Daily Archives: October 11, 2022

A new study has concluded what many Americans have long suspected: The Covid-19 pandemic has killed more Republicans than Democrats.

In a detailed examination of data from Ohio and Florida, the National Bureau of Economic Research has found that political affiliation has emerged as a potential risk factor for COVID-19, and that significantly more Republicans than Democrats have died from the virus since the introduction of vaccines in early 2021 to protect against the disease.

By cross-referencing voter registration data and mortality figures, the study found that excess death rates the number of deaths above pre-pandemic levels for registered Republicans were significantly higher than for registered Democrats after the introduction of Covid-19 vaccines.

If these differences in vaccination by political party affiliation persist, then the higher excess death rate among Republicans is likely to continue through the subsequent stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the study, which was published in September, concluded.

The study found that death ratesfrom Covid-19 were only slightly higher for Republicans than Democrats during the early days of the pandemic, before vaccines became available. But by the summer of 2021, a few months after vaccines were introduced, the Republican excess death rate rose to nearly double that of Democrats, and this gap widened further in the winter of 2021. The sudden increase in the gap between Republican and Democratic death rates suggests that vaccine take-up likely played an important role, the study found.

A central narrative of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States has been Republican opposition to public health measures, particularly mandates to wear masks in public and vaccination requirements for employment and access to public places and public travel. That reflected a refusal by many conservatives, following the lead of former President Donald Trump, to take the pandemic seriously, choosing instead to treat Covid-19 as tantamount to the flu.

Despite the fact that more than 1 million Americans have died from the virus, many Republican political leaders, particularly in red states, refused to impose stringent public health restrictions during the pandemic, and criticized mask and vaccination mandates. That opposition led many Republicans to deny that the vaccines worked and to refuse to get the shots. In Florida, one of the two states included in the study, Gov. Ron DeSantis transformed himself into a national Republican leader and possible presidential contender by leading the right-wing charge against public health mandates.

The partisan divide over vaccination developed almost as soon as Covid-19 vaccines became available in early 2021, and it continued to widen. By September 2021, 92 percent of registered Democrats had been vaccinated, compared with only 56 percent of Republicans, according to a Gallup survey at the time.

But the National Bureau of Economic Research study provides some of the strongest evidence yet that the refusal of many Republicans to get vaccinated has made them much more likely to die from Covid-19. While those who have been vaccinated often still contract the virus, many studies have shown that people who have been vaccinated are much less likely to die from the disease.

There have been previous efforts to measure the impact on health of the partisan divide over Covid-19 vaccinations. But the National Bureau of Economic Research study offers a more detailed look at death rates in two states among Republicans and Democrats.

The study tracked 577,659 people who died in Ohio and Florida at age 25 or older between January 2018 and December 2021. It then linked those people to their 2017 Ohio and Florida voting records.

Between March 2020 and March 2021, excess death rates for Republicans in Ohio and Florida were 1.6 percentage points higher than for Democrats; but from April 2021 to December 2021 after vaccines became widely available the gap widened to 10.6 percentage points. The study found that the largest gaps in excess death rates between Republicans and Democrats came in Ohio and Florida counties with low vaccination rates. By using county-level vaccination rates in Ohio and Florida, we find evidence that vaccination contributes to explaining differences in excess deaths by political party affiliation, even after controlling for location and age differences, the study said.

Originally posted here:

The Right's Anti-Vaxxers Are Killing Republicans - The Intercept

Image: Getty (Getty Images)

At a Thursday night fundraiser, Pennsylvania Senate nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz gave a speech in front of one of Adolf Hitlers cars, which appeared in the background of attendees photos. Also attending the event, which yes, was at a museum, were National Republican Senatorial Committee chair Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fl.) and Nevada Senate Nominee Adam Laxalt. I wrote that one possibility for how the hell this happened was that it was an intentional wink to the fascist elements of the Republican party.

Just days later, Republicans are doing a lot more than winking.

The Holocaust-minimizing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) was on hand at former President Donalds Trumps Sunday rally for Arizonas Republican nominees, including Kari Lake and Blake Masters, where she told supporters that immigrants are replacing your jobs and replacing your culture. The language is pulled straight from the white supremacist Great Replacement Theory, which Gwen Snyder described in a Jezebel feature as a mainstream-friendly laundering of neo-Nazi white genocide conspiracy theory from the 1970s, which contends that a secret Jewish elite is conspiring to replace white people with people of color.

