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BORN: March 5, 1948, Charlottesville, Va. EDUCATION: U of Washington, B.A., 1970; Harvard U, M.P.A., 1993 FAMILY: Wife, Tracey; two children RELIGION: Protestant MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: CEO of environmental-products company POLITICAL CAREER: None ADDRESS: P.O. Box 900, Richland 99352. Tel.: 509-943-9250
Locke, who spent two years as a manager at the Hanford Reservation's Pacific Northwest National Lab, has alleged that opponent Richard Hastings didn't object forcefully enough to an implicit threat by presidential candidate Bob Dole to cut funding for the Lab if he is elected. But in a district that generally leans Republican, it remains to be seen if he can break Hastings' hold.
THE ISSUES
Budget NO Medicare NO Defense YES Abortion NO Guns YES Gays YES Bosnia NO NAFTA YES Welfare YES Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "Any strategy we have for diversifying our economy has to be built around the [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory]...It's a huge, wonderful $70 million complex, and to threaten the resources there would be wasteful."
GEORGE NETHERCUTT (R) District 5 (East--Spokane)
BORN: Oct. 7, 1944, Spokane EDUCATION: Washington State U, B.A., 1967; Gonzaga U, J.D., 1971 FAMILY: Wife, Mary Beth; two children RELIGION: Protestant MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Lawyer; congressional aide POLITICAL CAREER: U.S. House, 1994- ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1925, Spokane 99210. Tel.: 509-747-7737
Nethercutt will go down in history as the giant slayer of the Republican revolution--the man who unseated Tom Foley, the first House Speaker in 132 years to lose an election. Rewarded with a seat on the Appropriations Committee, he has voted conservatively and authored a term-limits amendment. But thanks to a barrage of Democratic attacks, he's in a tight race with political newcomer Judy Olson. With constituents questioning Nethercutt's zero rating from the League of Conservation Voters, this election just might give the Democrats a chance to steal Foley's seat back.
THE ISSUES
Budget YES Medicare YES Defense NO Abortion YES Guns NR Gays NR Bosnia YES NAFTA NR Welfare YES Medical Leave NR (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "You can't just let the forest deteriorate in its natural state."
JUDY OLSON (D) District 5
BORN: April 14, 1946, Colfax EDUCATION: Washington State U, 1964-66; U of Idaho, 1966-67 FAMILY: Husband, Richard; three children RELIGION: Protestant MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Farmer POLITICAL CAREER: None ADDRESS: S. 164 Washington Street, Suite 300, Spokane 99204. Tel.: 509-744-3360
Known as "the mom in overalls," Olson is making a strong run at freshman incumbent George Nethercutt, hoping to recapture former Speaker Tom Foley's old seat for the Democrats. Olson is basing her campaign on protecting education, Social Security, Medicare and abortion rights. A fourth-generation farmer and a recent President of the National Association of Wheat Growers, Olson wants a seat on the Agriculture Committee to help her fight for agricultural-research dollars.
THE ISSUES