Spokane County

Senator Maria Cantwell was first elected in 2000 and continues to represent our state's progressive values in our nation's capital. Sen. Cantwell has been a leader on a wide range of issues including reproductive rights, supporting the Children's Health Insurance Program, defending net neutrality, passing oil spill legislation to protect our water, working on clean energy policies, and many more.

Sen. Cantwell is opposed by Republican Susan Hutchison. Hutchison is a former news anchor and past chair of the state Republican Party. She ran for King County Executive in 2009 and lost by twenty points. Hutchison is well-known for being a party-line Republican and for her fierce defense of President Donald Trump, including calling fellow Republican Ted Cruz a "traitor" for not supporting the president's campaign.

Sen. Cantwell has been a tenacious advocate for the people of Washington state and is the best choice in this race.

It’s time for new leadership in Congress, and that starts here in Eastern Washington with Lisa Brown.

Brown is a former state Senator and chancellor of Washington State University Spokane. Brown is committed to building an economy that works for all of us and ensuring access to quality, affordable health care for every family. She is focused on listening to the needs of our local communities, not lobbyists, campaign donors, and national political leaders. She will protect our local environment, supports reproductive rights, and supports comprehensive immigration reform that protects Dreamers.

Brown’s opponent, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, is a party-line member of the House Republican leadership who has lost touch with the people she is supposed to represent. Rep. McMorris Rodgers was an enthusiastic supporter of the Republicans’ $1.5 trillion tax giveaway to billionaires and corporations. Last year, Rep. McMorris Rodgers was the only member of the Washington state delegation to vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would have eliminated health care for 23 million Americans, including approximately 30,000 people in Eastern Washington.

Brown is the clear choice in this race because she is committed to putting working families first. Vote Lisa Brown for Congress in Washington's 5th Congressional District.

Democratic Representative Marcus Riccelli has been an effective advocate for Spokane families. Rep. Riccelli has fought tirelessly to expand access to health care and increase government transparency. Prior to joining the Legislature, Rep. Riccelli served as U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell's Eastern Washington Director and as former state Senator Lisa Brown's senior policy aide.

Rep. Riccelli is facing Republican Tom Taylor, whose campaign is thin on information and mostly focused on government transparency without details about his policy stances. Rep. Riccelli has earned your vote for re-election to the 3rd Legislative District House Position 1.

Democratic Representative Timm Ormsby is running for re-election to the 3rd Legislative District House Position 2. An active member of the Spokane community, Rep. Ormsby is the current president of the Spokane Regional Labor Council and a former board member of the United Way of Spokane County. Since joining the Legislature, Rep. Ormsby has helped write and pass bills to bring good jobs to Spokane, protect the environment, and preserve critical health care services. Rep. Ormsby is also the chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and is in a strong position to advocate for the interests of Eastern Washington in Olympia. While we were disappointed that Rep. Ormsby was charged with drunk driving this winter, after studying the incident and his response we strongly believe that he’s still the best candidate in this race.

Rep. Ormsby is opposed by Republican and retired Marine Corps officer Lt. Col. Dave Lucas. Lt. Col. Lucas is running on a “tough on crime” platform that refuses to acknowledge the state's regressive tax code, which has earned him the support of the most conservative members of the Republican party, including Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Rep. Ormsby has earned your vote.

Democrat Ted Cummings is running to unseat Republican Representative Matt Shea from the 4th Legislative District House Position 1. As an active member of the United Steelworkers, Cummings is committed to fighting for working families in Olympia and creating job opportunities in rural communities. Currently, Cummings and his wife raise Angus cattle on their ranch in Chattaroy. Cummings is very active with the agricultural community and supports several Arabian horse and cattle groups. He hopes to restore the community’s trust in this position by responding to the concerns of every community member regardless of their political background.

Cummings faces a tough race against incumbent Republican Rep. Matt Shea, who is one of the most extreme conservatives in the Legislature. Rep. Shea has been cited for pulling an illegal handgun on a motorist, hosted secessionist campaign events, and has even filed legislation to have Eastern Washington secede to become the 51st state. Rep. Shea is also currently under investigation by the FBI for distributing a manifesto for religious war in the United States, calling for "the death of all non-Christian males in the U.S. if religious law is not upheld." Cummings is the best choice in this race.

