Young Professionals group hosts candidates night at Pillar Rock Grill

MOSES LAKE - Community members will have an opportunity to hear from some of the Fourth Congressional District candidates during a forum in Moses Lake later this month.

The Young Professionals of the Columbia Basin is hosting a Candidates Night May 14 at Pillar Rock Grill. The group is inviting all of the candidates who filed to run for the position to attend the event, Emily Braunwart, of the Young Professionals, said.

The event is organized like a traditional candidates forum. Bill Ecret will serve as emcee and facilitate the discussion that night, she said.

"We're going to have a question and answer session, so we'll start off with questions that were prepared before the event," Braunwart said. "We'll also have everybody that's there write down some questions and then we'll ask those as well."

The event starts at 5:30 p.m. and will go until about 7:30 p.m.

Braunwart said the group wanted to hold the event so its members could learn more about the candidates running in the upcoming election.

"There are quite a few candidates running for the position," she said. "I think it's good to bring young professionals together with who's going to be representing us in Washington D.C."

The Fourth District covers Grant and Adams counties in addition to Douglas, Okanogan, Yakima, Franklin and Benton counties.

Several candidates have announced they will be running for the seat, currently held by Rep. Doc Hastings, who previously said he will not seek re-election.

Sen. Janéa Holmquist Newbry; former NFL player and Tea Party supporter Clint Didier; Dan Newhouse, former legislator and director of the state Department of Agriculture; Kennewick attorney George Cicotte; Franklin County Commissioner Brad Peck; Gavin Seim, an Ephrata portraitist and filmmaker; Josh Ramirez of Pasco, who is a project specialist for a Hanford contractor and Jamie Wheeler, an in-home care provider in Kennewick, have all announced they will run.

Braunwart said the Young Professionals is hosting the forum, but anyone in the community is welcome to attend the event.

"Anybody who would like to come and meet the candidates is welcome to come," she said.

Pillar Rock Grill is located at the Moses Lake Golf Club, 1373 Road F.2 NE in Moses Lake.