State Representative, position 1
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Shea (R) | 40,541 | 64.43% |
| Scott V. Stucker (D) | 22,381 | 35.57% |
* 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
It’s difficult to imagine two candidates more different than incumbent Matt Shea and his Democratic challenger, Scott Stucker.
Shea is a conservative constitutionalist who supports the formation of a local militia and speaks out against overreach by state and federal government.
Stucker is a Bernie Sanders Democrat with no political experience except a recent stint on the Sanders campaign, and as a Washington state delegate for Sanders.
“I want the race to be about the issues, not about me,” Stucker said, adding that Sanders was the first political candidate Stucker said he felt like he could get behind, because “he fights for the people, not for corporations.”
Shea, who has won his 4th District seat comfortably the last four times, is a formidable challenge for someone with no political experience. Shea has solid support in the conservative 4th District, which includes Spokane Valley and parts of Mead and Colbert. He is a strong defender of private property rights and according to his website www.voteshea.com he’s “pro-jobs, pro-family, pro-guns and pro-life.” Shea supports the Defense of Marriage Act – which defines marriage as between one man and one woman – and is opposed to any attempts to redefine marriage, and he supports businesses’ right to deny service to same-sex couples.
Stucker supports same-sex marriage and abortion rights. He also believes health care is a universal right. “But I’m not a socialist,” Stucker said. “I’m a progressive Democrat.”
In this election cycle, Shea has raised nearly $100,000 and Stucker has raised less than $1,000 as of early Oct. 1, according to the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission.
The Candidates
Matt Shea
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 50
- City:
- Spokane Valley, WA
- Occupation:
- Lawyer
Education: Graduated from high school in Bellingham. Earned bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Gonzaga University in 1996. Earned law degree from Gonzaga in 2006.
Political experience: Elected to state House every two years since 2008. Serves as assistant ranking minority member on the House’s Labor and Workforce and Judiciary committees.
Work experience: Attorney at M. Casey Law since 2013. Formerly handled personal injury cases at Keith S. Douglass and Associates. Co-founded the Washington Family Foundation. Served 4 ½ years in the army, entering as a lieutenant in 1996, including eight months in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Later served 11 months in Iraq as a captain in the Army and Army National Guard.
Family: Divorced and remarried. No children.
Scott V. Stucker
- Party:
- Democratic
- Age:
- 41
- City:
- Spokane Valley, WA
Education: Graduated from high school in Clarkston, 2001. Attended Spokane Community College, then earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Seattle Central Creative Academy.
Work experience:Works as graphic designer at Kellybrady, an advertising agency in Spokane. Former designer and layout person at the Spokane Journal of Business.
Political experience:Has never run for office. Caucused with the Democratic Party and was a state delegate representing Bernie Sanders at the Washington Democratic State Convention.
Family: Married. No children.
Complete Coverage
Spokane Valley Rep. Matt Shea elected GOP caucus leader in Washington House
House Republicans elect Matt Shea their caucus chairman.
Shea elected to House GOP post
Matt Shea elected House Minority Caucus chairman
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OLYMPIA – Thousands of abortion foes who filled the steps of the Washington Capitol Monday were urged to action by lawmakers who have proposals against the controversial but legal procedure. “We need to move from prayer to action,” Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, told demonstrators after leading them in a chant of “Pro-life, Pro-life.”
Thousands urged to be warriors against abortion
Abortion foes who filled the steps of the Capitol Building Monday were urged to move from prayer to action.
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Semi-automatic assault weapon licenses proposed in House of Representatives.
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Spokane Valley legislator Rep. Matt Shea says he’ll introduce a bill to repeal a voter-approved law that requires background checks on most private gun sales.
Shea calls for repeal of gun sale background check law
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Spokane Valley Councilman Ed Pace asked that state Rep. Matt Shea’s recent bill proposing the formation of a separate state in Eastern Washington be added to the advance agenda at Spokane Valley City Council.
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Some lawmakers were busy in the off month drafting proposals for the 2017 session.
Early ideas from GOP lawmakers on abortion, guns and unions
Some of Washington’s part-time legislators have been busy in the off-session thinking up possible laws.
State Rep. Matt Shea: Split the state so Eastern Washington isn’t ignored
Splitting Eastern Washington off makes sense because its people are ignored, Rep. Matt Shea says.
Happy or angry about a plan to make E. Washington its own state? Don’t be.
Yes some lawmakers have proposed splitting Eastern Washington off into its own state. Again. It’s an old chestnut of an idea, just in time for Christmas.
Matt Shea, Bob McCaslin propose creating new state called “Liberty” in Eastern Washington
A proposal to make Eastern Washington its own state – named Liberty – has a long legislative history, but rarely gets beyond the talking phase.
Valley council cleared
The Washington State Auditor’s Office has issued a detailed report clearing the Spokane Valley City Council – specifically Councilmen Ed Pace and Sam Wood, and Deputy Mayor Arne Woodard and Mayor Rod Higgins who were serving at the time – of violations of the Open Public Meetings Act and mismanagement of public funds in connection with the firing of former city manager Mike Jackson.
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Incumbents on both sides of the aisle appeared headed for additional terms in Olympia as ballots were counted Tuesday. Republican Mike Volz was poised to earn the House seat vacated by popular lawmaker Kevin Parker, who announced he wouldn’t seek re-election earlier this year.