Primary election rundown

It’s time to narrow the field. With dozens of contested primaries on the Aug. 19 ballot, voters will decide who sticks around for the general election and who gets the boot. What follows are quick summaries of races affecting Spokane-area voters that feature more than two candidates. Under the state’s new top-two primary, the top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 4 ballot even if they’re from the same political party.

Governor

Ten people, including Medical Lake Republican John Aiken Jr., are vying to become the state’s top executive. But barring a stunning primary upset, this race is largely about two candidates: Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire and Republican challenger Dino Rossi.

They faced off four years ago, when Rossi had just left the state Senate and Gregoire was the state’s three-term attorney general. After three vote tallies and a months-long court fight, Gregoire won by 133 votes.

This year’s race for the $166,891 a year job is a more heated, more expensive rematch. The candidates, parties and their allies have been running sharply critical ads for weeks, and both Gregoire, 61, and Rossi, 48, this summer surpassed their fundraising totals from the last race.

Gregoire’s running on her experience as governor, attorney general and former head of the state Department of Ecology. Helped by a surge in real estate taxes in recent years, she sharply boosted budgets for education, health care and state worker salaries while putting aside hundreds of millions of dollars into a new state rainy day fund. She also pushed for closer monitoring of sex offenders, more frequent checks on foster children, and faster responses to reports of abused or neglected kids.

Rossi, a real estate investor, says he’ll bring back a sense of customer service to state government. On the campaign trail, he frequently vows to make Washington the best state in which to start a business and the worst state to be a criminal.

Republicans’ chief criticism of Gregoire is fiscal: They point to the $8 billion increase in the state’s main budget during her first term. That’s a 31 percent increase in four years. Although the governor argues that the spending is a long-term investment in Washington’s future, Rossi and Republican lawmakers say it’s irresponsible as the state faces a potential multibillion-dollar budget shortfall in the next two years.

The lesser-known candidates include Aiken, 56, a Spokane city inspector who vows to boost government accountability, expand education at all levels and combat pollution.

Also running:

•Will Baker, 45, a Tacoma municipal gadfly who argues that Gov. Gregoire stole the 2004 election.

•Seattle environmentalist Duff Badgley, 63, a Green Party candidate who wants “aggressive” and “steep” carbon taxes against corporate and individual polluters, as well as “personal carbon rationing.” He would also outlaw crop-based biofuels.

•Christian Pierre Joubert, a Democrat who wants to boost holistic health care, education, eco-friendly construction and distribution of health foods, “including but not limited to amazing dopamine-producing raw vegan chocolate mousses.”

•Christopher Tudor, 25, an Indianola entrepreneur running as an independent. He wants to improve education and transportation.

•Javier Lopez, 66, an Olympia-area artist and investor, says he’ll cut government waste and fraud.

•Mohammad Hassan Said, 69, an Ephrata doctor, says he wants the power to declare wars delegated to state legislatures, not Congress. He also wants to establish trade ties with Cuba, Iran and other states.

•James White, 42, a Boeing airplane inspector from Marysville, says he’ll focus on education, health care, alternative energy and the environment.

Lieutenant Governor

During the legislative session, the lieutenant governor presides over the Senate, even voting in the event of a tie. The lieutenant governor also fills in if the governor is traveling or incapacitated. The position pays $93,948 a year.

Incumbent Brad Owen, a conservative rural Democrat, has been in the Statehouse since 1976, when he was elected as a lawmaker. Owen, 58, promises to continue focusing on boosting trade. He’s seeking a fourth term as lieutenant governor and is facing a handful of mostly dark-horse candidates. They include:

•Arlene Peck, 81, of Spokane Valley, is a Constitution Party candidate running on a Christian, small-government platform.

•Seattle Republican lawyer Marcia McCraw, 53, who speaks fluent Chinese and vows to boost international trade.

•Former state worker Jim Wiest, 60, a Republican with a plan to end homelessness.

•Democrat Randel Bell, who does not appear to be actively campaigning.

Secretary of State

In addition to overseeing elections, the secretary of state is in charge of the state’s vast historic archives, registering corporations and maintaining the state’s growing registry of domestic partners. The position pays $116,950 a year. Incumbent Sam Reed, one of three Republicans holding statewide office in Washington, is seeking a third term. Reed, 67, is campaigning on a platform of open government and his backing of the top-two primary over the objections of party officials. He famously bucked calls from his own party not to certify the 2004 gubernatorial election. Since then, he and state lawmakers have enacted a number of election reforms. His three challengers include:

•Paralegal Mark Greene, of New Castle, founder and chairman of the Party of Commons.

