@jcamden

Political reporter/former Olympia Bureau Chief @SpokesmanReview. Not working fulltime but not quite retired

 Olympia
spokesman.com/blogs/spincontrol/
Joined February 2009
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133Media
Today's column challenges the wisdom of all this talk about candidates going after the Gen Z vote. Would be happy to be proved wrong but don't think I will be... spokesman.com/stories/2024/s…

Spin Control: Is courting the Gen Z vote a great strategy for candidates?

Because this is campaign season, there’s rarely a day that I don’t receive an email, tweet or text from someone explaining the importance of young voters in the election.

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Today's column asks: Is this the most important election in years? In our lifetime? In history? #WaElex #Presidentialelection #2024Election #TrumpVance #HarrisWalz spokesman.com/stories/2024/a…

Spin Control: Is this presidential election the most important ever? Competition is pretty tough

With the Democratic National Convention occupying much of the available news space for the next four days, anyone paying attention is bound to hear a proclamation that this November’s election is the...

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Not saying No Nukes is Good Nukes, but today's column suggests the state should remember the past when looking at the future of nuclear power in WA #WaLeg #NuclearPower #Whoops #WPPSS spokesman.com/stories/2024/a…

Spin Control: As state studies 'modular' nuke plants, history worth remembering

Proponents of nuclear power, who have been wandering for decades like latter-day Israelites in a desert of public skepticism, might be feeling hopeful about a revival of their prospects.

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Wondering why another ballot just came in the mail? Today's column has some answers. #2024elections #waelex spokesman.com/stories/2024/j…

Spin Control: Questions about the ballot you received in the mail? We have some answers

For some 4.8 million Washington voters, the most confusing ballot of the last four years probably arrived in the mail last week.

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Today's column asks the question "Brokered convention: Pipe dream or nightmare?" Not to come up with a definitive answer but to raise some points. #2024Election #DemocraticConvention #Biden2024 spokesman.com/stories/2024/j…

Spin Control: Open Democratic National Convention could be a dream or nightmare

Many of the nation’s pundits seem to be dreaming of an open national convention. The party rules make that almost impossible and fraught with problems.

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Before you head for the fireworks, try you hand at the annual Independence Day trivia quiz. spokesman.com/stories/2024/j…

Think you know your Independence Day history? Can you answer these 13 questions?

It's time to check your Yankee Doodle Dandy-ness with our annual July 4th Trivia Quiz. 

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Think a full-time Legislature is a good idea? A progressive group does, a conservative one doesn't. Read today's column and judge for yourself. #WaLeg #WaElex spokesman.com/stories/2024/j…

Spin Control: Poll shows support for full-time Legislature, but don't count on it any time soon

A liberal group thinks year-round sessions would be a good thing. A conservative group – surprise, surprise – disagrees.

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Today's column is a trip down memory lane to the early '90s, and a lesson for the current controversy facing the Spokane County #Democrats. #WaElex #SpoDemocrats #racism spokesman.com/stories/2024/j…

Spin Control: Facing allegations of racism, local Democrats should look back to controversy in the...

Will local Democrats form a circular firing squad as they wrestle with allegations of racism?

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Former Spokane Congressman George Nethercutt, who gained national fame by defeating House speaker, dies at 79 spokesman.com/stories/2024/j…

Former Spokane Congressman George Nethercutt, who gained national fame by defeating House speaker,...

After beating Speaker of the House Tom Foley in 1994 as one of the stars of a GOP revolution, Nethercutt went on to serve 10 years in the House before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate. He later...

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Today's column asks: Could a federal case in Spokane change both the U.S. House and the #ElectoralCollege? #Congress #WaElex spokesman.com/stories/2024/j…

Spin Control: Does how much your vote for Congress and president count depend on where you live?

An individual voter in Washington arguably has better representation in Congress and the Electoral College than a voter in Idaho but worse representation than a voter in Montana.

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Did not realize the editors were going to use a picture with me in it for today's column on state law re: candidate names. For the record: I have much more gray hair than that now. spokesman.com/stories/2024/j…

Spin Control: What's in a name? A statute if one candidate's is too close to another's

Washington’s gubernatorial primary started with a bang last month and shows little sign of quieting down.#collection:home-promos#collection:news-columnists#collection:news#collection:local-governme...

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In today's Spin Control, controversy over Justice Alito's flag flying brings back memories of a 1989 incident in the Spokane area. #EWU #distressflag #Alito #flagcode spokesman.com/stories/2024/m…

Spin Control: Disrespect for Old Glory in the eye of the beholder

When reports of an upside-down flag flying in the yard of a Supreme Court justice hit the news last week, it reinforced a lesson learned 35 years ago from a local controversy.

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Today's #SpinControl column looks at the current court case that asks if the ban on the sale of large capacity magazines rises or falls on what was happening in 1791. #GunRights #GunControl #GunSafety #GunLaws spokesman.com/stories/2024/a…

Spin Control: Large-capacity magazine ban could go against 233 years of history

The ability to buy a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds for a firearm is temporarily on hold. Whether that ban continues may rely on whether the state’s Supreme Court commissioner is as persua...

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Even for a presidential year, retirements and politicians looking to move up are making the #2024elections an extremely busy year. #WaElex #WaLeg spokesman.com/stories/2024/a…

Spin Control: For some legislators, time has come to retire or run for something else

Retirements and open seats mean 2024 might bring a tidal wave of new people in political office.

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I've covered politics for @spokesmanreview for 40 years. Until the last four, I never would have imagined the #WaLeg would need to toughen laws to protect election workers. #WaElex spokesman.com/stories/2024/m…

Spin Control: Washington increases penalties for threatening elections workers

Washington has a new law on elections that once would have seemed unnecessary.

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Think you've got a great idea for a statewide initiative? Filing it will cost lots more than ever before. #WaElex #WaLeg #SpinControl spokesman.com/stories/2024/m…

Spin Control: Initiative fees in Washington just caught up with 110 years of inflation

For more than a century, Washington’s key tools of citizen control over their government – the initiative and the referendum – were a real bargain. Now, maybe less so.

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Washington should consider changes to its #PresidentialPrimary make it more relevant. #WaLeg #WaElex spokesman.com/stories/2024/m…

Spin Control: Nominations are set, but Washington presidential primary continues

Washington Republicans who already marked and mailed their presidential primary for Nikki Haley and Democrats who voted for Dean Phillips might be wondering what will happen to those votes Tuesday...

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With the presidential primary coming on March 12,, today's column looks at its history and what effect your vote can have. #WaElex #WaLeg #WaPrimary #presidentialrace spokesman.com/stories/2024/m…

Spin Control: March 12 primary gives voters a say – albeit small – in picking presidential nominees

Last month’s ballot was mainly a chance to have a say about local taxes. This month’s ballot is a chance to have a say about the nation’s highest office.

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Washington might test slippery concrete coatings and drones to fight highway #graffiti in proposal moving through #WaLeg . spokesman.com/stories/2024/f…

Spin Control: State may test out new ways to battle highway graffiti

Legislature considers new tools in the battle against vandals and their graffiti along the highways.#collection:home-promos#collection:news-columnists#collection:news#collection:local-government#co...

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Might be showing my age in today's column about #WaLeg bills to change #marijuana #pot laws. spokesman.com/stories/2024/f…

Spin Control: Legislative proposals on marijuana might surprise some older residents

The clearest sign that a person is a Baby Boomer may be the tendency to shake one’s head when hearing of ideas being considered by the Legislature about marijuana.

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