But Republican leadership doesnt seem to care about this vile racism and anti-Semitismthey probably even welcome it! Greene recently sat directly behind House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Ca.) at an event, and the Associated Press said top Republicans embrace of her signaled a stark normalizing of the most extreme elements in the Republican Party.

Then on Sunday, when Kanye West tweeted an extremely anti-Semitic rant, several Republicans defended him. West had suggested on Instagram Friday that Jewish people were controlling Sean Diddy Combs, and after the platform locked his account, he moved to Twitter and said early Saturday that he planned to go death con 3 [sic] On JEWISH PEOPLE. The platforms have removed the posts and frozen his accounts.

Fox & Friends co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy implied that freezing Wests accounts was totalitarian, per Mediaite. Were in this weird era where people cant just say what they want to say, Campos-Duffy said. This idea you have to just shut down his account is just, its totally totalitarian, totally anti-American. Its just wrong.

Another elected Republicans who defended West: Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, who was last seen badgering the doctor who provided an abortion to a 10-year-old rape survivor and suing to block LGBTQ kids from free school lunch programs. Rokita wrote on Twitter Sunday that West was being attacked not for anti-semitism, but for his independent thinking.

Rokita later claimed he was only defending Wests White Lives Matter shirt, not the anti-Jewish conspiracy theories. That makes it all better, right?

In other Republican hero news: Jonathan Greenblatt, the head of the Anti-Defamation League, called Elon Musk the Henry Ford of our time. Oopsies, the Detroit car pioneer was a raging anti-Semitea point that ADL and Greenblatt himself often make. Greenblatt later apologized. (The group also considers criticism of the Zionist apartheid of Palestinians to be anti-Semitic.)

But the comparison isnt that far off, considering that Musk regularly parrotstalking points from the Great Replacement Theory.

That leaves us with this tweet from the House Judiciary Republicans, the worst political Twitter account to exist. It still hasnt deleted this tweet celebrating West, Musk, and Donald Trump.

Its more than a bit worrying that Republicans appear to think embracing white supremacy and anti-Semitism, specifically, is good politics for them. But theyve been leaning into fascism for quite some time.

More:

The Republican Party Is Full-on Embracing Anti-Semitism and Bigotry - Jezebel

I am a 67-year-old grandmother, and a registered independent for many years, who has always voted for individuals based on policy positions, regardless of party. This year, unfortunately, I will be unable to vote for any Republican candidate at any level, regardless of how high quality a candidate they may be.

I fear greatly for the future of our democracy and individual rights if the Republican Party gains a majority at either federal or state level due to the extreme views that seem to rule the party at this time.

The threats I see from the Republican party are:

Denying women the right to make personal decisions regarding our own bodies;

Embracing Donald Trump as the face of the party in spite of his refusal to accept valid election results, inciting the insurrection, refusal to return top secrets documents to National Archives, and his constant lies and his autocratic tendencies;

Limiting voting rights and access to polls;

Refusing to consider meaningful gun safety laws to protect our children;

Threats of additional violence if elections dont go their way.

I understand peoples anxiety due to high prices of food and fuel, however I dont believe either party will be able to control the natural disasters, drought, wildfires, hurricanes, etc., that have greatly impacted our food supply.

Because both parties are supporting Ukraine in the war against Putins invasion that has resulted in record high oil prices, it is hypocritical to lay the blame solely on one party.

We are part of a global humanity that is being threatened from many directions and we will need to be vigilant to to preserve the promise that this great county has always stood for.

Judy McDonough

South Gardiner

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This independent can't vote Republican as they attack democracy - Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel

Former Gov. Sarah Palin speaks at a rally Sunday at the Denaina Convention Center on October 9, 2022. (Marc Lester / ADN)

In Alaskas U.S. House race, the two Republican candidates are urging their supporters to rank the red even as they continue to attack each other, in an effort to unseat newly elected Democrat U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola.

At an Anchorage event hosted by a political action committee on Sunday, former Gov. Sarah Palin railed against her opponent, Nick Begich III, and the new ranked choice voting system. After a forum hosted by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Begich returned fire against Palin. But both said that their supporters should rank the other Republican in the race to ensure Peltola doesnt hold the seat for a full term.