•Democrat Jason Osgood, 40, who promises clean elections.

•Constitution Party member Marilyn Montgomery, 72, a Spokane constitutionalist who also promises clean elections.

Treasurer

The state treasurer sells bonds and oversees finances. The position pays $116,950 a year, and three people are running:

•Allan Martin, 54, a Republican from Olympia serving as an assistant state treasurer.

•Jim McIntire, 55, a Democratic state lawmaker from Seattle who once led a series of hearings examining the possibility of a state income tax;

•ChangMook Sohn, 64, a Democrat serving as the state’s chief economist who famously offered to quit on the spot when lawmakers suggested he tilt an economic forecast in their favor.

Auditor

In addition to investigating whistle-blower reports and doing financial audits of cities, school districts and other government entities throughout the state, the auditor does extensive performance audits, looking at whether state agencies are working well and how they can save tax dollars. Democratic incumbent Brian Sonntag, 56, who pushed for the performance audits, promises to continue advocating for open government. He faces two challengers for the $116,950-a-year job:

•Glenn Freeman, 39, a Constitution Party candidate who vows stronger audits and independence.

•J. Richard “Dick” McEntee, 72, a Republican who vows to save more money.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

This nonpartisan position oversees K-12 education across Washington, including the controversial Washington Assessment of Student Learning tests. This race could be decided in the primary if one of the candidates secures more than 50 percent of the ballots cast. Incumbent Terry Bergeson, 65, is running on a platform of better school funding and a continued push for testing and educational accountability. She is seeking a fourth term for the $121,618-a-year job. She has five challengers.

•Randy Dorn, 54, a former state lawmaker who is head of a school employees union, wants major changes to the WASL, calling the high-stakes test too much of a distraction from other education needs, too expensive to administer and unfair to minorities.

•John Patterson Blair, 62, advocates giving parents who want to send their children to nonreligious private schools $9,000 state vouchers to help pay tuition.

•Don Hansler, 78, wants bonuses for good teachers and two-tiered high school diploma system: basic and advanced.

•Enid Duncan, no age available, wants to abolish the WASL.

•David Blomstrom, 53, is campaigning as an anti-corporate-corruption candidate, citing Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez as his political inspiration.

Insurance Commissioner

The commissioner regulates insurance companies operating in Washington. Democratic incumbent Mike Kreidler, 64, a former state lawmaker who says he will push for universal catastrophic health care coverage paid for with a new payroll tax, is facing two challengers for the $116,950- a-year job.

•Spokane businessman Curt Fackler, 52, a Republican running as an independent, promises to push nonprofit insurance providers to return a portion of what he considers unnecessarily large financial surpluses to ratepayers.

•John R. Adams, a Republican insurance broker from Seattle, wants to reduce jury awards in medical malpractice cases and boost price competition among insurers.

5th Congressional District

Eastern Washington voters have more choices for Congress than at any time in the past 30 years, with five challengers taking on Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican seeking her third term.

The incumbent has more challengers on the right than the left. Kurt Erickson, of Clarkston, is another Republican from the wing of the party that supported unsuccessful presidential candidate Ron Paul. John Beck, of Spokane, is a former Republican who switched to the Libertarian Party, while Randall Yearout is a member of the Constitutional Party, which, like Paul and the Libertarians, calls for Congress to adhere more strictly to the Constitution.

All three argue that the federal government is too big and too intrusive, and that taxes and spending are too high.

On the Democratic side, Mark Mays, a Spokane psychologist and attorney, is criticizing McMorris Rodgers for voting in line with President Bush and House Republicans on everything from support of the war in Iraq to opposition to extending unemployment benefits during the economic downturn. He has his party’s endorsement, but isn’t the only Democrat in the race. Barbara Lampert, a retired health care aide who runs for a different elective office each year, is mounting a low-budget campaign.

•Beck, 58, is a Gonzaga University economics professor who opposes the Patriot Act and thinks Congress should cut the Drug Enforcement Administration’s budget for marijuana busts in states that allow the drug for medicinal use.

•Erickson, 45, invests in real estate and precious metals and says the Federal Reserve should be abolished and the country should return to the gold standard.

•Lampert, 62, is calling for universal health care and full employment through public works programs similar to those pushed by Franklin Roosevelt in the Depression.

