4th District, House Pos. 2
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Lance Gurel (D) | 17,503 | 34.45% |
| Rob Chase (R) | 16,920 | 33.30% |
| Leonard Christian (R) | 13,531 | 26.63% |
| Nathan Sybrandy (R) | 2,851 | 5.61% |
* 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
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."
Rob Chase
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 70
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 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 1972-78. 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 and Spokane County Commissioner in 2012 and 2018. 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 $6,725 as of July 2. Notable donors include outgoing state Sen. Mike Padden, Spokane Valley Mayor Pam Haley, Spokane Valley Councilman Rod Higgins, the Idaho Free Enterprise Institute and Duane Alton, a prolific donor to conservative politicians and causes who founded Alton’s Tires.
Leonard Christian
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 58
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Education: Graduated from Ferris High School in 1984. Christian completed an associate degree's from the College of the Air Force just before retiring from the military and went on to complete a degree in aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Graduated with a master's of business from Webster University.
Work Experience: Has worked as a real estate agent for Live Real Estate since 2014. Previously was a real estate agent for Windermere Real Estate and before that worked for Thomas and Black Real Estate. Christian was in the Air Force from 1984 to 2005, working many jobs, including aircraft mechanic and security specialist. He retired with the rank of master sergeant.
Political Experience: Appointed to a seat in the Washington State Legislature in 2014 to fill the remainder of Larry Crouse's term. He lost primary election against Bob McCaslin Jr. to keep the seat in August 2014. Lost close election for Spokane County assessor in 2018. Is a founding member of Republicans of Spokane County and served as vice chairman and chairman of the organization.
Family: Married to Rima Christian and has two children.
Campaign contributions: Raised more than $21,000, as of Oct. 17, 2022, according to the Public Disclosure Commission. Top donors include Spokane retiree David Lucke, Travis Pattern and Foundry Vice President Scott Chaffin, Associated General Contractors and motel owner Kent Clausen.
Nathan Sybrandy
- Party:
- Republican
- City:
- Spokane Valley, Washington
Education: Graduated from La Conner High School in Skagit County in 2012. Graduated from Seattle Pacific University with a bachelor's in science degree in nursing.
Career Experience: Currently works as a nurse on the Medical and Surgical floor at MultiCare Deaconess Hospital. Previously worked at Bailey Boushay House in Seattle as a nurse providing rehab and end-of-life care for people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
Political Experience: First time candidate, but previously worked on Mindi Wirth's 1st Legislative District 2016 senate campaign.
Family: Married.
Pitch: "We need someone who really understands how to balance our sacred values of economic health and public health and work to remember that economic health is part of public health, and I am uniquely qualified to address that."
Complete Coverage
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.
Former state Rep. Leonard Christian announces run against Matt Shea after damning investigation report
Former state Rep. Leonard Christian, a Republican, announced Friday he intends to challenge state Rep. Matt Shea in the 2020 election, a day after House GOP leaders expelled Shea from their caucus over an investigation that found he took part in domestic terrorism.
Spokane Valley candidates hope for regional approach to homelessness, clash over direction of council
If voters choose challenger Lance Gurel, he hopes to shift the makeup of council to more moderate and more open to new ideas. Incumbent Arne Woodard said Gurel and other more moderate candidates’ proposals go outside of the few essential duties Spokane Valley was founded to accomplish.
‘Second-worst’ label is not one Republicans often use against this newspaper
Republican Rob Chase might reconsider his description of The Spokesman-Review if he knew the context.
Incumbents advance in Spokane Valley City Council races; Woodard’s opponent uncertain
Voters whittled down their choices for three seats on the Spokane Valley City Council on Tuesday night, but with some votes still to be tallied, the slates for the general election were not entirely clear.