State Representative, Pos. 2
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Rob Chase (R) | 55,124 | 62.16% |
| Lance Gurel (D) | 33,554 | 37.84% |
* 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
Rob Chase
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 71
Education: Graduated from Kellogg High School in 1972. Graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, operations management.
Work experience: Is semiretired, but has recently worked as a U.S. Census Bureau enumerator and security guard for Phoenix Protective Corps in Spokane Valley. Worked as an expeditor with Haakon Industries based in Cheney from 2006 to 2007. Held mortgage origination and real estate licenses. Served in U.S. Army Reserves from 1972-1978. Now volunteers with Spokane Fatherhood Initiative.
Political experience: Elected as a state representative in 2020. Served one term and lost his re-election bid in 2022. Elected Spokane County treasurer in 2010 and 2014. Republican Party precinct committee officer. Ran unsuccessfully for state Senate in 2000, U.S. House in 2002, Spokane County commissioner in 2012 and 2018, and Spokane Valley City Council in 2023. Served as Eastern Washington coordinator for Ron Paul for President in 2008 and 2012, and Eastern Washington coordinator for Clint Didier’s 2010 Senate campaign.
Family: Married to Chris Chase and has four children.
Campaign contributions: Has raised more than $16,700 as of Oct. 2, including a $400 loan to himself. Notable donors include the Spokane Home Builders Association; outgoing state Sen. Mike Padden and his wife, Spokane Valley City Councilwoman Laura Padden; Spokane County GOP Chair MJ Bolt; Spokane Valley Mayor Pam Haley; Spokane Valley Councilman Rod Higgins; the Idaho Free Enterprise Institute; Mary Moldenhauer, widow of esteemed musicologist Hans Moldenhauer; and Duane Alton, a prolific donor to conservative politicians and causes who founded Alton’s Tires.
Lance Gurel
- Party:
- Democratic
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Education: Graduated from Walter Johnson Senior High School in Bethesda, Maryland, in 1966. Attended the University of Maryland for two years but did not finish a degree. Graduated with bachelor’s degree in accounting from Arkansas Tech University in 1996. Graduated with an MBA from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1998.
Work experience: Has owned an accounting business since 2006. Previously worked as a financial analyst for Florida State University. Worked as financial officer and director of development for Arkansas Tech University from 1995 to 2001. Previously worked as a welder, orchard manager, home rebuilder.
Political experience: Ran unsuccessfully for Spokane Valley City Council in 2019.
Family: Married. Has five children, 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Pitch: "I'm running because I think government should be effective, efficient and work for the people, but I reject the idea of tearing government down as small as possible. There are people, both our previous legislators, present legislators and the candidates I'm running against, who just think that government should be made so small that in effect it's too small to take care of the services that we need."
Complete Coverage
Spin Control: New attempt at 51st state has about as much chance as old one
Like a Arnold Schwarzenegger in a Terminator movie, the proposal to split Washington at the Cascade Crest and create a new state out of the eastern half has returned to the Legislature.
New state Rep. Rob Chase hires former Spokane County GOP chairwoman who resigned after defending white nationalist
Newly elected state Rep. Rob Chase, R-Liberty Lake, has hired former Spokane County Republican Party Chair Cecily Wright as his legislative assistant. Wright resigned from her position at the Spokane County Republican Party in 2018 after a video surfaced of her defending a white nationalist.
Republicans Padden, Chase and McCaslin sail to victory in 4th District
Voters in the 4th Legislative District once again backed Republicans, but will have one new representative in Olympia.
Candidates, debate venues found new ways to connect with voters as COVID-19 restrictions continue
As candidates opportunities to meet voters shrunk over the pandemic, both debate venues and candidates themselves got creative to find ways to still connect with voters during the pandemic.
4th district candidates Lance Gurel, Rob Chase disagree on almost everything, especially COVID-19 and science
Lance Gurel and Rob Chase, the two men running to replace outgoing state Rep. Matt Shea, disagree on almost every issue, whether it’s requiring people to wear a mask, how to fund state government, or whether it’s responsible to share conspiracy theories online.
Primary shows Rep. Matt Shea remains big influence in GOP politics in Spokane Valley
While Matt Shea isn’t running for re-election, his influence can still be felt throughout Spokane Valley’s 4th Legislative District.
Bob McCaslin, Rob Chase will take on Democrats in 4th; Mike Padden tops Senate primary
The first night of results show voters in the 4th Legislative District still support Republicans who have aligned themselves with controversial state Rep. Matt Shea over moderate challengers.
4 run for open Spokane Valley seat in state House
The four candidates running to fill an open seat representing Spokane Valley in the state House of Representatives don’t agree on much, though they all acknowledge the state’s ailing budget will require aid.
4th District candidates scramble after Shea decides not to run
Spokane County’s 4th Legislative District is a reliably Republican stronghold that typically does not draw a crowd of aspiring candidates. But as with so many other things, 2020 has proved atypical.
Postponed events, virtual outreach: Coronavirus disrupts campaign for region’s congressional seat
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers postponed her traditional campaign kickoff in the district last month, while Democratic challenger Chris Armitage has shifted to online outreach in his upset bid in the November election. Rob Chase, the latest entry into the contest, said he hopes to resume normal campaigning this summer.
Former Spokane County Treasurer Rob Chase files as Republican to challenge Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Chase becomes the third candidate in the 2020 contest for the Eastern Washington seat, joining Democrat Chris Armitage. Chase has previously run for the seat as a libertarian and has ties to more conservative-minded Republicans in Eastern Washington, including the embattled state legislator Rep. Matt Shea.