•Mays, 60, questions the Bush administration’s policies in Iraq and thinks the military needs to focus more attention on Afghanistan; while he’d like to get U.S. troops out of Iraq, he doubts it can be done in less than 18 months.

•McMorris Rodgers, 39, calls for lower taxes and less spending, saying Republicans lost control of Congress because they lost sight of their core values.

•Yearout, 51, teaches classes in the Constitution and calls for reversing the amendment that provides for an income tax.

Washington Legislature

Spokane-area voters will see five contested primaries for legislative seats on the Aug. 19 ballot. The positions pay $42,106 annually.

3rd Legislative District

This central Spokane district encompasses the diversity one might expect from a major urban center – business and industry, culture, hospitals and people of varying incomes. Four candidates are seeking the Position 1 seat held by longtime Democratic state Rep. Alex Wood offer the same diversity in their political views: progressive, conservative and independent. They are:

•Laura Carder, 61, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for the position two years ago.

•Chris Bowen, 30, a Republican business owner who acknowledges that he is testing the waters in what likely will be a big Democratic year in the legislative district, which leans heavily Democratic.

•Wood, 62, the Democratic incumbent and former broadcast journalist who campaigns on a promise to help make people’s lives better.

•John Waite, 43, an independent and former computer programmer who owns Merlyn’s Science Fiction and Fantasy store and has been active in a neighborhood council.

4th Legislative District

This district is composed largely of Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake. Five people want to replace retiring state Rep. Lynn Schindler. They are:

•Republican Matt Shea, 34, an attorney since 2006 and an Iraq war veteran. He is active in groups that promote family values, but was divorced in January after trading bitter words with his wife. He wants state fiscal reforms.

•Democrat Tim Hattenburg, 55, a retired teacher who works for Tornado Creek Publications. He is a Spokane County Library District trustee and ran unsuccessfully against longtime Republican state Sen. Bob McCaslin in 2004. Growth management is a priority for him.

•Republican Diana Wilhite, 60, a Spokane Valley city councilwoman and former mayor who operates a small business with her husband. The former teacher wants to improve education and transportation while tightening the budget.

•Republican Ray Deonier, an attorney since June 2003. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Malden, Wash., in 1997. Efforts to reach him for comment have been unsuccessful.

•Democrat Anthony P. Honorof, offers only an e-mail address for contact and didn’t respond to several requests for comment. Honorof had reported no campaign contributions or expenditures by July 25.

6th Legislative District

This crescent-shaped area, wrapped around western Spokane, has recently gone from a reliably Republican district to a battleground between the two major parties. In the race for the district’s House Position 1, incumbent state Rep. Don Barlow, D-Spokane, is facing three challengers.

•Barlow, 70, a former Spokane Public Schools administrator and former school board president, promises to make school funding his priority and advocates abolishing the statute of limitations on sex offenses against children.

•Mel Lindauer, 45, an optometric physician and self-described Republican moderate, promises to work across party lines in a Legislature controlled by Democrats.

•Republican coffee entrepreneur Kevin Parker, 34, promises to push for improved business conditions and more money for roads.

•Independent Marcos James Ruiz Jr., a 38-year-old home health care worker who promises to transcend party bickering and push policies to restore hope and prosperity.

7th Legislative District

This largely rural district extends from Omak to Deer Park. It includes all of Stevens, Pend Oreille, Lincoln and Ferry counties and parts of Spokane and Okanogan counties. Five candidates hope to replace retiring state Rep. Bob Sump, R-Republic, and they’re all Republicans.

•Sue Lani Madsen, 52, an architect, business owner and small-ranch operator from Edwall. She ran unsuccessfully for the position won by Joel Kretz in 2004.

•Shelly Short, 46, an Addy-area resident, ran U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt’s Colville office for 10 years and later was U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ deputy district director.

•Peter Davenport, 60, director of the National UFO Reporting Center in Harrington. A Harrington city councilman since January, he ran unsuccessfully in 1986 for a House seat in the Seattle area’s 1st District.

•Mike Davis, 45, a Deer Park-area farmer, civic volunteer and former owner of two businesses, was appointed to the state Rehabilitation Council for the Blind last year.

•Kelly White, 54, a Kettle Falls resident who has worked in various forestry-related jobs, served 10 years on the state Fish and Wildlife Commission, until July 2003, and was chairman for two years.

