7th District, House Pos. 2
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Joel Kretz (R) | 41,264 | 76.98% |
| JJ Wandler (I) | 12,339 | 23.02% |
* 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.
The Candidates
Joel Kretz
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 67
- City:
- Wauconda, Washington
Education: Graduated from Mercer Island High School in 1975. Attended Olympic College and Green River College.
Political Experience: Elected to current House seat representing the 7th Legislative District every two years since 2004. Has served as deputy minority leader.
Work Experience: Owns a ranch, raises cattle and horses, and has a small timber business; former president of Okanogan County Farm Bureau.
Family: Married. Has adult son.
Campaign contributions: Raised about $88,700, as of Oct. 5, 2020. Top donors include the Washington Beverage Association Political Action Committee, Georgia-Pacific Company, BNSF Railway Company and Philips 66 Company.
JJ Wandler
- Party:
- Independent
- City:
- Spokane, Washington
Education: Graduated from Eastmont High School in East Wenatchee in 1989. Received his bachelor's degree in English from Eastern Washington University in 1998.
Political Experience: None. Work Experience: Co-owns Gainsbourg, a restaurant in Seattle. Small business owner for 12 years. Worked in construction and restaurant industries.
Family: Has two children.
Campaign contributions: Raised about $2,200, as of Oct. 5, 2020. Top donors include lawyer Jason Wandler, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard rigger Phillip Granner and Tod Nelson, of Los Osos, California.
Complete Coverage
Independent Wandler to take on incumbent Kretz in 7th District race
JJ Wandler, Independent, is challenging Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, this November for his 7th Legislative District seat in the Washington State Legislature.
Wandler to challenge Kretz as an independent
A Mead resident who owns a Seattle restaurant and has operated Spokane eateries filed this week to run for the Legislature in Eastern Washington’s vast 7th District.