Doc Hastings

Eastern Washington added a second Democratic candidate in as many days yesterday when White Salmon businessman John Gotts called the Tri-City Herald to announce his run for Doc Hastings' seat in the 4th District.

Gotts told the Herald that he is a "very, very, very pro-business" Democrat who has gone back and forth between the two major parties in his adult life, voting for George W. Bush as recently as 2000 but now supports Barack Obama and American troop withdrawal from Iraq.

More importantly, does it matter? Looking at our leaders, the experience trope has been inconsistent at best.

On the national level, touting her experience hasn’t worked at all for Hillary Clinton, and experience was not required of George W. Bush.  read more »

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 »

George Fearing grew up the son of a preacher, and while his father's ministries took him all over the country, he always felt a connection to Eastern Washington. He spent much of his childhood in the region, went to college in Walla Walla, and returned to the Tri-Cities upon completion of his law degree in 1982. He has stayed there ever since.  read more »

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 »

Wenatchee's Don Moody has announced that he will run for Washington's Fourth Congressional position as a Democrat.

Moody, a radio personality and author, sees the need for a new approach to legislating for the people of the 4th.  read more »

In new congressional power rankings released this week, Washington's delegation ranked 20th out of 50 states led by Rep. Norm Dicks and Sen. Patty Murray in the House and Senate, respectively.  read more »

Yesterday the League of Conservation Voters, an interest group that calls itself the “independent voice for the environment,” released its annual congressional scorecard. These ratings are based on the environmental legislation in the House and Senate from the past year. The LCV makes a judgment on what they consider to be the environmentally friendly position on each bill, and assigns a plus or a minus to each vote, with absences considered a negative.

The AP reports that Eastern Washington's two Congressional Representatives, Doc Hastings (R-4th) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-5th), both endorsed John McCain's Presidential bid today. Both stressed McCain's national security credentials and support of the Snake River hyodroelectric system.