City planner Mary May is running for 4th Legislative District House Position 2. May is a dedicated public servant who would bring more than 25 years of city planning and policy experience to the position. She is running to bolster unity among communities, protect the earned benefits of seniors and veterans, and to improve the quality of K-12 education in our public school system. Additionally, May is prioritizing policy solutions that strengthen environmental protections and keep health care affordable for working families.

May is challenging Republican Rep. Robert “Bob” McCaslin, who is aligned with far-right members of his party. Rep. McCaslin voted against measures to protect abortion access and practical environmental protections like this year’s Oil Spill Prevention Act. May is the progressive choice in this race.

Democratic candidate Jessa Lewis is running for the 6th Legislative District Senate seat vacated by retiring state Sen. Michael Baumgartner. A dedicated community activist and fierce advocate for affordable health care, Lewis is currently serving as the Eastern Washington Director of Health Care for All – WA, a non-profit focused on identifying solutions to increase access to affordable health care across the state.

Lewis is running against incumbent Republican Rep. Jeff Holy. During his time in the Legislature, Rep. Holy has earned a reputation one of the most conservative members of the Republican caucus. He is a staunch opponent of environmental protections, abortion access, and LGBTQ rights.

Lewis is the clear choice in this race.

Local civic activist Kay Murano is running for the 6th Legislative District House Position 1. Murano is seeking to bring community-oriented policy solutions to the Legislature to address homelessness and the high costs of health care. As the executive director of the Spokane Low Income Housing Consortium, Murano has an extensive understanding of the affordable housing challenges facing the greater Spokane community. Murano's demonstrated commitment to progressive values and policy solutions shows that she would be a strong voice for working families in Olympia.

Murano is challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Volz, who has been staunchly opposed to economic reforms like raising the minimum wage and gender pay equity. Kay Murano is the best choice in this race.

Democrat David Wilson is running for the 6th Legislative District House Position 2. Wilson is a former small business owner and a founding board member of the Spokane-based, bipartisan People for Effective Government coalition. Wilson is focused on supporting legislation that invests in local schools, infrastructure, and environmental protections for Spokane’s water sources.

Wilson is running against conservative Republican activist Virginia "Jenny" Graham, who opposes abortion access and is focused on public safety and lowering regulations on business.

Wilson is the best choice in this race.

Democrat Karen Hardy is a ranch teamster who is running to represent the 7th Legislative District in the state Senate. Hardy is determined to fight for single-payer health care, clean energy jobs, and fully-funded education with quality trade and apprenticeship programs.

Hardy is challenging incumbent Republican Senator Shelly Short. During her first term in the Legislature, Sen. Short voted to undermine reproductive health care and voted against widely-popular net neutrality protections for internet users. Hardy is the clear choice in this race.

Democrat Randy Michaelis is running for the 7th Legislative District House Position 1. Michaelis is the interim dean of Whitworth University’s School of Education and is a self-described "classic moderate." Michaelis supports Gov. Jay Inslee’s plans to increase state mental health services and wants to expand state resources into rural parts of the 7th Legislative District.

Michaelis faces an uphill race against Republican Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber, who has been an outspoken opponent of reproductive freedom and workers' rights. This year, Maycumber continued her conservative record by voting against banning bump stocks, expanding access to contraceptive care, and against the equal pay opportunity act, which protects women in the workplace. Michaelis is the best choice in this race.

Democrat Mike Bell is a U.S. Navy veteran and retired accountant who is focused on improving K-12 schools and making post-secondary education more affordable in Washington. Bell has experience working on congressional campaigns and advocated for conservation measures in Eastern Washington. He is a strong supporter of cleaning up Washington's upside-down tax code and limiting corporate money in politics. Bell is not accepting corporate donations or PAC money during this campaign cycle.

Bell faces an uphill race against incumbent Republican Rep. Joel Kretz. Rep. Kretz has been an obstacle to progress since 2004 and opposes commonsense reforms like gender pay equity, banning bump stocks, prohibiting conversion therapy on LGBTQ youth, and automatic voter registration.

Bell is the best choice in this race.

Pasco progressive Jennifer Goulet is a community activist who is active with the Franklin County Democrats. Goulet has a long history of community involvement on racial equity, women’s rights, and the environment. Her political background includes serving as a local precinct committee officer and as a member of the Board of Directors for Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho. Goulet has been a vocal advocate for affordable health care, increased government accountability, and reining in the influence of corporations on our elections.