Under Alaskas new voting system, Begich and Palin who spent weeks attacking each other in ads and at in-person events split the Republican share of the vote in an August special election, allowing Peltola to come away with the victory to replace Republican U.S. Rep. Don Young. Now, all three candidates along with Libertarian Chris Bye are running for the full two-year House term that begins in January.

[Alaskas 2022 election: Compare the candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House]

Peltola, the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress, has campaigned on a message of bipartisanship and carrying on the legacy of her Republican predecessor. Meanwhile, the criticism Begich and Palin have toward one another has continued largely unabated, even as political observers have noted that the biggest beneficiary of their criticism is Peltola.

U.S. House candidates Chris Bye, left, and Nick Begich answer yes-or-no questions in a forum hosted by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce at the Denaina Convention Center on October 10, 2022. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Rep. Mary Peltola appears by video at the U.S. House candidates forum hosted by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce at the Denaina Convention Center on October 10, 2022. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Since announcing her U.S. House bid in April, Palin has held a limited number of campaign events in Alaska. Aside from an appearance at an Anchorage rally with former President Donald Trump that drew thousands, Palins campaign strategy has appeared to include primarily appearances on national right-wing media outlets and social media posts.

But last week she announced she would attend a rally organized by a newly formed political action committee, Patriot Freedom PAC, led and funded by Trump allies who said they intended to spend $400,000 in Alaska in support of Palin and Trump-endorsed U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka.

[Watch: Alaska U.S. Senate and U.S. House candidate forums]

Palin, whose official campaign is barred from coordinating with super PACs, hosted a fundraiser at the Denaina Center prior to taking the rally stage for around 15 minutes in front of a crowd of less than 100 that gathered Sunday afternoon in a room that can hold thousands.

The event included appearances by singer Tony Wilson, a Chicago performer who goes by the stage name Young James Brown, and David Clarke, a Trump surrogate and former sheriff from Wisconsin. There was also a mechanical bull and bounce house that didnt appear to get any use.

At the event, Palin stuck to a familiar message. She derided Alaskas new ranked choice voting system, a prominent part of her campaign since Trump attacked the new voting rules at his Anchorage rally. On Sunday, Palin called ranked choice voting convoluted and complicated and no good for Alaska.

A James Brown tribute performer leads people around the room during musical entertainment at Patriot Freedom PAC rally for U.S. House candidate Sarah Palin at the Denaina Convention Center on October 9, 2022. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Before the August special election, Palin told voters that she only ranked herself. Her message, she said, was dont comply. But since her loss in the special election, Palin has adapted her message to her supporters to include that while she continues to view ranked choice voting negatively, she must operate with the cards that we have been dealt.

In principle, I was so opposed to this screwy system that was put in place for nefarious reasons, but until things are changed legally when it comes to how we elect our officials now in Alaska, we have to rank the red. Because Alaska cannot afford to have that Democrat in office, Palin told the crowd at the Denaina Center.

[Alaska campaign roundup: Pierce resurfaces, Al Gross returns to the political scene, and Outside group holds rally for Palin and Tshibaka]

Still, when asked about her Republican opponent Begich the same candidate she was telling her voters to rank second on their ballots she criticized him for campaigning negatively against her. Ive taken the high road from day one, Palin said. But Begich, she added, drew first blood.

In a series of campaign ads released before the special election, Begich accused Palin of being a quitter and a self-absorbed celebrity.

Former Gov. Sarah Palin, center, speaks before the start of a rally at the Denaina Convention Center on October 9, 2022. She was joined by former Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Sheriff David Clarke, second of right, and former Alaska lawmaker Jerry Ward, right. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Palins U.S. House race is her first run for elected office since stepping down from the governors office partway through her first term in 2009 after her unsuccessful vice presidential bid put her in the national spotlight. Begich, a businessman who has never held statewide elected office, has earned millions from a business that offshores information technology jobs to other countries.

Nick Begich, my fellow Republican, has planted a seed in peoples minds that I dont live here, Palin said on Sunday. Palin says she has traveled the world promoting Alaska.

[In her few days in Congress before the election, Peltola enjoyed Democratic support even as she straddled party lines]

Jerry Ward, a former state lawmaker who ran Trumps Alaska campaigns and is now involved in Palins campaign, said Sunday that he recently met with Begichs campaign manager, Truman Reed, and Trumans father Ashley Reed, a registered state lobbyist, to ask them to stop running negative ads attacking Palin.

