by Laryssa Lynch
Whitworth is located in District 1 of Spokane County, where the position of County Commissioner will be up for election as incumbent Republican candidate Todd Mielke is running against John Roskelley of the Democratic Party.
According to the County Commissioners’ homepage on the Spokane County website, “The Spokane County Board of Commissioners is responsible for providing legislative and administrative services to Spokane County.”
Mielke is described on his website as a champion for small businesses and traditional values of the Spokane community. Roskelley has past experience as a county commissioner and an intent to find balanced, economical solutions to current county issues, according to his campaign website.
For the office of State Representative, Whitworth falls under District 6. Kevin Parker, the Republican candidate, will go unchallenged.
The second position will be between Dennis Dellwo, with a Democratic Party preference, and Jeff Holy, with a Republican Party preference. Holy is an attorney, a U.S. Army veteran and has been a Spokane resident for 29 years.
“We need to grow our economy by creating an environment that allows small businesses to thrive,” Holy said on his campaign website.
Dellwo, also an attorney and U.S. Army veteran, has served in the State Legislature for 13 years. On his website, the top three issues Dellwo addresses are jobs, education and health care.
In the 2012 Primary, the U.S. Representative of Congressional District 5 will be up for election. Whitworth and the surrounding community lie within the boundaries of District 5, where Republican incumbent, Cathy McMorris Rodgers will face Democrat, Rich Cowan.
McMorris Rodgers has represented the District 5 of Washington State since 2004, following 13 years of work on her family’s orchard. According to the Spokesman Review Election Center, she has since served as Vice Chair of House Republican Conference, member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Co-chair of the Congressional Military Family Caucus.
Cowan is the co-founder and recently retired CEO of a local film production company, North by Northwest. Cowan is a first-time politician advocates for policies on jobs, the economy, military families and veterans and agriculture.
Contact Laryssa Lynch at laryssalynch15@my.whitworth.edu