Naked voters and other tales from the 16th district campaign trail

Nov. 01--KENNEWICK, Wa. -- Kennewick, WA

Skyler Rude, a Walla Walla Republican, and Rebecca Francik, a Pasco Democrat, are engaged in what may be one of the most civil campaigns of the 2018 season.

The two are running to represent the sprawling 16th Legislative District in the Washington House of Representatives. The incumbent, Terry Nealey, is retiring after serving four terms.

Rude worked in insurance before signing on as a legislative assistant to Sen. Maureen Walsh, R-Walla Walla. He left that post to run for office. He is chairman of the Walla Walla Republican Party.

Francik is a Pasco educator who spent nearly two decades on the Pasco City Council, serving as mayor pro-tem before losing her seat in 2017 after council districts were redrawn.

Rude and Francik previously sparred in 2016 as two of the five candidates for the 16th District House seat Walsh vacated when she succeeded Mike Hewitt in the state Senate. Bill Jenkin, a Prosser businessman, won the general election. He is running for a second term against Everett Maroon, a Walla Walla Democrat.

In 2018, Rude and Francik express respect, even admiration, for the qualities the other brings to the race to represent a district with an unwieldy footprint. The 16th includes Starbuck, Dayton, Walla Walla, parts of Pasco, parts of southern Kennewick, Benton City and Prosser.

In one lighthearted moment mid-campaign, Rude and Francik laughed over a shared experience on the trail: They were independently greeted by naked voters while ringing doorbells.

"Why do they do that?" Rude wondered aloud.

The candidates

Rude and Francik both are running as centrists who pledge to seek bipartisan support for practical solutions to the state's thorny challenges. Education funding, mental health and the state budget are key issues for the 16th.

Rude heads into Nov. 6 with a financial advantage and a political one.

Francik technically outpolled him in the August primary, but that's largely because there were two Republicans to split the right-leaning vote.

Francik received 38 percent of the vote to Rude's 36.5 percent. Republican Dan Mildon of Kennewick received 25 percent of vote. The combined Republican vote tops 60 percent.

Rude has raised $84,828, according to campaign filings with the Washington Public Disclosure Commission.

Top supporters include Washington Optometric PAC, SEIU Local 775, Washington Affordable Housing Coalition, Washington Association of Realtors, Washington Beer and Wine Distributors and Washington Hospitality Association.

Francik has raised nearly $76,000. Her top supporters include House and local Democrats, Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 598, IBEW Local 112, UF & CW Union 1439 and the Washington Education Association.

Abortion rights

Both candidates said they are pro-life but have nuanced takes on government interference in private decisions.

Rude said he would not vote for an abortion ban, but that his goal would be to reduce the need through sex education. He said promoting abstinence is impractical.

Francik, who has seven children, is also pro life.

"I don't think the government has any right in my doctor's office," she said.

Education funding

The 2018 Legislature steered $1 billion in new funding into K-12 education to satisfy the state Supreme Court's 2012 McCleary decision, which held Washington was failing its constitutional obligation to fully fund basic education.

Rude said that while the McCleary case has come to an end, education funding is not settled.

Rude said he's concerned about the cap on levies that local school districts can submit to voters, saying it should be a local choice.

Incoming lawmakers need to fix the mess, he said.

Francik, who works as a teacher and librarian in Pasco Schools, called the legislative fix a "disaster" that left districts on the cusp of strikes. She fears revamping the way property taxes are collected will bankrupt districts a few years down the road.

It was a "good first effort" that needs refining, she said.

Paying for government

Taxes and spending are the area where the candidates most differ.

Rude advocates for responsible budgeting and is an outspoken critic of the 2018 legislative maneuver that diverted $700 million from the state's "rainy day" reserve to fund the McCleary decision.

"I'm concerned it's not going to be there when we need it," he said. Rude supports restricting projects that are eligible for funding from the state's capital budget.

The state should meet its obligations to build and repair its own buildings and infrastructure, but should not be the back-up source for municipal projects and private undertakings.

He supports a low-interest loan fund to aid local government with expensive projects. He wants to reduce the amount of bond debt the state undertakes to support capital projects.

"I've seen the capital budget used as a bailout in emergencies," he said. "They're not essential state government services."

Francik is concerned about unfunded mandates passed along to city- and county-level governments.

She said industry tax breaks should sunset after a fixed amount of time. They can be continued, but the industry would have to demonstrate why it needs the protections.

Francik said she would consider a capital gains tax, saying it is better to tax "passive money" than people who are working.

Rude opposes a capital gains tax.

Wendy Culverwell: 509-582-1514

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