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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Democratic Party activist in House race

Virginia De Leon Staff writer

Douglas Dobbins, a Spokane photographer and longtime Democratic Party activist, is challenging incumbent John Ahern for the 6th District legislative post.

Dobbins turned in his petition of candidacy last Friday – a week after the filing deadline.

Because no Democrat had filed for office by the end of the day on July 30, state law allowed the party to find a candidate to run against Ahern.

Dobbins, 38, said he had been considering a bid for office for some time, but he wasn’t able to file his paperwork because he was busy in Boston as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.

As the Democratic vice chairman for the 6th Legislative District who has been active in many local campaigns, Dobbins said he met a lot of people who encouraged him to run for the House. People told him they appreciated his energy, fresh ideas and ability to listen, he said. When he returned from Boston last week, he was more convinced than ever to go for it.

“It was my time to step up and give back to the community,” he said.

Born and raised in Spokane, Dobbins is a graduate of North Central High School and attended Gonzaga University for 2½ years. He’s been married to Laura Dobbins for the last 13 years and makes a living as a photographer.

Dobbins said his key issues include lifelong educational opportunities including job training for people out of work, “health care access for all of our citizens, especially children and seniors,” and to create a healthy environment for the growth of small businesses in the area.

Besides Ahern – a conservative who has served as one of the 6th District’s representatives in the House since he was elected in 2000 – Dobbins is also facing a challenge from Bodhi Densmore, a candidate from the Libertarian Party.

Densmore, 57, is a software engineer at Getronics in Liberty Lake. His priorities include eliminating the state’s minimum-wage law, stopping government subsidy of health care, ending the state’s “participation in the war on drugs” and “reducing state government to a size that would have been envisioned by the founders of the United States.”