CHENEY—Politics were on tap at the Cheney Library on Saturday, July, with the Spokane Area League of Women Voters hosting a candidate forum. Individuals running for Washington’s U.S. House District 5, Spokane County’s 5th Commissioner District and Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney were in attendance. Notably absent was the congressional incumbent, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers (WA-05), who declined due to prior engagements in Washington, D.C.
Each participant had equal time to speak about their background, experience and campaign platforms.
Republican House contender Sean Clynch of Four Lakes opened the forum, followed by Democratic contenders for U.S. House, Natasha Hill and Anne Marie Danimus.
“I’m disappointed our current representative couldn’t attend,” Clynch said during his wrap-up speech. “I understand the political wisdom and not trying to make us bigger than what we are, but it seems undemocratic to me.”
Clynch noted that he would not stay in office for 18 years like “someone” (McMorris Rogers). He is running on a platform loosely tied to the governing philosophy of former U.S. President Andrew Jackson.
According to his website, Clynch campaigns on a platform of “Jacksonian Reform,” referring to the philosophy of the late President Andrew Jackson, including the rotation of government jobs to those loyal to the winning party (historians refer to this policy as the “spoils system”), a reduction in the number of cabinet members and the removal of undocumented migrants in the United States.
Danimus followed, speaking on protecting small businesses in America and laying out visions of a “green” and Eco-friendly industry filling economic gaps in the region. Her ideas included re-examining the regulation of small agricultural businesses.
“We have to look at regulation differently,” Danimus said. “Two-hundred-thousand head of cattle needs different regulation than 2,000 head.”
She also pledged not to take any corporate money.
Hill, a Spokane attorney, spoke about protecting the more vulnerable communities within the working class and recent actions taken by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We are going to get loud and we’re going to yell and scream from the rooftops because of what we’re seeing in the stacked Supreme Court,” Hill said, referring to the conservative tilt given to the court by former President Donald Trump. “We need to expand the Supreme Court, so it reflects the people in our society now, not in the 1800s.”
The forum of county commissioner candidates and those for county prosecutor did include incumbents, such as District 5 Commissioner Al French. Maggie Yates, an attorney and former law and justice administrator for Spokane County and Tara Carter, a county worker and union representative, are challenging French for his seat.
French outlined his record over the past 10 years and his business experience, stating, “I’m the only one on this dais that’s actually brought a job to this community, actually signed the front side of a paycheck.”
The opposing candidates eagerly listed their qualifications and visions of the county’s future. Carter, a working mother, took a more personal approach in lieu of experience in elected office.
“I’m not an attorney,” Carter remarked. “I don’t have 12 plus years of experience, but I have the desire to take my knowledge of people and my desire to help people to the level where I’m not at yet.”
Yates expressed youthful energy while detailing her background as an attorney and her accomplishments working with Spokane County’s criminal justice system.
“I know that creating better outcomes and stewarding taxpayer dollars is possible because I’ve done it,” Yates said.
The candidates for Spokane County Prosecutor were Deb Conklin, Stefanie Collins, and Stephanie Olsen, who are going up against incumbent Larry Haskell.
Collins, a prosecutor in Haskell’s office, recapped her 28 years working in the office and traded shots with her boss regarding a lengthy backlog of domestic violence cases. Haskell responded to the criticism, stating, “Ms. Collins can jump in and help us out anytime.”
A former criminal prosecutor and pastor, Deb Conklin, detailed her work with vulnerable communities in the area. Stefanie Olsen, an assistant Attorney General and current judge pro-tem in Spokane County District Court voiced her concern about rising violent crime while going over her history of community involvement.
Candidates for Spokane County Sheriff were invited to the event but did not participate.
The Spokane Area League of Women Voters is an organization that provides voter information and advocates for voter rights as well as other issues such as equitable criminal justice and affordable housing.
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