John Roskelley

A candidate for 4th District Senate, Legislative District 4 (Spokane Valley) in the 2020 Washington Primary Election, Aug. 4

Party: Democratic

Age: 75

City: Mead, Washington

Work experience: Currently writing a book based on records from his father's life and has previously written a local guide to paddling the Columbia River. He has been a Washington State Growth Management Board Member, is a mountaineer and has worked as a photographer and educator on the environment and climbing. He has worked as a geology contractor for private companies and briefly worked for the United States Department of Mines as a geologist in the 1970s.

Political experience: Roskelley was first elected as a Spokane County commissioner in 1995 to serve the remainder of another commissioner's term and won a full term in 1996. He remained on the board of county commissioners until 2004, when he resigned to serve on the state's Growth Management Board. He unsuccessfully ran for the seat again in 2012. Education: Is a 1967 graduate of Shadle Park High School and graduated from Washington State University in 1971 with a degree in geology.

Family: Married and is the father of three children.

Pitch to voters: "If you want to change Olympia, you have to change who you're sending there. The more years you spend in Olympia, the more you get owned by lobbyist and outside interests. Voters need to take a look at that and change who they're sending and change the way Olympia runs."