Spokane City Council, south council district
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Breean L. Beggs (N) | 10,434 | 57.97% |
| Andy Dunau (N) | 7,565 | 42.03% |
* 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 Candidates
Breean L. Beggs
- Party:
- No party
- Age:
- 61
- City:
- Spokane, WA
Why he’s running: Beggs is running for a second term amid what he believes is a wave of momentum behind the city. “Spokane is, right now, what I call ‘in play.’ It can really take the next step, and the momentum is strong. I’m someone who brings people together, especially from opposing viewpoints. I have enough knowledge with 3 three and a half years on the council to really facilitate moving forward together.”
His pitch: In his three-plus years on the City Council, Beggs believes he has established himself as a member who brings people together from opposing viewpoints and finds compromise. Beggs has been deployed to find common ground in the city’s approach to emergency communications.
Education: Graduated from Timberline High School in Lacey, Washington. Earned a bachelor’s degree from Whitworth University in 1985 and a law degree from University of Washington School of Law in 1991.
Political experience: Beggs was first nominated to fill a vacancy on the City Council in 2016. He won election to that same seat in 2017. He lost the race for Spokane County prosecutor in 2014.
Work experience: Beggs, an attorney, worked as the director of the Center for Justice from 2004 to 2010. He represented the family of Otto Zehm in a lawsuit against the city. Works as a private practice attorney in Spokane with Paukert & Troppmann PLLC.
Family: Married. Has three children.
Andy Dunau
- Party:
- No party
- Age:
- 64
- Occupation:
- President and founder of Dunau Associates, a consulting firm
His words: "My perspective is that, we're - as a nation and locally - our politics has drifted both farther to the left and farther to the right. My campaign is about trying to recapture the middle, where we can build consensus and find common ground and get things done."
His pitch: Dunau believes he offers a centrist approach to a City Council race that includes opponents with strong political persuasions, despite the office being nonpartisan. The 28-year resident of Spokane points to his years of service on the Spokane Park Board, particularly his time as overseer of the park system's finances, as experience in making difficult decisions with public dollars that will serve him well at City Hall. Dunau says he would return the council's focus to "basic services," including fixing streets and tamping down crime.
Education: Attended high school in Bethesda, Maryland. Earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Grinnell College, a private liberal arts school in Iowa, in 1981. Earned a master's degree in public administration from New York University in Manhattan, 1986.
Political experience: First run for office. Served on Spokane Park Board from 2011-2016.
Work experience: Founder and president of Dunau Associates, a communications consulting firm that has operated in Spokane for 28 years after Dunau moved from Los Angeles.Executive director of the Spokane River Forum, a nonprofit promoting the health of the river system.
Family: Lives with partner. Has three children.
Neighborhood: Rockwood
Complete Coverage
Spokane City Council races cost candidates, supporters more than $400,000 in 2017
Final reports filed with the Washington Public Disclosure Commission show November’s contests for three seats on the Spokane City Council cost a total of nearly $420,000, based on the amount spent by the candidates themselves and groups supporting or opposing them. That’s slightly less than the $458,000 that was spent in 2013, but a 10 percent bump over the amount spent two years ago.
Kate Burke takes oath for Spokane City Council seat
Spokane’s newest city councilwoman takes the seat that will be vacated by longtime Councilwoman Amber Waldref, representing Spokane’s northeast district. A gathering of friends, family and local lawmakers observed her ceremonial swearing-in at City Hall on Thursday night.
Breean Beggs, Kate Burke, Candace Mumm coast to victories in Spokane City Council races
Early ballot returns indicate the Spokane City Council will retain its progressive-leaning majority, as voters gave comfortable leads to a slate of candidates endorsed by Ben Stuckart in what became a costly and sometimes bitter campaign in the final few weeks.
Fundraising, outside spending reach historic highs in Spokane City Council races
For the first time in at least a decade, spending by outside groups in this year’s City Council races reached all corners of the city. Through Friday, more than $372,000 had been raised for the three of the contests that will be decided next week, with 1 in 4 of those dollars coming from a group working independently of the candidates.
Beware of last-minute election attacks
Conservatives were outraged with the attack on Howes. Liberals were irate with the smear against Beggs. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough people who are disgusted with both. Until there is, the slimy politics will continue.
