Rep. Doc Hastings visits area as well

MOSES LAKE - Area business leaders received a one-two congressional punch this week as U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings visited Moses Lake and Ephrata only a day after U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

Hastings met with representatives from the Grant County Economic Development Council and Ephrata Machinery Inc. Thursday afternoon.

"We gave him an update on what things we're working on in the county," said Jonathan Smith with the development council. "We talked to him about the challenges that are facing local business, and the challenges that we're facing on the international scale. We touched on those as well."

Ken Bohnet, business developer with Ephrata Machinery, said their meeting focused on potential government overregulation and the overall business climate, as well as what challenges they present.

Hastings said he was impressed by the business growth that the county has accomplished.

"You're seeing the diversity that's happening here," he said. "Even though we're largely an agricultural-based economy, you're seeing other stuff that's not ag-related. And I think that's a positive."

Hastings spent roughly 30 minutes with each entity.

Hastings' visit comes days after he triumphed in Washington's primary election Tuesday, where his district's voters awarded him 58 percent of the tallies.

Mary Baechler, a Democrat out of Yakima, received 28 percent, earning her a berth to November's general ballot alongside Hastings.

"I was very pleased and very thankful that people felt enough confidence in me to give me that vote," Hastings said.

In the coming months, he said voters will begin to see a stark contrast between his beliefs and President Barack Obama's policies.

Baechler said that a large part of her decision to run was social security and Medicare.

"Voters really want the parties to come across the aisle and just work for the country," she said.