I had Ashley Reed and his son Truman sitting in the campaign headquarters and we had a discussion, Ward said. Weve asked them not to run negative ads against a fellow Republican.

Ward said that Begichs campaign manager said that they will consider doing that.

Asked Monday about the meeting, Truman initially denied it had occurred, saying he had only ever communicated with Ward in passing.

I dont know what Jerry Wards talking about, Truman said, but moments later he corrected himself, acknowledged that he and Ashley Reed had met Ward while they were at Judys Cafe, an Anchorage establishment that shares a parking lot with Palins campaign headquarters, located in a building owned by Ward. According to Truman, Ward then invited Truman and Ashley to Palins campaign headquarters but it was very casual.

Ashley Reed, a longtime influential Alaska lobbyist, is earning more than $191,000 this year to lobby for several companies including in the oil and gas sector, according to state disclosures. He has made frequent appearances at Begich fundraisers but has not publicly been involved with Begichs campaign. Truman said his father doesnt have any official role in Begichs campaign, but that he helps out whenever he can, as any dad would.

Ashley Reed has in the past participated in fundraising for state candidates while working as a Juneau lobbyist, which is not allowed under state law.

Asked about the request from Palins campaign to tone down the negative ads, Begich said Monday he had not been in touch with Ward.

Im sure other campaigns would like folks to stop talking about records and start talking about something else, but thats part of the campaign process, Begich said.

After a candidate forum on Monday, Begich responded to criticism from Palins campaign regarding his negative campaigning, saying it was about sharing his opponents record.

Were going to talk about records, Begich said. Thats part of campaigning.

Palin was absent from the candidate forum hosted by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce on Monday. Her campaign manager Kris Perry did not provide an explanation for Palins absence when asked. Peltola, who was in Sitka for a celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day, participated in the forum by Zoom.

Begich, who came in third in the special election, says he is still in position to emerge victorious from the U.S. House race by convincing some Palin voters to switch and by appealing to voters who did not vote in the special election but intend to vote in the regularly scheduled November election. Results of the special election indicated that in a head-to-head race, Begich would have beaten Peltola where Palin had lost.

For most people that I speak with, theyre looking for someone whos serious about the state of Alaska. Not somebody whos going to bring a James Brown impersonator from Chicago and do backflips on stage. People who are actually going to work hard to solve the problems of Alaskans, Begich said.

We have to stop thinking about politics like political entertainment. This is one of the big problems that weve experienced as a nation for the last decade, that politics have become entertainment. That degrades our opportunity to govern properly, to represent our people properly. It takes the arguments that are cogent and throws them out the window for dancers and singers and entertainers. Thats not going to fix the problems that we have as a country.

When it comes to the Democrat in the race, Palin and Begich have both taken the strategy of tying her to some of the Democratic Partys national messages, even as Peltola herself has campaigned on a message of bipartisanship.

Mary Peltola I love her. Shes adorable. Shes wonderful. Were friends, Palin said on Sunday. I really love her. But Alaska cannot afford to have the Democrat in office. Were a deep red state.

In a series of videos posted recently on social media, Begich attached Peltolas name to national Democratic leaders and to the Inflation Reduction Act, a bill that passed Congress before Peltola was elected but one she said she would have supported.

It seems like everything is going in the wrong direction. This is what happens when you put Democrats in charge, Begich said in one of the videos. Unfortunately for Alaska, weve got a Democrat representing us in the House. Thats got to stop, thats got to change.

Read more:

Republican U.S. House candidates in Alaska continue to attack each other while urging voters to 'rank the red' - Anchorage Daily News

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib is likely looking at a third term in Congress as the days tick down to Nov. 8, where she will be squaring up against Republican candidate Steven Elliott to defend the 12th U.S. House district seat.

Tlaib, D-Detroit, is fighting in a slightly different seat than the one she currently represents which made up much of the Motor City in addition to other areas like Westland, Romulus and Dearborn Heights.

The new 12th U.S. House district will still contain parts of Detroit, but will also take on parts of Oakland County including Southfield. Cities such as Inkster, Dearborn, Westland, Livonia and Redford Charter Township also fall under this U.S. House districts jurisdiction.

Outfits like the non-partisan Cook Political Report puts the district as leaning strongly democratic, with Tlaib favored with a 23-point advantage.

