SPOKANE, Wash. — Democrat Lori Feagan and Republican Bob McCaslin are leading the primary election race for Seat 1 of Washington’s 4th legislative district, the position previously held by Rep. Matt Shea.
Feagan has captured 40% of the vote so far, while McCaslin has 36% at last check. McCaslin currently holds Seat 2 in Washington's 4th legislative district.
Lance Gurel (39%) and Rob Chase (32%) are currently leading the primary race for Seat 2.
The two candidates who receive the most votes during the Primary Election qualify for the General Election. Primary results will be finalized on Aug. 18, 2020.
The 4th Legislative District covers much of east Spokane County, including Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake, in the Washington state legislature.
In a statement released on Tuesday night, Feagan thanked voters and volunteers for their support.
"We have always known this would be a challenging race, but these numbers look good, and I'm encouraged about what these results mean for our campaign," Feagan said.
"Many ballots are still uncounted, and I respect every voter’s right to have their voice heard," she continued. "These current returns illustrate that many voters agree with what we've been saying all along: our district needs an effective voice to fight for our health, safety and quality of life here in Eastern Washington. I’m ready to bring that voice to our State Legislature."
Feagan says she came to eastern Washington nearly 40 years ago, attending Spokane Community College for her licensed practical nurse degree and attending Washington State University Spokane for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
The nurse practitioner spent five years caring for adults at Eastern State Hospital, 18 years working as a nurse at Valley Hospital Medical Center, and the past 10 years as a nurse practitioner in Spokane Valley. She also volunteers for organizations that support at-risk youth, vulnerable adults and families.
Shea, who has been at the center of controversy multiple times in the past, did not file as a candidate for his seat before the filing deadline. He has represented Spokane Valley in the state House of Representatives since 2008 and was subsequently reelected four times.
Shea was formally stripped of his committee assignments and expelled from the House Republican Caucus after a private investigation released in December 2019 found that he had planned or engaged in an act of domestic terrorism against the United States
The domestic terrorism claims stemmed from Shea's involvement in the 2016 Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation, a 2015 armed conflict in Priest River and a 2014 armed standoff in Nevada.
