State Representative, Pos. 1
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Bob McCaslin (R) | 25,258 | 57.99% |
| Diana Wilhite (R) | 18,298 | 42.01% |
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
About The Race
The race features two legislative newcomers but both come with significant name recognition. The appointed incumbent, Leonard Christian, was ousted in the primary, leaving former Spokane Valley Mayor Diana Wilhite to battle it out with Spokane Valley Planning Commissioner Bob McCaslin, the son of the late Sen. Bob McCaslin. He has the same first and last name as his father but a different middle name. Both candidates are Republicans and believe their level of experience is an asset, with Wilhite pointing to her years of working with people of all political stripes to get things done. McCaslin, however, says his inexperience in elective office is an asset because he didn’t have a role in creating the often divisive type of politics that is all too common now.
The Candidates
Bob McCaslin
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 66
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Education: Graduated from Central Valley High School in 1976. Earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education and history from Washington State University in 1983. Earned a master's degree in school administration from Whitworth College (now Whitworth University).
Work experience: Salesman at Freedom RV. Elementary school teacher in the Evergreen School district in San Jose, California, 1983-1994 and in the Central Valley School District from 1994-2016.
Political experience: Appointed to the Spokane Valley planning commission in 2012. Has served as a state representative since 2015. Father was longtime Spokane Valley legislator Bob McCaslin Sr.
Family: Married to Heather McCaslin. Has two children.
Campaign fundraising: Has raised $30,000 as of Sept. 28, 2022. Notable donors include U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Spokane Valley City Councilman Rod Higgins, 6th Legislative District Rep. Mike Volz, 4th Legislative District Sen. Mike Padden, 4th Legislative District Rep. Rob Chase and Spokane County Prosecutor Larry Haskell.
Diana Wilhite
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 78
- City:
- Spokane Valley, WA
Education: Graduated from Cambridge (Idaho) High School in 1963. Earned a bachelor’s in history from the University of Maryland in 1969.
Political experience: Elected to the inaugural Spokane Valley City Council in 2003. Served until 2009, including a two-year stint as mayor from 2005 to 2007. Ran unsuccessfully for state representative as a Republican twice – against Matt Shea in 2008 and against Bob McCaslin Jr. in 2014. Former chairwoman of the Spokane County Republican Party.
Work experience: Worked as a teacher in Washington, Arizona and Illinois. Owned a company with her husband called Safeguard Business Systems that printed specialty checks, mainly for small businesses, that sold in 2011.
Family: Married to Rick Wilhite. Has one daughter and two granddaughters.
Fundraising: Has raised $1,890 as of June 27.
Complete Coverage
WALeg Day 17: Splitsville for Washington? History says not likely
OLYMPIA – Eastern and Western Washington are so different they should be two separate states, says a new bill that would set up a way to split them apart. Sound familiar? Maybe that’s because legislators from east of the Cascades have been saying it – and trying to find a way to divvy up the state – for at least 100 years.
WALeg Day 1: Making it official
OLYMPIA — Legislators being sworn in for the start of the 2015 Legislature.
Valley Republicans have name recognition
With the appointed incumbent ousted in the August primary, the two Republicans jousting for a state House seat representing Spokane Valley are relying in part on name recognition to win, but they come by their name recognition differently. Diana Wilhite served on the Spokane Valley City Council for several years, including a term as mayor. She’s been heavily involved in the community, served on numerous state boards and committees and currently sits on the Spokane Valley Fire Department Civil Service Commission.
Shea, Arritola spar in GOP debate; Wilhite, McCaslin outline stances
Twenty minutes before a Republican debate in Spokane Valley, the Greenacres venue filled to capacity and late-comers were being turned away. The room, packed with 150 people, became stifling with heat. It didn’t take much longer for things to heat up between the candidates.
Christian out; McCaslin and Wilhite qualify in 4th District
The state representative picked early this year by Spokane County commissioners to fill an open seat won’t get a new term. Incumbent Republican Leonard Christian came in third in Tuesday’s top-two primary.
Christian trailing McCaslin, Wilhite for Spokane Valley House seat
Leonard Christian was appointed a state representative early this year to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of state Rep. Larry Crouse. Diana Wilhite is a former Spokane Valley mayor who has been active in local politics for decades. Bob McCaslin, a kindergarten teacher with the Central Valley School District, shares the name of his late father who served in the state Senate for more than 30 years.
High-profile challengers in race for Washington’s 4th District state House seat
State Rep. Leonard Christian is an incumbent in the unusual position of facing two primary opponents who have as much or more name recognition as he has. Christian, who was appointed a state representative early this year to fill a vacancy, is challenged by Diana Wilhite, a former Spokane Valley mayor who has been active in local politics for decades, and Bob McCaslin, who shares the name of his late father who served in the state Senate for more than 30 years.
Q&A: Spokane Valley state House candidates Christian, Wilhite, McCaslin
4th District House questions All three candidates for 4th Legislative District Representative, position 1 were asked the same questions on key issues. Here are their answers.