MLive has partnered with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Michigan to provide the Vote411.org voter guide with information about candidates. While Tlaib provided her questionnaire responses discussing issues such as education, economic security, elections, the environment, energy, social justice and guns Elliott had not as of time of publication.

Efforts to reach Elliott were also unsuccessful, so responses for his positions on like topics have been sourced to his campaign website.

A former U.S. Marine who was stationed for four years in California, Elliott has held a series of odd jobs throughout his including personal trainer and car salesman. He is currently self-employed as the owner of American Pride Tattoo Studio, which has six locations throughout the Detroit area.

His platform is based on commonly held Republican beliefs including lowering taxes, cracking down on violent crime and growing job opportunities in Michigan.

Though Elliotts website lacks details on how these tenants could be accomplished, he does indicate a belief in Congress needing to eliminate burdensome regulations, bureaucratic delays, and reduce the tax burden so that businesses can continue to compete in a global marketplace.

He also calls for an end to the catch and release border security mindset while also advocating for greatly reducing funding to the U.S. Department of Education. To the latter concept, Elliott instead believes in sending those divested dollars directly to states and local school districts where the needs of students can be met more effectively.

Elliott is entering the midterm election with roughly $2,155 on hand according to pre-primary federal campaign finance filings, having raised a cumulative $20,136 since the start of the election cycle. That total also factors in a $10,000 personal loan Elliott gave to his own campaign on Feb. 25.

In terms of finances, hes been handily outraised by Tlaib who is heading into the general matchup with $937,310 still on hand. To date, shes raised a roughly $2.9 million war chest and successfully fend off three primary challengers including one who boasted $1 million in aid from outside groups solely devoted to unseating Tlaib.

Among her core beliefs are a wish to move the country toward a single-payer health care system and Medicare for All, saying that no one should have to worry about whether or not they can afford a doctors visit or the prescription drug that they need.

The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated public health issues that were already affecting everyday people, Tlaib said. My concern is now that as less attention is focused on the pandemic, the same will happen to these issues. I will continue to support the work of my colleagues, and legislation that keeps attention on these issues.

She was also vocal on the need for congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and Democracy for All Act measures which would restore and strengthen parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and restore checks and balances, accountability and transparency in government, respectively as well as for the body to take swift and decisive action on the topic of climate change.

Tlaib, similarly, believes in action at all levels of government to decriminalize immigration while crating a pathway to citizenship for both undocumented adults and children brought across the border by parents or other relatives.

On the topic of immigration, she did not mince words, saying: Our immigration system is broken and we must fix it immediately.

I have been hyper-vigilant on how the Department of Homeland security strips people of their basic human rights so I have tried to hold them accountable by introducing legislation like the Family Unity Act which aims to protect immigrant families, she said. I also called on the UN for independent investigations into the Department of Homeland Securitys inhumane treatment of immigrants and refugees.

Voters already have the chance to choose between Tlaib and Elliot, along side third-party candidate Gary Walkowicz, in this years midterms as absentee ballots have already been sent to those who have requested one.

All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for necessary cuts if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected.

Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should NOT be considered as an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties.

Information on other state, county and local primary races can be found at Vote411.org.

View original post here:

Tlaib reelection likely in MI-12 match up against Republican tattoo shop owner - MLive.com

EXCLUSIVE A Republican Latina aiming to squeeze the Democratic Party out of a seat it has held for more than a century pulled in more than $1 million in donations in the final quarter before the midterm election.

Monica De La Cruz reeled in seven figures between July and September, putting her total fundraising for this cycle just below $4 million, according to a spokesman for her campaign. The insurance agent has aligned herself with former President Donald Trump on issues including border security, the economy, and foreign policy.

South Texans are excited about our campaign because were talking about the issues people care about: lowering prices, strengthening our economy, and securing the border, De La Cruz said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. With their support, this November, were going to make history. I cannot wait to roll up my sleeves and get to work for our community.

De La Cruz is making a second run for the 15th Congressional District in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas after losing in 2020 to Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat who is running for the neighboring 34th District this year.

VICENTE GONZALEZ CLAIMS MAYRA FLORES TOO 'EXTREME' FOR SOUTH TEXAS TOSS-UP DISTRICT

Federal Election Commission data on the third quarter are due at the end of the week. De La Cruzs haul this time around is more than 10 times greater than the $93,529 she raised in the same period two years earlier.