9th Legislative District

Stretching from southern Spokane County across the Palouse and encompassing higher education campuses, small towns and big farms, this district contains a broad mix of progressive and conservative views. A three-way race for the Position 2 House seat pits an appointee against two challengers.

•Republican state Rep. Joe Schmick, of Colfax, was appointed to the seat after it was vacated last November, and promises to improve the business climate for small businesses.

•Democrat Tyana Kelley, of Pullman, who is involved in community theater, promises to support greater access to health care and higher education.

•Green Party member Christopher Winter, of Clarkston, who is a sociology instructor, wants to guarantee workers 30 days of paid vacation a year and provide free undergraduate college tuition.

Judicial races

Nonpartisan races, which include all judicial positions, can be won in the primary if any candidate receives more than 50 percent of the ballots cast.

Supreme Court Position 3

Because there are just two candidates for this nonpartisan position, the primary is, in essence, a winner-take-all election. The position pays $164,221 a year.

•Incumbent Justice Mary Fairhurst, 50, is seeking a second six-year term, saying she brings an open mind, fairness and common sense to the court.

•Challenger Michael J. Bond, 55, says he’ll do a better job of preserving government openness, free speech and individual rights.

Position 4

Longtime incumbent Charles Johnson is facing two challengers.

•Johnson, 57, touts his record on privacy rights and government accountability.

•C.F. (Frank) Vulliet, 66, says the court should hear more cases and is too quick to rewrite the facts of the cases it does hear.

•James Beecher, no age available, says the court needs a justice with broader, more current knowledge of trial practices.

Washington State Court of Appeals Division III

The appeals court’s newest judge, Kevin Korsmo, faces a challenge by former District Court Judge Harvey Dunham. The position pays $156,328 a year.

•Korsmo, 51, was appointed to the Division III bench in January by Gov. Chris Gregoire to serve the final year of an expiring six-year term when his predecessor, Debra Stephens, moved to the Washington Supreme Court. A University of Washington Law School graduate, he’s a former Spokane County deputy prosecutor who supervised more than 2,000 appeals and argued more than 50 cases before the state Supreme Court.

•Dunham, 57, got his law degree from Texas Tech Law School. He worked for a Dallas law firm and state government in Austin before returning to Spokane in 1990 to establish a solo practice. Dunham served as a pro-tem District Court judge in the mid-1990s and was appointed to the District Court bench in 2005. He was defeated in 2006 when he sought to retain the seat and has returned to private practice.

Spokane County Superior Court

Two positions are contested, one of which – and possibly both – will be decided in the primary. Superior Court judges are paid $148,832 a year and preside over large civil cases and felony criminal trials.

Department 1

This race between three Gonzaga Law School graduates will determine who will succeed retiring Spokane County Superior Court Judge Robert D. Austin. The contenders include two attorneys in private practice and a sitting District Court judge.

•Mark Vovos, 66, is a prominent Spokane trial attorney and a fellow of the American Board of Trial Lawyers. Vovos has taught for years at Gonzaga Law School and also has been a volunteer youth football coach for 20 years.

•Spokane County District Court Judge Annette Plese, 43, joined the Spokane County prosecutor’s office in 1992 and became an appointed court commissioner in 1998. When District Court Judge John Madden retired in 2002, Plese was appointed to fill the judgeship and ran for election that November.

•Attorney Greg Weber, 41, served as deputy prosecutor in Okanogan and Pierce counties and joined the Washington attorney general’s office in 2001, becoming the deputy director of the attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. He’s been in private practice since 2006 and also serves as a pro-tem judge in District Court.

Department 10

Three-term incumbent Superior Court Judge Linda Tompkins faces a challenge from a deputy prosecutor.

•Tompkins, 56, was appointed to the bench by former Gov. Gary Locke in 1997. The Gonzaga Law School graduate was re-elected in 1998, 2000 and 2004. This year, she’s the Adult Felony Drug Court judge and also presides over general trials. Before she became a judge, Tompkins was a partner in the Lukins & Annis law firm in Spokane. She also was president of the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce.

•David Stevens, 45, is a University of Washington Law School graduate. He’s worked as a prosecutor for the city of Spokane, Whitman County and Spokane County. He specializes in prosecuting career criminals in the property crimes unit. Stevens ran as a Republican in 2004 against Democrat Alex Wood, who won the 3rd District seat. Stevens lost in a five-way race for a District Court judgeship in 2006; Debra Hayes, another prosecutor challenging appointed judge Harvey Dunham, won that election.