Goulet is challenging incumbent Republican Representative Mary Dye. Rep. Dye is a social conservative who is most well known for asking visiting teens lobbying for Planned Parenthood if they were virgins. In 2018, Rep. Dye was also one of the few House Republicans to vote against a measure that would provide breakfast to hungry school children. Throughout her time in Olympia, Rep. Mary Dye has shown that she lacks the willingness to build bridges across the aisle on important social issues. Goulet is the best choice in this race.

Army veteran Matthew Sutherland is currently serving in the National Guard. He is running for the 9th Legislative District House Position 2 to address the rising costs of healthcare and prescription drugs. Sutherland believes that working people should come first and he is committed to bringing living wage jobs to central Washington and improving K-12 education.

Sutherland is challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Joe Schmick. First elected in 2007, Rep. Schmick has spent the past 11 years opposing abortion access and commonsense tax reform measures like closing wasteful tax loopholes for powerful special interest groups. Sutherland is the best choice in this race.

Spokane County Commissioner Mary Kuney is a moderate Republican who was appointed to the commission by Governor Jay Inslee in September of 2017. Kuney is a certified public accountant and the former Chief Deputy Auditor for Spokane County, a role in which she worked across county departments to streamline budgets and improve efficiencies.

Kuney is being challenged by Spokane County Treasurer Rob Chase. Chase is a far-right Republican who is running on an anti-tax platform and has been endorsed by extreme Republicans like Rep. Matt Shea.

While we don’t agree with Kuney on every issue, we believe she’s clearly the better choice in this race.

Robbi Katherine Anthony is a trans woman and self-described progressive. Her campaign is prioritizing a data-driven approach to decision-making, repairing the $10 million county budget shortfall, and ensuring that the county is using up-to-date technology. She believes diversity boosts economic growth and is devoted to making Spokane County more inclusive.

Her opponent, Al French, is a conservative developer with a combative style and history of ethics complaints. He has alienated local cities by promoting aggressive urban sprawl and caused them to opt out of a regional garbage system that has cost the county millions in revenue. Anthony is the best choice in this race.

There are no progressive choices in this race. Republican Tom Konis has more than 24 years of direct experience working in the Spokane County Assessor's office. A former realtor, Konis is also an accredited residential and commercial appraiser. If elected, Konis wants to improve office efficiency through the use of technology, improve communications with county commissioners, increase employee training, and approach the responsibilities of the office using an equity lens to ensure that "everyone pays their fair share, no more but no less."

Konis is opposed by former state Representative Leonard Christian. Christian is a conservative real estate broker and a "Republican Party District Leader." While Konis has been endorsed by the local Republican Party, he has also earned the support of local labor unions and demonstrated a willingness to work with local progressive advocates. Tom Konis is the stronger choice in this race.

Democrat Vicky Dalton has served Spokane County as auditor since 1999. As a certified public accountant and election administrator, Dalton believes in serving with integrity and works to improve the efficiency of county government through innovation, transparency, and accountability. Outside of her elected office, Dalton volunteers as a board member of the organization known as Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP) and is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association. She is running unopposed for reelection and deserves your vote.

Democrat Michael Kirk is running for Spokane County Clerk after serving 15 years in the ministry. Kirk wants to bring a service-based approach to the county clerk’s office that focuses on building relationships with the community. He is running on a strong social justice platform and wants to use the office to reform the criminal justice system, protect local families from discrimination by the Trump administration, and support efforts to keep housing affordable. Kirk is not accepting corporate donations to his campaign to demonstrate his commitment to serving the community instead of campaign contributors.

Kirk is running against incumbent Republican Tim Fitzgerald. A retired Marine colonel, Fitzgerald emphasizes his military leadership skills that he brings to the clerk’s office. Fitzgerald’s platform is focused on finding efficiencies and implementing budgets.

Kirk is the progressive choice for Spokane County Clerk.

Certified public accountant David Green is running for Spokane County Treasurer. With 35 years of financial planning experience and local political activism, Green is uniquely qualified to serve in this position. Green is the chair of the 3rd Legislative District Democrats and was previously a board trustee of the Fox Theater and the Spokane Symphony Society.