Her opponent, Democrat Michelle Vallejo, did not respond to a request for comment about third-quarter fundraising numbers. Through June, Vallejo had pulled in just under $700,000, FEC records show.

De La Cruzs fundraising haul this cycle has outpaced the other two Republican women running for House seats in South Texas.

Cassy Garcia, the Republican challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar in an adjacent district, reported $695,000 halfway through the year.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

To the east of De La Cruzs district, Republican Rep. Mayra Flores has raised more than $1.7 million through June, and Gonzalez brought in nearly $2 million in the same period.

See the rest here:

EXCLUSIVE: Pro-Trump Republican on Texas border pulls in $1 million ahead of election - Washington Examiner

Oct. 10Republicans have controlled the Spokane County Commission since the 21st century began.

Winning commissioner races has given conservatives power over county government. It's allowed them to write Spokane County's laws, decide how to spend taxpayer dollars and set the county's more than $650 million budget.

But if Democrat Maggie Yates unseats Republican Al French in the race for Spokane County Commission District 5 during next month's election, the balance of power in Spokane County could shift in an instant.

French, 71, has been a fixture in Spokane politics for 20 years. An architect by trade, he spent eight years on the Spokane City Council in the 2000s before winning election to the county commission in 2010. Economic development has been one of French's priorities while in office, and he has hefty financial backing from contractors and home builders.

Yates, 34, is a Lewis and Clark High School graduate and longtime criminal justice reform advocate. She's worked for the Southern Poverty Law Center, the MacArthur Justice Center and a legal aid office in Virginia.

The Spokane County commissioners in 2018 hired Yates as the county's regional law and justice administrator. She spent more than three years in that role, overseeing the implementation of numerous reforms, before resigning in January. While Yates has declined to elaborate on why she left, she departed after county officials had resisted several of her reform proposals.

Yates has endorsements from a slew of prominent Democrats and even a few Republicans. She says that bipartisan support demonstrates a "hunger for new leadership" at the county and shows she's a pragmatist willing to work across the aisle.

Whoever wins in November will represent a politically diverse district.

District 5 includes the West Plains as well as northwest Spokane and the South Hill above 29th Avenue. It's one of five districts drawn during last year's redistricting process.

Story continues

Spokane County had to switch from three to five commissioners to comply with a law the Washington Legislature passed in 2018. The change will fundamentally alter the county commission.

Under the new setup, each commissioner will represent one district, not the entire county. The end of the countywide general election may also allow Democrats to win at least one commission seat for the first time since 2006.

Based on past election results, French should be the favorite. In recent years, District 5 voters have preferred Republicans by a handful of percentage points.

But Yates has mounted an unusually strong campaign for a political rookie who lacks name recognition.

She led the field during the August primary election with 44.5% of the vote. French was right on her heels with 41.1%.

On election night, French said he felt good about those numbers and with good reason. Fellow Republican Don Harmon, a former Airway Heights mayor, had taken 11.4% of the vote.

It wasn't unreasonable to think Harmon's supporters would swing French's way in the general election and carry him to victory.

But Harmon has endorsed Yates. His 3,500 voters from the primary could decide who wins District 5.

They could also decide which political party ends up winning a majority on the county commission.

Based on primary results, Democrats are favored to win districts 1 and 2, which cover most of Spokane. Republicans likely will take districts 3 and 4, which include Spokane Valley and large portions of the county's rural areas (no Democrat is even on the ballot in those districts). District 5 appears likely to be the closest of the commissioner contests.

That gives District 5 outsized significance. The stakes are high, and campaign donors seem to realize it.

Yates has collected $177,000 from more than 800 donations, putting her on pace to raise more money than any candidate for county office in more than a decade.

French, one of the strongest fundraisers among recent local politicians, has $140,000 in his war chest from about 250 donations, although more than $20,000 of that comes from in-kind donations he's given himself.

Where they stand

French and Yates have criticized each other on the campaign trail.

Yates says French has been in office far too long. French says Yates is unqualified to be a commissioner.

While the two don't agree on much, their views overlap in a couple of ways.

Both say Spokane County needs more housing, and they've both pledged not to raise property taxes. Yates also wants to spend some of the county's $101 million in American Rescue Plan funding on a pilot program that would expand eligibility for the senior citizen property tax exemption.

