Democrats dominate the 3rd

Smack dab in the middle of Republican country sits Spokane’s 3rd Legislative District – one of the most reliable Democratic strongholds in Washington.

Only five Republicans have served this district since the Great Depression, the last being Sen. John Moyer, who won a single term in the mid-1990s.

Among its Democratic voters is Wil Luedders. He grew up in Kansas during the Dust Bowl and spent his career as a chemist for Procter & Gamble where he helped develop the formula for Crest fluoride toothpaste. He moved to Spokane 10 years ago.

He said the Democratic philosophy “fits my sense of right and wrong. … I guess I’ve always felt everybody needed to have an opportunity to lead a decent life.”

Health care, jobs, education, tax reform, anti-poverty programs, child care and the environment are among the issues important to him.

“I don’t think we have enough money for our schools to do the job,” he said during a break in a bridge game at the Corbin Senior Center on the North Side. “Our safety net is pretty well shredded in this state.”

The 3rd District covers much of the city of Spokane, from old mansions on the South Side to working-class districts to the north. In it are the bulk of Spokane public schools, four major medical facilities, group homes, day care facilities, community centers and two of the busiest transportation corridors in the region.

Legislative analysts say the 3rd ranks as one of the top two recipients of state public assistance dollars among Washington’s 49 legislative districts. It is roughly bounded by Francis Avenue on the north, Havana Street on the east, 17th Avenue on the south and the Spokane River on the west.

One of Luedders’ bridge partners, Bob Stevens, said the most important issue facing the district is the poor condition of its streets, and the state has an important role in funding roads.

Stevens has another peeve, one that is drawing a lot of attention leading up to the Sept. 14 primary. He is upset with a court ruling that tossed out Washington’s blanket primary, in which voters until this year had been allowed to pick and choose among Democrats and Republicans as they worked their way down the primary ballot.

“We should be putting the best person in,” Stevens said.

Health care is another issue of big concern, especially among seniors.

Terri Nelson was accompanied by her husband, Al, to an afternoon dance at the Masonic lodge at Wall and Garland on Thursday. She said the cost of prescription drugs is a serious problem. “Most of the people can’t afford it,” she said of medication.

While Democrats may rule, there is a streak of conservatism in the 3rd District. Jim Bunn, a Browne’s Addition resident, said he has voted Democratic in the past, but is casting his vote for President Bush this year, in part because he favors the president’s policy in Iraq.

Bunn manages an apartment building that had a history of drug dealing, he said, but he is not intimidated by criminals.

“I’m not overly concerned,” he said. “I am heavily armed.”

He is also anti-abortion, he said.

Erica Shumaker of the north-central area of Spokane is living day to day while her husband, Raymond, serves a tour of duty with the National Guard in Iraq. One of her biggest concerns, she said, is the education of their 12-year-old son, A.J. Shumaker.

She fears that school budget cuts could eliminate extracurricular programs like soccer and music, both of which her son needs to develop physical fitness and an artistic side. He wants to play clarinet, she said.

Dave Tawney, owner of Tawney’s Cleaners in Browne’s Addition, said he believes taxes, state regulation and the state’s $7.16 hourly minimum wage are working to the disadvantage of small-business owners.

James Yasord, who is restoring an 1899 Victorian mansion down the street, said the state should invest in health care as part of a broader effort to encourage the development of small new businesses.

He said funding for the state’s Basic Health plan should be expanded. “If you want to incubate small business you’ve got to provide health care,” he said.