Week in Review: Washington GOP, Dave Reichert, and density

Bill Radke discusses the week’s news with former state Representative and Senator Bill Finkbeiner, Seattle Channel host and producer Brian Callanan, and The Stranger editor Rich Smith.

Washington voters will decide in November whether to keep the state's carbon-pricing system. This is the cap-and-invest system meant to decrease carbon emissions and pay for climate change mitigation. The repeal campaign blames the cap-and-invest system for raising gas prices. This week, the no repeal campaign launched a website and a campaign ad telling voters to reject the initiative. Will it pass?

Speaking of state politics, Republicans are in Spokane for their state convention. Among other things, they'll decide who to endorse for Congress and governor. Former President Trump is backing Jerrod Sessler, a challenger to incumbent congressman Dan Newhouse, who voted to impeach Trump. The leading Republican candidate for governor, former congressman Dave Reichert has not endorsed Trump. What will the outcome of the convention be?

Reichert's leading opponent, Democrat Bob Ferguson released a video this week criticizing Reichert for comments at a February fundraiser. Here's what Reichert said in response to an audience member asking, "How do you define a woman?" “Number one, my wife is a woman and I am a man. You’re a woman and I'm a man. There’s only man and woman. I was raised with that as a Christian. And marriage is between a man and a woman. I don’t believe that transgender men should be competing against girls and women in sports." Reichert's campaign says he would not try to restrict same-sex marriage if he’s elected governor. Do you find that believable?

Seattle is having a civic debate about growth. How much should we up-zone and fill in and build up, versus have fewer homes and keep some neighborhoods mostly single family. This week, the pro-density news site The Urbanist reported that city planners proposed more density than Mayor Harrell wanted, and the Mayor's Office scaled it back. Why?