Overall, French and Yates are making significantly different pitches to voters.

French is highlighting his experience and track record of job creation. He takes credit for the formation of the West Plains public development area and the new Amazon facility near Airway Heights Amazon has donated to his campaign.

"I deliver creative results, solutions that nobody else in the state of Washington has been able to implement," he said. "I'm not going to offer you rainbows and unicorns, I can't deliver on that. What I tell you I can do, I have done."

Yates is telling voters that child care will be one of her top priorities. She's said she wants to use American Rescue Plan dollars to make child care more accessible and affordable.

The Democrat is also accusing French of prioritizing development to the detriment of taxpayers. She's blamed the Republican for traffic congestion in the Latah Valley. Proper planning and infrastructure investment could have prevented the problem, Yates says.

French pointed out that the Latah Valley is largely within the city limits and outside of the county's jurisdiction. He said any infrastructure shortcomings in the area are the fault of those who succeeded him on the Spokane City Council.

Homelessness is another topic on which French and Yates disagree.

Spokane County's homeless population has risen 13% in the last two years according to the point-in-time count, an annual homelessness survey. The unsheltered population those who don't have a roof over their heads has risen 52%.

French said the county does its part to address homelessness by sending Spokane the money it receives through the state and federal government. The city uses those dollars to support shelter operations.

Yates said passing money along to Spokane isn't enough.

"I think the status quo in terms of the county's position and approach to homelessness is an abdication of their responsibility," Yates said. "I would prioritize a regional approach to homelessness."

During a Tuesday commissioner meeting, French voted to sue the Washington State Department of Transportation in an effort to disband Camp Hope, a homeless encampment along Interstate 90 in east Spokane.

Public safety

Both candidates say public safety is their No. 1 priority, but they approach the issue from dramatically different perspectives.

French is presenting himself as the tough-on-crime candidate. He said he's proud to be endorsed by Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich and committed to fully funding the sheriff's office.

He's also in favor of building a new jail.

The Spokane County Jail has been politically divisive for years. Inmate deaths and suicides have long plagued the facility. Elected officials across the political spectrum agree the jail is overcrowded and dangerous, but they can't agree on a solution.

Many Republicans, including French, say a new jail with more cells would be safer for inmates, reduce operational costs and help keep dangerous criminals off the streets.

Many Democrats, including Yates, say a new jail would cost taxpayers millions and wouldn't improve public safety. They say the county should instead invest in community-based resources that create economic opportunities, as well as mental health and addiction treatment to combat recidivism.

Yates said rising crime rates are a major concern, but believes the county's current public safety approach is flawed.

She notes that the county spends more than $150 million a year on law enforcement and public safety, but 60% to 70% of offenders return to jail.

"That is a clear sign that what we're doing right now is not working effectively to disrupt the cycle of arrest and actually increase safety and stability in the community," she said in June. "And it's failing at a significant cost to taxpayers."

French says he too supports mental health and addiction treatment investments. He points to the new Spokane Regional Stabilization Center as a sign of progress. That 50-bed facility, funded by the county, city and state, serves as a detox and mental health site for people who would otherwise be sitting in jail.

The candidates have different philosophies on how to reduce racial disparities in Spokane County's criminal justice system.

While 2% of county residents are Black, Black inmates as of Aug. 31 make up 14% of the county jail population.

French says there's little the county commissioners can do about those disparities. The commissioners only control court budgets, he says.

"I'm the landlord in the jail," French said in June. "I don't sentence people to jail. It comes from our courts."

Yates says commissioners do have the ability to address racial disparities. She said the reforms she helped implement while serving as regional law and justice administrator, such as a program that gives defendants court date reminders and another that provides people with transportation to court, are part of the solution.

French and Yates also disagree on whether Spokane County should add a 13th Superior Court judge.

The Legislature in 1997 authorized Spokane County to add a 12th and 13th Superior Court judge. The state pays half of the judge's salary while the county pays the rest and the salaries of judicial staff.

In the past 25 years, Spokane County has gained an additional 140,000 residents, but the number of judges on the bench hasn't changed.

Yates supports adding a 13th judge. She said it would save taxpayer dollars by decreasing the number of people who sit in jail awaiting trial.

"I think it's an incredibly effective investment," she said. "Adding another judge will improve case processing times, which currently lag behind state standards."

French won't commit to funding a 13th Superior Court judge.

