Breaking down the primary
Spokane County Commission
Three Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination to run for the Spokane County Commission seat held by Republican Phil Harris, who also has a primary challenger.
While they have some disagreements on the particulars, the Democratic candidates largely agree on the many issues facing the county. The biggest issue in their race is who is the most electable in a county that has increasingly voted Republican.
Harris is running for his fourth term on his experience and record against a retired community college instructor who wants to revolutionize the way county government runs.
The commissioner will make $93,000 a year plus a $7,142 annual car allowance and will be one of three commissioners who lead county government, which includes more than 2,000 employees and a $400 million annual budget.
Only residents living in commissioner District 3, which is western Spokane County (including much of the city of Spokane south of Wellesley Avenue) will be able to vote in this primary. All county voters are eligible to vote in the November contest.
Democrats
Barb Chamberlain, 43, public affairs director for WSU’s Spokane campus.
Former Idaho legislator and past member of the North Idaho College board.
Bonnie Mager, 55, on leave from the nonprofit Neighborhood Alliance of Spokane County
Former Eastern Washington coordinator for the Washington Environmental Council.
George Orr, 63, retired Spokane Valley firefighter and Washington legislator
Last Democrat to have won a state House seat in Spokane Valley.
Republicans
Phil Harris, 70, Spokane County commissioner.
If he finishes a fourth term, he would have the second-longest tenure in more than a century of Spokane County commissioners.
Larry R. Vandervert, 67, retired Spokane Falls Community College instructor
Served on the Spokane Public Schools board in 1970s.
Spokane County Sheriff
The Republican primary for Spokane County sheriff matches the appointed incumbent Ozzie Knezovich against Spokane Valley Police Chief Cal Walker for a four-year term as the county’s top cop.
Although he currently holds the office, Knezovich is the one calling for changes to restore trust and integrity to the office. Walker is campaigning on continuity of proven leadership, both from the department as a whole and from his tenure as the head of law enforcement in the new municipality.
Walker was recommended for the job by former Sheriff Mark Sterk before he retired this spring, but Spokane County commissioners went with Knezovich.
Winner of the GOP primary will face the lone Democrat in November, former Idaho State Police trooper James Flavel.
The sheriff makes $105,000 a year, oversees a budget of nearly $30 million and a staff of 535 employees, including 245 commissioned deputies.
“ Ozzie Knezovich, 43, sheriff.
Appointed by county commissioners in April, he’s a 10-year veteran of the department and former president of deputies association.
“ Cal Walker, 50, member of the department assigned to serve as the Spokane Valley police chief.
Endorsed for the job by former Sheriff Mark Sterk, he’s an 18-year department veteran and former member of the serial killer task force.
Spokane County Assessor
The battle for the GOP nomination quickly turned ugly when challenger Brad Stark, a Spokane city councilman, raised questions about incumbent Assessor Ralph Baker’s competence. Baker’s camp shot back with complaints about Stark’s illegal campaign signs, which the state agreed with and has ordered changed.
But the race also features clear platform differences.
Baker, who was appointed to the $77,000-a-year job in 2005 and now must face election for a full four-year term, argues the assessor’s office is finally becoming technologically equipped to keep track of more than 200,000 parcels of land in a rapidly changing real estate market. Stark counters that Baker puts too much emphasis on technology and promises to rely more heavily on personal interaction in determining property values.
The winner will face Democartic challenger Judy Personett, who is unopposed in the primary for her party’s nomination.
“ Ralph Baker, 53, Spokane County assessor.
Former chief deputy assessor, retired as a lieutenant colonel from U.S. Air Force after 24 years.
“ Brad Stark, 26, Boy Scout executive.
Currently serves as a Spokane city councilman and is a former aide to a Democratic state lawmaker.
Spokane County Prosecutor
Two Democrats are vying for a November showdown with incumbent Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker, a Republican.
