Spokane County Commissioner, District 2
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Amber Waldref (D) | 11,669 | 55.18% |
| Michael Cathcart (R) | 6,971 | 32.96% |
| Bob Apple (G) | 2,018 | 9.54% |
| Glen R. Stockwell (G) | 491 | 2.32% |
* 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
Amber Waldref
- Party:
- Democratic
- Age:
- 47
- City:
- Spokane, Washington
Education: Went to Gonzaga Preparatory School. Majored in sociology and English at Georgetown University. Has a master's degree in environment and community from Antioch University Seattle.
Political experience: Served on Spokane City Council from 2010-2017. Served as a Democratic precinct committee officer. Has been appointed to multiple boards, including the Spokane Housing Authority Board and the Washington State Governor’s 2020 Census Committee.
Work experience: Director of The Zone, a northeast Spokane initiative focused on improving education and battling poverty. Worked with Urbanova, a public-private partnership based in the University District that strives to improve public services. Former development director of The Lands Council, a conservation organization. Former field director of Heart of America Northwest, where she focused on environmental cleanup of the Hanford nuclear site. Helped create Priority Spokane.
Family: Married to Tom Flanagan. Has two children. Sister is Vanessa Waldref, the U.S. Attorney for Eastern Washington.
Fundraising: Has raised more than $100,000 as of Sept. 27. Prominent donors include numerous labor unions, Washington State Department of Commerce Director Lisa Brown, the Washington State Democratic Central Committee, Spokane City Council President Breean Beggs, Spokane City Council members Betsy Wilkerson, Lori Kinnear and Zack Zappone, former Spokane City Councilwoman Candace Mumm, former Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart, state Sen. Andy Billig, the Spokane Tribe of Indians, the Spokane Firefighters Union Political Action Committee and the Win With Women Political Action Committee.
Michael Cathcart
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 38
- City:
- Spokane, Washington
Education: Went to University High School. Graduated from Montana State University with a bachelor's degree in motion picture arts.
Political experience: Elected to the the Spokane City Council in 2019, and currently serves as the Spokane City Council president pro tem. Ran unsuccessfully for Spokane County commissioner in 2022. Serves as Spokane’s representative to the Regional Broadlinc Public Development Authority, chair of the Public Safety Committee, chair of the Northeast Public Development Authority, chair of the police and fire pension boards, vice-chair of the Finance Committee, and a current member of the Budget Committee, Spokane Police Advisory Committee and Traffic Calming Committee. Formerly served as vice chair of the Spokane City Council Public Infrastructure & Environment Committee, council liaison for the Spokane Park Board, council liaison for the city’s Employees Retirement System, volunteer for the Spokane Lunar New Year Celebration, chair of the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council, member of the city’s In-Fill Housing Steering Committee and a member of the Mayor’s Quality and Affordable Housing Taskforce.
Work experience: Spent five years as executive director of Better Spokane, a pro-business organization. Worked as an aide for former 6th Legislative District Sen. Michael Baumgartner. Former government affairs director for the Spokane Home Builders Association.
Family: Married to Vina (Tran) Cathcart. Has a young son.
Political donations: Reported nearly $63,800 as of Oct. 3. Top donors include the Association of Builders and Contractors Political Action Committee, the Build East Political Action Commission, Spokane Realtors, the Spokane Homebuilders Association, manufacturing and engineering firm Pyrotek, and George, Jennifer, Theresa and Ryan Gee of the Gee Automotive Holdings company.
Bob Apple
- Party:
- GOP
- Age:
- 68
- City:
- Spokane, Washington
Education: Graduated from Ferris High School in 1975. Does not hold a college degree but took courses at Spokane Falls Community College, Gonzaga University and Eastern Washington University.
Political experience: Served on Spokane City Council from 2004-2011. Ran unsuccessfully for the 6th Legislative District as a Republican in 1986 and as a Democrat for a 3rd District House seat in 2010 and 2012. Ran as a Republican in 2020 against Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane.
Work experience: Retired. Ran the Comet Tavern in Hillyard for 17 years. Has worked in warehousing and marketing for retailers. Formerly owned a roofing and contracting business and briefly ran a South Hill bar called Somewhere in 2014.
Family: Single. No children.
Fundraising: Has raised more than $1,200 via in-kind contributions as of June 23.
Glen R. Stockwell
- Party:
- GOP
- Age:
- 74
- City:
- Ritzville, Washington
Education: Went to West Valley High School outside Yakima. Attended Yakima Valley Junior College but does not hold a degree.
Political experience: Was appointed to the Ritzville City Council in the early 1980s. Has campaigned for office many times, both as a Republican and Democrat, but has never been elected. Past runs for office include: 9th Legislative District representative, Adams County Commissioner, Mayor of Ritzville, 4th District U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.
Work experience: Retired. Most recently had a trucking company. Served in the Coast Guard. Has worked with International Harvester, been a commercial fisherman and owned body shops, to name a few of many jobs.
Family: Widower. Has two children.
Fundraising: Has raised $0 as of June 23.
Related Media
Complete Coverage
KSPS debate: Cathcart and Waldref
KSPS hosted this debate between former Spokane City Councilwoman Amber Waldref, a Democrat, and Spokane City Councilman Michael Cathcart, a Republican, for the county commission seat representing District 2. Spokesman-Review reporter Colin Tiernan and Spokane Public Radio reporter Rebecca White were panelists for the event.
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