He said adding the position would cost about $900,000 annually. On top of that, he said court cases have decreased since 2021 when a state Supreme Court ruling made it harder for prosecutors to charge people for drug possession. He also stressed that Superior Court has multiple court commissioners who have powers of a judge and pick up the slack.

The county doesn't have physical space for another judge either, French said.

"Even if I had a 13th judge," he said, "I don't have a courtroom to put them in."

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Democrat Yates looks to unseat Republican French in race that could shift balance of power on the Spokane County Commission - Yahoo News

MESAOn Sunday, several thousand people showed up for a Republican party rally in Mesa.

There were plenty of candidates in attendance but the crowd was there for one reason: to see and hear from former President Donald Trump.

It was a rally for Arizona Republicans, but that didn't stop people from as far away as Illinois, Southern California, and Nevada from coming to Mesa.

For the first part of his speech, Trump stuck to the script. He spoke on Democats' impact on the economy, inflation, and the border.

"We don't want crime, we want a strong military, no taxes. We want great education and we're going to eliminate the crazy Nancy Pelosi's political career once and for all," Trump said.

But as he has done in previous appearances, Trump talked about the 'stolen election.' He criticized the FBI raid on his Florida home and the ongoing federal, state and Congressional investigations.

"You don't hear about greatness anymore, all you hear about is investigations. I've been investigated now seven years I think," he said.

The races for Arizona Senator, Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General are tight. Trump says independent voters will make the difference.

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Thousands attend Republican rally to hear from Donald Trump - ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks at an Amazon Labor Union rally on April 24, 2022 in New York City. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) traveled to Staten Island to meet with workers who successfully organized the first union at an Amazon facility in the United States.David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

With midterms looming, Bernie Sanders has a message for the Democrats: Focus on the economy.

In a new opinion piece, Sanders said Democrats should "expose the Republicans for the phonies that they are."

He said it's time to do things like making healthcare more affordable and reinstating the child tax credit.

With the midterm elections looming and Democrats' current razor-thin majority in peril Bernie Sanders has some advice: Fix the economy.

In an opinion piece for the Guardian, Sanders writes that the country has been plagued for decades with "structural economic crises." He said it's time for Democrats to confront Republicans about them "and expose their anti-worker views on the most important issues facing ordinary Americans."

That means pushing for things like extending the $300 child tax credit, beefing up social security benefits, enacting paid leave, increasing the minimum wage, higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy, and making healthcare more affordable. By supporting policies addressing inequities and giving Americans more economic support, "the Democrats must stand with the working class of this country and expose the Republicans for the phonies that they are."

Many of those measures have made it into proposed legislation from Democrats, only to be defeated by key centrists in their party. However, as Sanders notes, no Republicans have been willing to line up behind things like a $15 minimum wage or 12 weeks of paid family leave.

"The list goes on: childcare, housing, home health care, college affordability. On every one of these enormously important issues the Republican party has virtually nothing to say to address the desperate needs of low and moderate income Americans," Sanders writes. "And what they do propose will most often make a bad situation worse."

It's not a new perspective for Sanders, who's warned that Democrats could be in for a rough 2022 if they don't throw their support behind the resurgent labor movement and the working class. He pointed again to rising wealth inequality, and inflation driven by desire for profits.

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But his latest remarks come after the Biden administration made unexpectedly major economic moves, passing the Inflation Reduction Act and announcing forgiveness of up to $20,000 in student debt for some borrowers. As Insider's Walt Hickey reported, Biden saw a huge upswing in polling in late August as those economic policies were announced. And Biden's recent moves on marijuana could also prove an economic boon for Americans with federal marijuana offenses and a winning policy on the ballot.

However, Sanders' push for Democrats to be more aggressive on economic policies which he says are not radical, but simply just "extremely popular" still face a big roadblock: Other Democrats.

Sen. Joe Manchin pushed back on paid leave and the child tax credit. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema memorably voted down the $15 minimum wage, and has continually spiked tax hikes on the wealthy. Both have stood against larger and more sweeping economic proposals, with the smaller Inflation Reduction Act catering to Manchin's desire to cut down on the deficit. Sinema successfully preserved provisions benefiting wealthy investors as Democrats hashed out that legislation.

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Democrats need to focus on the economy and expose Republican 'anti-worker views' to win the midterms, Bernie Sanders says - Yahoo News