Democrats dominate Issaquah voters’ choices
January 1, 2013
Strong get-out-the vote operation boosts candidates
Democrats dominated Issaquah in the November election.
City voters chose Democrats for every federal and statewide office on the ballot — sometimes by a broad margin and others by a handful of votes.
Issaquah overwhelmingly supported Democrats in the races for president and vice president, U.S. senator and U.S. representative, and every statewide office. Only incumbent Republican Steve Litzow, a 41st Legislative District state senator representing about half of Issaquah, earned support from a majority of voters inside city limits.
How did Issaquah vote?
January 1, 2013
City-level results from the November election show Issaquah voters followed statewide trends on some issues, or occasionally chose another direction.
How much did Issaquah legislative candidates raise?
November 27, 2012
The candidates to represent Issaquah in Olympia raised a combined $1.5 million to fund legislative campaigns.
Chad Magendanz transitions from school board to Legislature
November 13, 2012
Chad Magendanz
Republican Chad Magendanz triumphed in the race to represent Issaquah and the 5th Legislative District in the state House of Representatives, and in the process, set up a vacancy on the Issaquah School Board.
Magendanz defeated North Bend Democrat David Spring, a candidate for the seat in 2008 and 2010. The challengers vied to succeed retiring state Rep. Glenn Anderson, a Fall City Republican and lawmaker for a dozen years.
“I’m really looking forward to getting out of campaign mode — which has been the focus for the last year — and rolling up my sleeves and really getting into the tough problems to solve down in Olympia,” Magendanz said a day after the election.
Magendanz said decisions made in Olympia often frustrated the school board and Issaquah School District leaders.
Chad Magendanz readies for transition from Issaquah School Board to Legislature
November 7, 2012
NEW — 3 p.m. Nov. 7, 2012
Republican Chad Magendanz triumphed in the race to represent Issaquah and the 5th Legislative District in the state House of Representatives, and in process, set up a vacancy on the Issaquah School Board.
Chad Magendanz
Magendanz cruised to a comfortable lead against North Bend Democrat David Spring in the initial election results released Tuesday, 55 percent to 45 percent. The candidates vied to succeed retiring state Rep. Glenn Anderson, a Republican and lawmaker for a dozen years.
“I’m really looking forward to getting out of campaign mode — which has been the focus for the last year — and rolling up my sleeves and really getting into the tough problems to solve down in Olympia,” Magendanz said in a Wednesday interview.
Legislative candidates focus on education at forum
October 23, 2012
Candidates staked moderate positions and touted the importance of education as the contenders for offices to represent Issaquah in Olympia gathered for a candidate forum Oct. 18.
Education emerged as the signature theme in the races to represent local constituents in the state Senate and state House of Representatives. Candidates also tackled issues related to taxation, transportation, land use and — as lawmakers prepare for more budget cuts next year — government spending.
Local legislative candidates answer questions
October 16, 2012
Click on the image to read candidate responses from state House of Representatives and state Senate candidates in the 5th and 41st legislative districts.
5th Legislative District — state House of Representatives
Chad Magendanz
How can the state fulfill its “paramount duty” to fund education, despite budget limitations?
• Budget writers must follow the Supreme Court ruling to fund education as our “first and highest priority before any other state programs or operations.”
What specific steps can state government take to entice businesses to expand or relocate to Washington?
• Reduce burdensome regulations by aligning with federal standards, reform workers compensation and unemployment insurance programs to lower costs, and simplify the B&O tax structure.
What specific steps can state government take to increase revenue, despite the existing limitations?
• A revenue-neutral swap of state property tax for local school levies would bring $1 billion of education funding into a more regular and dependable tax structure.
What specific steps can state government take to shore up Washington’s higher education system?
• Return to a 50-50 deal with university students and restore funding levels to their historical average, rather than just 8 percent of the general fund.
Acrimonious 5th Legislative District contest could reshape state Senate
October 16, 2012
Mark Mullet
Brad Toft
The candidate no longer in the race looms over the contest for the 5th Legislative District’s state Senate seat.
Cheryl Pflug, a Republican former senator and erstwhile candidate, is a constant presence in the race — in television spots supporting the Democrat in the contest and in diatribes from Republicans.
The acrimonious race to succeed Pflug pits the Democrat, Issaquah City Councilman Mark Mullet, against Republican Brad Toft, a manager for a national financial services firm and a Snoqualmie resident.
In a race focused on the economy and education, distractions abound — including Toft’s past legal troubles and accusations of dirty campaign tactics from both sides.
Toft entered the race late last year, before Mullet announced plans to run and Pflug filed for re-election.
Meet congressional, legislative candidates at forum
October 9, 2012
Hear from the candidates for offices in Olympia and Washington, D.C., at a candidate forum cosponsored by The Issaquah Press, the American Association of University Women and the League of Women Voters.
The lineup for the Oct. 18 forum includes candidates for the state House of Representatives and state Senate, plus a candidate to represent Issaquah in Congress. The forum includes candidates in contested and uncontested races.
The event is not a debate. Candidates offer opening statements to the audience and then answer a series of questions from the moderator, Publisher Debbie Berto.
5th Legislative District House contest includes familiar faces
October 9, 2012
Education is the No. 1 priority for state House of Representatives candidates in the 5th Legislative District — a local school board member and a citizen advocate for education.
Chad Magendanz
David Spring
Issaquah School Board member Chad Magendanz, a Republican, and North Bend Democrat David Spring remain focused on education in the race for a rare, open House seat.
In a 7-2 ruling delivered in January, state Supreme Court justices said the state is not fulfilling the “paramount duty” to fund education. Both candidates in the 5th District race said education funding is a bipartisan issue.
“There’s a huge amount of work to do together,” Magendanz said. “When you set aside all of the partisan rhetoric and you really focus on what needs to be done for our kids, for our future, there is a lot of work there.”
Issaquah School Board members appointed Magendanz to the panel in 2008. The software design consultant ran unopposed for the seat in 2009.
