Free tickets available for Pints & Politics debates, featuring five Spokane area races

From staff reports

Five races on the November ballot in Spokane County will be featured next week in an evening of candidate debates.

The Pints & Politics event, hosted by The Spokesman-Review’s Northwest Passages Book Club, will start at 5 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Bing Crosby Theater in downtown Spokane. Each debate that evening will be moderated by a Spokesman-Review reporter.

It will kick off with a debate between John Nowels and Wade Nelson, the two Republican candidates hoping to replace Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, who is retiring at the end of the year after four terms.

The other debates will feature:

• Republican Spokane County Prosecutor Larry Haskell and his challenger Deb Conklin, who is running as a nonpartisan candidate.

• Incumbent state House Rep. Rob Chase and former state Rep. Leonard Christian, Chase’s challenger in his bid to maintain the 4th Legislative District seat representing Spokane Valley.

• Spokane County Commissioner Al French, a Republican who is running to maintain a seat on the commission in the newly drawn 5th Commissioner District, and French’s opponent, Democrat Maggie Yates.

Also participating is incumbent Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton, a Democrat. Her challenger, Republican Bob McCaslin, declined to participate.

The event is free but requires a ticket to enter. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Tickets are available at spokane7tickets.com.

No posters, campaign signs or banners will be allowed in the theater.