Kootenai County deputy prosecutor Jim Reierson is facing 68-year-old private attorney Bob Caruso, who began practicing law seven years ago after turning his flooring supply business over to his sons. Though they come from different legal backgrounds, both argue that recent controversies involving Spokane police and other law enforcement officers demonstrate that greater leadership is needed in the prosecutor’s office.
The race for the Democratic nomination has been marked by debate over whose experience and credentials are better suited for a four-year term as county prosecutor, a job that pays $115,000 annually.
Tucker is unopposed in the GOP primary and will face the winner of the Democratic matchup in the November general election.
“ Jim Reierson, 56, deputy Kootenai County prosecutor.
An Air Force reserve officer who has served in the Judge Advocate General Corps since 1982.
“ Bob Caruso, 68, Spokane attorney.
A former securities dealer and railroad brakeman, he also founded a flooring supply business, then earned a law degree in 1999.
Spokane County District Court
Voters will narrow the field in two crowded races for District Court judgeships, including a five-way battle for a seat filled last year by political appointment.
Spokane County District Court is the court with the most exposure to the public. It’s where traffic tickets, misdemeanor crimes, and small civil claims have hearings and trials, and where persons facing felony charges have their first hearing. The position pays $122,012 annually, and judges are elected to four-year terms.
In addition to the two contested primary races, three other seats are up for grabs but won’t appear on the ballot until November because they feature just two candidates each.
Elections are slightly different from the higher courts. If only one or two candidates file for a position, they appear only on the general election ballot, and the person getting a majority of the votes is elected. If three or more candidates file for the office, all appear first on the primary ballot. If one of those candidates receives more than 50 percent of all ballots cast, he or she appears alone on the general election ballot; if no candidate gets a majority, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, where the person with the majority of votes is elected.
Position 2
“ Dan Davis, 59, public defender.
Served with the Washington State Patrol for 25 years before going to law school.
“ Sara B. Derr, 55, incumbent District Court judge.
Currently in her second term as presiding judge, she was in private practice from 1983-94.
“ F. Dana Kelley, 53, Spokane attorney.
Serves as city prosecutor for Newport and Airway Heights, was Spokane Tribal prosecutor and judge pro tem.
Position 6
“ Christine Carlile, 46, public defender.
Has served in U.S. Army and Army Reserves for 28 years; is currently with the Judge Advocate General Corps.
“ Harvey Dunham, 55, District Court judge.
Served as judge pro tem starting in 1997 while an attorney in private practice; appointed to fill a vacancy on the District Court bench last year.
“ Debra R. Hayes, 50, deputy prosecutor.
Currently assigned to the domestic violence unit, and member of county Domestic Violence Consortium.
“ Mike Nelson, 55, in private practice
A former Spokane city prosecutor, he was a Salt Lake City policeman before attending law school.
“ David Stevens, 44, deputy prosecutor
Currently with the property crime and fraud unit, he’s a former Whitman County and Spokane city deputy prosecutor.
Washington Supreme Court
Nine candidates are vying for three seats on the state’s highest court, with at least two of the nonpartisan races likely to be decided in the primary.
Observers say special-interest groups are pumping unusually large amounts of money and effort into Supreme Court races this year, with contractors and developers joining the ranks of lawyers and labor unions steering support to various candidates.
Unlike county district court races, candidates can secure a Supreme Court seat by capturing more than 50 percent of the votes cast. With two races featuring just two candidates each, the winners are practically guaranteed to end up with more than half the votes cast. The six-year terms pay $145,636 annually.
Position 2
“ Michael L. Johnson, 46, Seattle attorney.
A last-minute filer for the race who has avoided any campaigning.
“ Stephen Johnson, 66, Kent attorney.
Republican state senator and property rights advocate.
“ Richard Smith, 39, Seattle attorney.
Opposes the influx of special-interest money into judicial campaigns.
“ Norman Ericson, 61, administrative judge, Olympia.
A former Supreme Court law clerk with 31 years of government law experience.
“ Susan Owens, 57, state Supreme Court justice.
A former tribal and district court judge who won her current Supreme Court seat in 2000.
