All Politics is Local
How Bowerman fended off James’ comeback attempt
The underdog in the Clark County Council District 3 race this year made up significant ground between the primary and general elections, but not enough. Karen Bowerman, a Republican, won the district with 51.31 percent of the vote during the Nov. 3 general election, according to certified election results posted to the county website Tuesday. […]
State senator drafts legislation for in-person schooling
Sen. John Braun, a Republican from Centralia, is drafting legislation that would require Washington’s counties to offer full-time, in-person schooling if their COVID-19 positivity rate is below 5 percent. In a media release, Braun said it was “time for us to provide a thoughtful path that returns our schools to in-person instruction.” “As a matter […]
Rep. Harris reelected as minority caucus chair
Rep. Paul Harris will continue in his role as Washington State House Republican Caucus Chair. Harris, the six-term Republican representative from the 17th Legislative District, was re-elected by his colleagues on Monday. He’ll serve as minority caucus chair during the 2021 session, presiding over daily caucus meetings discussing bills, amendments and votes. He’ll also help […]
Otto proposes $556 million budget for next year
Interim Clark County Manager Kathleen Otto has proposed a $556 million budget for 2021, which the county Council will consider next week. The proposed spending plan would be $9.9 million more than the one approved by councilors for this year and $36.1 million more than in 2019. Out of 209 budget requests from county departments, […]
Herrera Beutler: Trump ‘has the right to press his claims’
President Donald Trump is declining to concede the election, though Democrat Joseph Biden has earned enough votes in the Electoral College to cement his victory as the president-elect. Today I asked Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s communications director, Craig Wheeler, what the Republican congresswoman thought of Trump’s refusal to concede. He responded with a written statement […]
Clark County could declare systemic racism a public health crisis
The Clark County Board of Health will soon discuss a resolution that declares systemic racism as a public health crisis. Clark County councilors, who comprise the Board of Health, agreed during a council time meeting Wednesday to discuss the matter at a December meeting, the date of which was not specified. The resolution would charge […]
Are solar panels coming to Heritage Farm?
Solar panels may be coming to the 78th Street Heritage Farm. Elemental Energy, a Portland-based solar energy company, has proposed a two-megawatt solar farm on 5 acres of open land at the property. The Clark County Historic Preservation Commission is scheduled to discuss the possibility at its meeting Wednesday. Under the proposal, Clark Public Utilities […]
Polling déjà vu: What can we learn from 2018?
It’s the final stretch before Election Day, and pundits are looking at three polls to cast predictions on Washington’s Third Congressional District race between Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, and Democrat Carolyn Long. The first, conducted from July 29 to August 4th by RMG Research, found Herrera Beutler leading Long, 44 percent to 40 […]
Herrera Beutler campaign accuses Long of violating corporate PAC pledge
Earlier in the week, when I was working on a story about the final round of campaign fundraising numbers, I received a message from a spokesperson for Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s reelection campaign. He told me that Carolyn Long, the congresswoman’s challenger, was circuitously violating her campaign’s pledge not to accept any dollars from corporate […]
Little, Bowerman hold fundraising leads
Karen Bowerman and Matt Little hold healthy fundraising leads as their respective races for the Clark County Council enter the home stretch. Bowerman, a Republican, has raised $50,355 in cash contributions, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission. Her opponent for the District 3 seat — Jesse James, a Democrat — has raised $23,871.40. In […]