Inslee participates in sign-waiving event early Saturday and Culp appears at a rally in the evening
Just 10 days prior to the Nov. 3 general election, gubernatorial candidates Jay Inslee and Loren Culp each made appearances in Clark County on Saturday.
Gov. Inslee appeared at a sign-waiving event in east Vancouver for 17th District Democrat candidates Tanisha Harris and Daniel Smith, both attempting to unseat incumbent Republicans to earn seats in the Washington State Legislature. Harris is running against Rep. Vicki Kraft and Smith is challenging Sen. Lynda Wilson.
Inslee, who has served as Washington’s governor since 2013, joined Harris and Smith and about 50 other supporters for the sign-waiving event held near the intersection of Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard and Northeast 162nd Avenue.
Later in the day Saturday, several hundred Clark County citizens braved blustery weather conditions for a final Culp rally. The event was held at Camas Meadows Golf Club on their driving range from 5-9 p.m. The event was Culp’s seventh visit to Clark County this year according to an event organizer.
Despite the chilly weather, spirits were high at both events. Live music was offered on a lit stage to entertain the crowd at the Culp rally. One long wall displayed photos of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2019 and ran along one side of the event. A trailer displayed a huge photo of Culp.
Washington Representatives Jim Walsh (R-19th District) and Jesse Young (R-26th District) spoke to the crowd as “warm up” acts. Both called for “change” not only in the governor’s mansion, but also in the state’s Attorney General office and numerous other statewide political positions. Both spoke of the importance of rejecting R-90, the mandatory sex education referrendum.
The Culp event was not without controversy. Organizers told Clark County Today that the Clark County Public Health department threatened to pull the liquor license of Camas Meadows for allegedly violating the governor’s COVID-19 health requirements, even though the event was held outdoors and people “socially distanced.” A planned beer garden was not set up because owner Matt Olson didn’t want to run afoul of the health department.
At the sign-waiving event earlier in the day, Inslee expressed his enthusiasm for in-person campaign events. He stressed that COVID-19 precautions in place Saturday — masks, an outdoor event and distance — made the gathering safe.
When he stepped on stage at his event later in the evening, Culp shared a familiar message with the crowd about freedom, honoring the state constitution and it being time for “change in Olympia.” Culp stayed after his speech for photos and conversations with supporters.