Position 8
“ John Groen, 47, Redmond attorney.
A naturalized U.S. citizen from Canada and noted property rights advocate.
“ Gerry L. Alexander, 70, state Supreme Court chief justice.
Elected to the high court in 1994, he has presided as chief justice for six years.
Position 9
“ Jeanette Burrage, 53, Seattle-area attorney.
A one-term GOP state lawmaker in the early 1980s, she advocates on behalf of property rights.
“ Tom Chambers, 62, state Supreme Court justice.
Raised in a house behind his parents’ Wapato gas station, he’s the only candidate with Eastern Washington roots.
State House District 9
The retirement of longtime state Rep. Don Cox has set up a four-way race for the GOP nomination to succeed him. The winner will face off against Valleyford Democrat Caitlin Ross in November, who has no primary opponent.
The odds favor the GOP side. The last time a Democrat held the seat was in 1937. One of the largest legislative districts in the state, District 9 is a roughly triangular swath stretching from Cheney to Othello and to the Palouse community of Asotin. It takes in segments of Spokane, Whitman, Adams, Garfield, Asotin and Franklin counties, and also includes the cities of Colfax, Colton, Connell, Ritzville, Pullman and Clarkston.
All four of the candidates vying for the GOP nomination have similar farming backgrounds.
“ Glen Stockwell, 56, Ritzville farmer and trucking company owner.
A former Ritzville city councilman, he wants to boost water storage in Eastern Washington.
“ Joe Schmick, 48, Colfax farmer and vending business owner.
Former member of the state Barley Commission, he wants to steer jobs to rural towns and increase education spending.
“ Tedd Nealey, 59, landlord, substitute teacher and former farmer.
Former president of the Whitman County Wheat Growers; wants to find ways to keep employers from leaving the region.
“ Steve Hailey, 61, Mesa farmer and rancher.
Served on Franklin County fire and planning commissions; wants to promote economic development.
U.S. Senate
Atop the ticket in Washington’s Sept. 15 primary is the race for the U.S. Senate. Democratic ballots will have five names, and Republican ballots six, but it would take a political surprise of seismic proportions to keep the general election from being between incumbent Sen. Maria Cantwell and favored GOP challenger Mike McGavick.
Cantwell, a former state legislator and U.S. representative who went to work for RealNetworks when she lost her House seat in 1994, beat three-term Sen. Slade Gorton in 2000. Now McGavick, the former chief executive officer of Safeco Insurance who was once Gorton’s chief of staff, wants to bump her out after a single six-year term.
McGavick is calling for more bipartisanship and cooperation in Congress; Cantwell is playing up her opposition to Republican proposals ranging from the new Part D insurance program on Medicare to a recent plan that tied a hike in the federal minimum wage to a range of tax cuts.
The job pays $165,200 a year – with annual cost-of-living increases slipped through Congress – plus generous benefits. Senators serve six-year terms, and under the U.S. Constitution must be at least 30 years old, a citizen for at least nine years and a resident of the state. Both houses of Congress are responsible for passing laws, declaring war, maintaining the armed forces and setting taxes, but only the Senate approves treaties and presidential nominees.
Democrats
“ Maria Cantwell, first-term incumbent, former RealNetworks executive and legislator
“ Mike The Mover, Edmonds moving company owner and frequent candidate
“ Mike Goodspaceguy Nelson, Seattle advocate of orbital space colonies and frequent candidate
“ Mohammad H. Said, Ephrata physician and frequent candidate
“ Hong Tran, Seattle public service attorney
Republicans
“ Mike McGavick, former CEO of Safeco, lobbyist and Senate chief of staff
“ William Chovil, Tacoma businessman and frequent candidate
“ Warren Hanson, Lynnwood fisherman and frequent candidate
“ Brad Klippert, Benton County deputy sheriff
“ B. Barry Massoudi, Mercer Island management consultant and city planning commissioner
“ Gordon Allen Pross, Ellensburg land manager and frequent candidate