Green faces a competitive race against former Republican state Senator Michael Baumgartner, who retired from the Senate to run for this seat. During his tenure, Baumgartner rightfully earned a reputation as one of the most extreme and bombastic members of the Legislature. From his anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion stances to his constant attacks on working people, Baumgartner is out of step with the people of Spokane and unfit to serve as treasurer.

Green is the clear choice in this race.

First elected in 2000, Supreme Court Justice Susan Justice Owens brings more 40 years of legal experience to Washington's Supreme Court. Prior to serving on the court, Justice Owens served nineteen years as a District Court Judge in Western Clallam County. Justice Owens has been a leader in the judicial community on addressing the impacts of domestic violence on children. Nationally, Justice Owens is a judicial trainer on this topic and participated in the writing of the Northwest Tribal Judges Domestic Violence Manual. Justice Owens is running unopposed for re-election and has earned your support.

Supreme Court Justice Steve Gonzalez has earned national recognition for his judicial expertise and work to increase access to the judicial system. Before serving on the Supreme Court, Justice Gonzalez served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and on the King County Superior Court for more than 10 years hearing criminal, juvenile, and family law cases. Justice Gonzalez is devoted to working for the people of Washington and serves as a board member for the Washington Leadership Institute, an organization that supports emerging community leaders from diverse backgrounds. As one of the few multi-lingual justices, he chairs the Interpreter Commission. Justice Gonzalez is rated "Exceptionally Well Qualified" by 10 independent bar associations in Washington state.

Gonzalez is being challenged by Bellevue-based attorney Nathan Choi, who ran unsuccessfully for a judicial seat on the Court of Appeals in 2016. Since then, Choi has faced numerous ethical controversies. In 2017, the King County Bar Association formally reprimanded Choi for violating KCBA's fair campaign practices guidelines by releasing misleading campaign materials and failing to follow state candidate rules. In February of this year, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson formally filed a lawsuit against Nathan Choi in a Thurston County Court. The case is still open.

Justice Steve Gonzalez is the best choice for Supreme Court Justice Position 8.

Washington Supreme Court Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud has been a fierce defender of constitutional rights and has written the decision in several consequential court cases. Prior to serving on the Supreme Court, she worked as an accomplished appellate court attorney for nearly three decades and was a founding member of the Washington Appellate Lawyers Association. Her strong judicial track record has earned a rating of "Exceptionally Well Qualified" by 10 independent state bar associations, including Washington Women Lawyers and the newly-minted Veterans Bar Association.

Justice McCloud in running unopposed for Position 9 and deserves your vote.

Judge Laurel Siddoway is Washington’s presiding Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. First elected in 2010, Judge Siddoway is a non-partisan judge who previously worked as a private attorney representing both private and public clients in Eastern Washington for 30 years. Outside of the courtroom, Judge Siddoway is a trustee for the Spokane Symphony and was a founding member of the Rockwood Neighborhood Association. Her reputation for judicial independence, extensive expertise, and fairness earned her the unanimous endorsement of members of the state Supreme Court. Judge Siddoway has earned another term.

There are no progressive candidates in this race for Spokane County District Court Judge, Position 1. Patrick Johnson is a somewhat conservative attorney who has served as a Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor for 20 years and argued more than 100 felony cases in his career. Johnson also serves as Senior Defense Counsel in the U.S. Army Reserves and has more than 25 years of military service under his belt. He has been a strong advocate for the alternative veterans court and wants to continue improving court services offered to veterans. He is also the Vice President of Local 1553PA and has earned the support of several local unions.

Johnson is opposed by attorney Randy Brandt, who last ran for a judicial seat in 2014. Through Brandt has extensive legal experience; he is running a misleading campaign by using old campaign signs that say "Judge" on them despite the fact that Mr. Brandt is not currently a judge. Brandt has also struggled to file his campaign finance disclosure reports correctly. Johnson is the stronger choice in this race.

Appointed earlier this year by Gov. Jay Inslee, Judge Shelley Szambelan is running to retain her position on the Spokane County Superior Court. Previously, Judge Szambelan served as a judge on the Spokane Municipal Court for nine years and worked as an assistant city attorney and prosecutor for the City of Spokane. She has 25 years of legal experience and volunteers with the Washington State Minority and Justice Commission’s Youth & Justice Forum and Habitat for Humanity-Spokane.