Both men threw sharp elbows in the contest, keeping the full house in downtown Spokane’s historic Fox Theater engaged

Sue Lani Madsen, contributor
The Center Square Washington

Washington state gubernatorial candidates Dave Reichert and Bob Ferguson faced off on Wednesday evening in what is scheduled to be their second, and last, debate of the 2024 campaign.

Both men threw sharp elbows in the contest, keeping the full house in downtown Spokane’s historic Fox Theater engaged.

Ferguson referred people several times to his website for audio clips of Reichert purporting to be caught in “hot mic” moments. Reichert recommended listening to the full context of the incidents, saying, “Man, he can lie with a straight face.”

The enthusiastic live audience resisted a request from KHQ-TV moderator Sean Owsley to refrain from applause.

It was the seventh time the Association of Washington Business has hosted a gubernatorial debate.

AWB joined with Greater Spokane Inc., the local Chamber of Commerce, and broadcast partner with KHQ-TV as co-sponsors.

KHQ news anchor Kalae Chock and Austin Jenkins, host of TVW’s “Inside Olympia,” joined Owsley in questioning the candidates.

Two podiums stood on the stage in front of a backdrop matching the deep green of the Washington state flag.

The theater is a few blocks from Zona Blanca Ceviche Bar, a local restaurant that recently closed, citing issues with downtown safety and visible drug use as key factors. It was the lead-in to the first question in which each candidate was asked to discuss their proposed solutions to increasing crime.

Former King County Sheriff Reichert advocated holding people accountable for their actions and enforcing the law, emphasizing law enforcement needs support in order to do their jobs.

Current Attorney General Ferguson used the question to discuss his work in suing opioid manufacturers and recovering funds directed to providing addiction-related services. Washington was one of three states that did not participate in the opioid settlement negotiated by a bipartisan group of attorneys general in 2021, opting for a separate agreement.

The entire debate will be available on TVW.org later this week.

This report was first published by The Center Square Washington.

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