Mielke to switch races

From staff reports

Former Washington State Rep. Todd Mielke announced Wednesday that he is dropping out of the race for Congress and will instead run for Spokane County Commissioner.

Mielke, a Republican, is running against incumbent Spokane County Commissioner John Roskelley, a Democrat. He had been running to fill the 5th Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. George Nethercutt, who is running for the U.S. Senate.

“The focus of Spokane Couty needs to be on protecting its citizens, building and maintaining its infrastructure, and doing everything we can to promote the stability, growth and success of the small businesses that provide the majority of jobs in this area,’’ said Mielke in a press release announcing his commissioner candidacy.

Mielke represented Spokane’s 6th District in the 1990s before starting his own lobbying company. He was born and raised in Spokane and is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.