Incumbent, familiar candidates advance to general election in two Spokane Valley City Council races

Initial results in the only two Spokane Valley City Council races on the primary ballot this year indicate more than a few familiar faces will advance to the general election this November.

Facing challenges from two political newcomers in her first re-election bid to Position 7, incumbent City Councilwoman Laura Padden secured her advancement to the general election, receiving 52% of the initial ballot tally. Joining her on the November ballot will be salvage yard manager Brad Hohn, 64, who received 35% as of Tuesday evening. They defeated Joseph Ghodsee, a 26-year-old Gonzaga University student, with 11.9% of the vote.

Padden said she was grateful Valley voters are backing her for another term, as indicated by the primary results. She said she hopes to continue advocating for the issues she’s championed since joining the council in 2021, including public safety, affordable housing and economic development.

“I was really happy with the results, and I thank all of the people of the Valley who put their trust in me to continue to do the job for them and represent them,” Padden said. “It’s now on to looking forward to the general; you can never just rest on your laurels.”

Hohn could not be reached for comment ahead of publication deadlines.

Ghodsee said he was encouraged by the results despite the low result. He said he made some mistakes in his first campaign for office and plans to throw his hat in the ring for another public position in the years to come.

“I’m excited for the future and have no intention to slow down now,” Ghodsee said.

In the other City Council race in which voters were asked to whittle down candidates, those with some prior campaign experience in the Valley received the early nod. It’s the only race of the four positions up for election this year that does not include an incumbent, after longtime Councilman Rod Higgins, 82, opted not to run for re-election to the council’s Position 1 due to his age.

Spokane Valley businessman and former state Senate candidate Mike Kelly, 60, led the pack of four as of Tuesday evening, receiving 45.3% of the nearly 12,000 ballots counted thus far. Kelly said he was relieved by the results, naturally, and thanked his supporters and volunteers. In the 2024 primary election in which he ran for a state Senate seat, Kelly fell just short of advancing to the general.

“It’s a much better result than a year ago, so super pleased,” Kelly said.

Kelly will be joined in the general contest by Kris Pockell, a 37-year-old software engineer who owns a hot sauce company and trailed just behind in the tally with 32.7%. Reached for comment Tuesday evening, he said he felt a similar sense of relief and optimism about the campaigning left to do.

“I’m very excited to advance to the general, being the hometown candidate,” Pockell said. “I’ve been waving signs on street corners, and having people stop and talk to me and say, ‘Hey, I’m super proud of you for running’ is awesome.”

The initial tally placed attorney Lisa Miller, a member of the Spokane County Board of Equalization, in third with 15.3%, while mixed martial arts fighter and former firefighter Adam “Smash” Smith received 5%.

Smith, who unsuccessfully ran for city council positions in 2019, 2021 and 2023, said this was likely his last bid for public office in Spokane Valley. He is interested in moving out of city limits, potentially Deer Park, where he may don his candidate hat again in the future. He does not intend to endorse Kelly or Pockell ahead of the General Election.

“I don’t think either one of them will get done what needs to be done in the city,” Smith said. “There’s not a candidate that is going to mend the current council, which is the biggest problem that we have.”

Spokane Valley has what is known as a council-city manager model of government, with the city council made up of seven nonpartisan members. Elections for all City Council positions are held citywide, not just for specific districts like in Spokane.

The winners in Tuesday’s election will face each other in the general election on Nov. 4.