Cathy McMorris Rodgers

Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dave Reichert have gone kosher and sworn off the pork. Which sounds admirable but also correlates to their effectiveness rating, and will likely get them less goodwill than a couple of good projects for their districts would have. On the other side, Rep. Norm Dicks won Citizens Against Government Waste’s “April Porker of the Month” for trying to get the Air Force to buy from Boeing. What nerve!

Former Spokane Valley City Council candidate Jennie Willardson (D-Spokane Valley) announced her intention to run for Congress in the 5th District, according to Jim Camden. Willardson joins Democrat Mark Mays in challenging the incumbent, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

Willardson says on her website, "It is going to take a woman to win agains a woman and I am that Democratic woman.an to win agains a woman and I am that Democratic woman."

Two of Washington's contested House races saw some unusual figures when the 1st Quarter fundraising numbers were released yesterday. What was so unusual? The challenger outraised the incumbent.  read more »

In a letter sent today to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democratic members of Congress from Washington, Reps. Dave Reichert (R-08), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-05) and Doc Hastings (R-04) pushed for the Democrats to change their decision on the Colombian Free Trade Agreement.  read more »

Shelly Short (R-Addy), who has built a strong political reputation in Northeastern Washington as Deputy District Director for Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers and Field Coordinator for Congressman George Nethercutt before most recently serving as Senior Legislative Assistant to State Representative Joel Kretz, announced recently that she will be running for State Representative in the 7th District, Position 1.

The Washington Federation of State Employees released its list of endorsements for the state this weekend after its delegates met to decide upon their candidate of choice in each race. As the press release states, "They primarily endorsed incumbents."  read more »

For more than a decade Mark Mays has been something of a mainstay in Eastern Washington politics. He served as Peter Goldmark's campaign chair during his 2006 congressional race, acted as one of Gary Locke's Eastern Washington campaign coordinators, and sat on Tom Foley's finance committee during the days that he was the speaker of the House.

But through all of this, the professionally accomplished Mays, who works as a psychologist, holds a law degree and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, has never been a candidate. That all changed earlier this spring when Mays expressed interest in running for the 5th District position for U.S House of Representatives.

As expected, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers will announce her intention to run for Congress in the 5th CD, the Spokesman Review is reporting. McMorris was first elected in 2004 and will be seeking her third term representing Eastern Washington.

Two members of Washington's congressional delegation, Republicans Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dave Reichert, have decided to refrain from requesting earmarks for one year. Both said they approved of the general system of using members of congress to bring home needed Federal funds to their constituents, but felt they needed to act on their own to protest the corrupt system in place now.

RITZVILLE -

Adams County Republicans met Saturday night in Ritzville for their annual Lincoln dinner at the American Legion Memorial Building.  All press in attendance from outside of Adams County were barred from the proceedings, but folks leaving the dinner were pleased with the goings-on inside.  read more »