Young Republicans Duel In 3rd District Political Novices Not Daunted By Running In Liberal Neighborhoods

A low-budget duel over the Republican Party’s nomination for a 3rd District House seat pits a young electronics technician against a younger wine steward.

Brendon Hill and Asa Jay Laughton are political novices trying to do what few Republicans have ever done - win an election in the liberal 3rd District.

The two community college graduates also suffer from being relative unknowns in a race where the Democrats are fielding well-known radio talk show host Alex Wood.

Laughton admitted the prospects are daunting but said his feedback so far is good.

“They all sort of want the same kind of thing,” he said of district voters. “I think I pretty much represent what the people are looking for.”

Laughton, 32, rattled off his campaign positions:

“I’m against a state prison system that’s essentially running a bed and breakfast. I’m for strong incarceration. I’m for making juvenile punishment look unattractive to kids. I’m for protecting the benefits of welfare to recipients who deserve them.”

Laughton said he’s a skilled negotiator and advocate, having often served as a mediator during co-worker crises.

Although he has never run for office before, Laughton said his experience gives him the edge over Hill.

But Hill, 28, has attracted more than twice as much money in campaign contributions as Laughton.

The effusive Patsy Clark’s wine steward said he draws many of his views from his own life, on issues such as welfare reforms.

“When I grew up, my mom was on welfare,” he said. “I saw her go back to school and work her way off. It was hard, but she did it.”

Like Laughton, Hill vows to revamp the public school system and prevent it from being overrun with what he sees as misguided curriculums and low expectations.

Hill said being a Republican isn’t an insurmountable disadvantage in the 3rd District.

“The majority of people in Spokane are Spokanites,” he said. “They think a certain way. They live a certain way. Look at Bloomsday and Hoopfest. You don’t see that somewhere else.”

Hill said he didn’t contemplate running for the statehouse until the filing deadline approached in mid-July.

“I hadn’t thought about it before then,” he said. “But I was told there’s no incumbent and the other two people have never held office either. Everyone I talked to said, ‘You better run.”’ Hill said his lack of political experience should appeal to voters.

“I’ve never even been to Olympia,” he said. “I drove by on I-5 once while I was asleep.”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: The 3rd District The 3rd Legislative District covers most of downtown Spokane and the city’s core housing areas, including the West Central and East Central neighborhoods. The House of Representatives seat pays $27,100 a year.