lawmakers, health insurance executives and care providers to address critical changes in the industry. Addressing the conference on camera from Washington, D.C., McMorris Rodgers said Republicans had not adequately provided their “full vision” for health care reform in the lead-up to the unsuccessful reform bill last year that would have made sweeping changes to the Affordable Care Act.
Spokane County Treasurer Rob Chase trying to block Avista’s sale
Rob Chase doesn’t want Avista Corp. to sell to a Canadian utility, and the Spokane County commissioner candidate says he’s deploying a little-known part of federal laws to try to block it. Washington regulators, however, said the laws Chase cites don’t apply to the sale.
Ad watch: Ephrata group targets McMorris Rodgers, Newhouse with questionable claims about taxes, veterans
A political action committee from Ephrata, targeting Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dan Newhouse, is making some overly simplistic claims about legislation the Republican members of Congress have supported regarding federal spending on veterans and taxes. The ads have yet to show up on traditional broadcast networks, but they’re being shared on social media by political groups opposed to the incumbents in this year’s midterms.
Campus vote shaping up as battleground in race between Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Lisa Brown
Younger votes tend to sway Democratic, but they’re also the demographic less likely to fill out a ballot by Election Day. Can Lisa Brown and her supporters find enough votes on the region’s campuses to make up a primary deficit? A computer analysis of past elections show that’s a long shot, but it hasn’t stopped young Democrats from get-out-the-vote efforts, and conservatives are making similar pushes at the region’s campuses.
National implications of the 5th Congressional District race
Spokesman-Review reporter Kip Hill speaks with KHQ’s Stephanie Vigil about the national implications of the race between incumbent Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Lisa Brown for the 5th Congressional District.
With court fight over, gun control measure goes around Legislature to voters
Supporters and opponents of gun control initiative campaign didn’t pause while the courts decided whether it would be on the ballot.
Recently appointed Superior Court Judge Shelley Szambelan faces challenge from attorney Dennis Cronin
Dennis Cronin thinks there’s reason to worry about Spokane County Superior Court. And it all starts with the image it presents to the public. Like a castle up high, overlooking the city with jutting spires and an impressive, protruding tower, the attorney likens it all to a medieval stronghold – the judges the elite royalty, the attorneys perhaps like barons and baronesses, and everyone else: commoners, servants, and at the bottom, detainees.