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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Saulibio joins race against McMorris Rodgers

Dave Saulibio, of Colbert, entered the race for Congress in Eastern Washington’s 5th District Thursday. (Dave Saulibio)

The field of candidates for Eastern Washington’s congressional seat grew to four Thursday as Colbert businessman Dave Saulibio entered the race.

Saulibio, 70, listed his party preference as “Trump Populist Party” but in an interview explained it consisted of just one member, him.

“When Trump got elected, I liked the man. I’m a Trump supporter 100 percent,” he said. “I think that Cathy McMorris (Rodgers) is not.”

McMorris Rodgers, a seven-term incumbent, hasn’t done enough to address the national debt, which Saulibio said is the biggest issue facing the country: “She should be standing on her head, on the floor of the House, screaming about the debt.”

He would support a balanced budget, with spending cuts and fewer government regulations to push the Gross Domestic Product to average more than 3 percent a year, using excess funds to pay off the debt. He also supports term limits, lower salaries for Congress and eliminating congressional pensions.

A retired Boeing manager who has operated USA Tactical Tripod for about 10 years, Saulibio said he has thought about running for Congress for years, and this year decided “I might as well.”

He joins a primary race with two other challengers to McMorris Rodgers: Democrat Lisa Brown, a former state legislator and former chancellor of Washington State University Spokane, and Republican Jered Bonneau, an employee at Eastern State Hospital.

The top two vote-getters in the primary advance to the general election, regardless of party preference.

In other filings, the number of challengers for U.S. Senate grew to 20 as three more candidates joined that race, which currently has nine Republicans, three Democrats, three independents and one candidate each from the Green, Libertarian, Stand Up America, Freedom Socialist and Human Rights parties. Maria Cantwell, the Democratic incumbent, is expected to file for re-election.

Filing closes Friday afternoon.

Candidates filing late Wednesday or Thursday for offices on Spokane-area ballots include:

U. S. Senate: Glen R. Stockwell, Alex Tsimerman, James Robert “Jimmie” Deal

5th Congressional District: Dave Saulibio

7th Legislative District: House Pos. 2, Joel Kretz

9th Legislative District: House Pos. 1, Jenn Goulet; Pos. 2, Matthew Sutherland

Supreme Court: Pos. 9, Stanley Lippman