State Representative, Pos. 1

Education: Graduated from Mead High School in 1996. Earned a bachelor’s degree in business admission from Gonzaga University in 2000 and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Washington in 2007.

Work experience: Worked as Eastern Washington Director for U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell from 2007 to 2010 and as senior policy adviser to state Sen. Lisa Brown from 2010 to 2012. Previously worked as an adjunct instructor at Eastern Washington University. Worked as project manager at CHAS Health for three years and currently the part-time community relations manager for CHAS Health.

Political experience: First elected to his current position in 2012 and re-elected four times. Currently serves on the health care, transportation, rules and capital budget committees. Serves as the House Majority Whip for House Democrats.

Family: Married to Amanda Marie Riccelli. Has two children.

Campaign finance: Raised nearly $198,000 as of Oct. 12, 2022, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission. Has received more than 100 contributions of $1,000 from unions, corporations, political action committees, tribes and others. Those contributors include Amazon.com, pharmaceutical firm Norvartis, pharmaceutical firm Pfizer, Anheuser Busch, Washington State Auto Dealer PAC, Kaiser Aluminum, Avista, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Washington Education Association PAC, Premera Blue Cross, Washington State Troopers PAC and State Employees International Union Local 925.

His words: "I don’t think a lot has changed. I still don’t see a City Council that’s focused on the issues that I’ve heard about over the years, being active in the community." 

His pitch: A long history as a district resident and previous work lobbying City Hall for school safety measures in the northeast are both reasons voters should support Benn's candidacy, he said. He criticized the current City Council for focusing too much on ideological issues and being forced to backtrack on certain decisions when he said they stepped outside their authority. More needs to be done to inform residents in the district about planned construction ahead of completion of the North Spokane Corridor highway, he said, and the homelessness issue in the town should be addressed by restricting the flow of illicit drugs onto Spokane's streets. 

Work experience: Owns a child day care center, Little Precious Ones, with his wife in the Minnehaha neighborhood of North Spokane.

Education: Graduated from Faith Christian Academy in 1996. Received associate degrees from Spokane Community College in general business, business management and marketing in 2005. Received child development associate’s degree from Blue Prints for Learning in 2011.

Political experience: Defeated in 2017 campaign for the northeast district seat by City Councilwoman Kate Burke. Defeated in 2012 and 2014 general elections as Republican candidate to represent Legislative District 3 in Washington House of Representatives, both to Marcus Riccelli. Current chairman of Minnehaha Neighborhood Council. Led effort to challenge day-care regulations that he says are duplicative and burdensome.

Family: Married. Two adult sons, and a daughter in high school. 

Neighborhood: Minnehaha

Career: City Council member and former publisher of the Go Green Directory and Out There Monthly magazine, which is focused on outdoor recreation. Founder and first board chairman of KYRS Thin Air Community Radio.

Education: Graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1987. Earned bachelor’s degree from Evergreen State College in 1991.

Political experience: Won current Spokane City Council term in 2009. Serves on Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington board and Spokane Regional Health District board. Formerly served as Spokane Regional Transportation Council member and Spokane Transit Authority board.

Family: Married. Has two school-age children.

Education: Graduated from Ferris High School in 1975. Does not hold a college degree but took courses at Spokane Falls Community College, Gonzaga University and Eastern Washington University. 

Political experience: Served on Spokane City Council from 2004-2011. Ran unsuccessfully for the 6th Legislative District as a Republican in 1986 and as a Democrat for a 3rd District House seat in 2010 and 2012. Ran as a Republican in 2020 against Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane. 

Work experience: Retired. Ran the Comet Tavern in Hillyard for 17 years. Has worked in warehousing and marketing for retailers. Formerly owned a roofing and contracting business and briefly ran a South Hill bar called Somewhere in 2014.

Family: Single. No children. 

Fundraising: Has raised more than $1,200 via in-kind contributions as of June 23.