Shawn Vestal: Days before election, local GOP leader launches slimy whisper campaign against Spokane city councilman
It’s campaign season, and ethics vanish as Election Day approaches. Enter Stephanie Cates, chair of the Spokane County GOP. After weeks of local conservatives, including at least one prominent elected official, attempting to pitch a smear to reporters on City Councilman Breean Beggs, and getting no bites, Cates posted a slimy attack on Facebook on Tuesday night.
Beggs’ defense of controversial magazine case in 1990s draws criticism from political foes
Spokane City Councilman Breean Beggs was part of a legal defense team that earned a $1.3 million judgment against a Whatcom County prosecutor targeting a bookstore for its sale of a magazine issue focusing on rape in 1995. The chair of the Spokane County Republicans, with support from several prominent conservatives on social media, is accusing Beggs’ involvement as a defense of hate speech, despite clear court victories indicating authorities were attempting to violate Constitutional rights.
Editorial: Dunau would bring balance to council
Andy Dunau is the rare Spokane City Council candidate who is genuinely moderate. On top of that, he has no desire to pursue issues beyond the scope of the position.
Oil trains at forefront of Spokane City Council race between Breean Beggs and Andy Dunau
Breean Beggs squares off against Andy Dunau in a contest for one of the most liberal-leaning areas of town. Dunau casts himself as a centrist, and says Beggs’ support of a rail initiative fining coal and oil trains is evidence the council doesn’t reflect the values of the city. Beggs says he’s concerned about safety and has worked to improve relationships at City Hall.
Blessings Under the Bridge says its staying put, despite city order to move
Blessings Under the Bridge will continue to serve homeless under Interstate 90 in downtown Spokane
Condon touts progress on environmental policies, chooses not to sign climate change ordinance
The mayor said this week he had continued concerns about the future costs of some of the covenants agreed to by the City Council last month. Spokane has already taken fiscally responsible steps to promote environmental stewardship and will continue to do so, he said. But city lawmakers are puzzled about the law’s chilly reception.
Beggs and Mumm post strong showings in Spokane City Council primaries, Burke and Benn face off in northeast
The two incumbents on the primary ballots for Spokane City Council earned the majority of votes counted Tuesday in their districts. Kate Burke will square off against Tim Benn in northeast Spokane.
Three challenge Breean Beggs for Spokane City Council seat representing South Hill
Challengers seeking Breean Beggs’ appointed seat on the Spokane City Council criticize policies he’s floated on oil and coal trains and ways to pay for more police, but the 44-year-old attorney says that’s just part of the work he’s doing for the city and dismisses labels.
Editorial: Beggs, Dunau should advance in council race
Breann Beggs has achieved important accomplishments, though we worry about his political activism. Andy Dunau, who is supported by former council members Mike Allen and Steve Salvatori, evinces a thoughtful, pragmatic leadership style.
City Council asks Mayor Condon to cap overtime, enhance civilian oversight in negotiations with Spokane Police Guild
In a letter to Mayor David Condon agreed to Monday night, the Spokane City Council requested negotiations with the police union include caps on overtime hours and a more defined role for the city’s Office of Police Ombudsman.
City Council seeks more control of how Police Department uses seized funds
The panel is set to vote on a bill Monday that will put the spending of money seized from suspected criminals under their authority and require regular public reports.
Spokane considers new misdemeanor penalty to combat car theft
Under a new law, entering or staying in a car that isn’t yours would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a $1,000 fine. The Spokane Police Department said the new law would allow them to charge people who appear to be on the way to committing more serious crimes, like vehicle prowling or auto theft.
Ex-con tortured by gang members asked for protection by the state and instead nearly lost his fingers
The first time that convicted felon Ahmet Hopovac asked the Department of Corrections to let him leave Grant County for Idaho was in January 2011. He argued he was homeless and didn’t have any money. The second time he asked for help was because the Pocos Locos, a well-known gang in the area, were after him. He again wanted to leave the state, fearing he could get hurt, or worse.
City leaders believe Trump’s ‘sanctuary city’ order won’t apply to Spokane
City Council President Ben Stuckart and Councilmen Breean Beggs said Wednesday they don’t believe President Donald Trump’s executive order cutting federal funding to “sanctuary cities” will affect Spokane because officials aren’t impeding the enforcement of federal immigration law.