Congressional candidates’ responses to the religious voter guide provide some last-minute insights

Although the 10 candidates running for Congress in Eastern Washington have faced extensive media questioning about their policy positions in recent months, some candidates' responses to iVoterGuide's religious polls provide additional insight into their personal values ​​and policy views, including on gay marriage and voter ID laws.

Mississippi-based iVoterGuide, a division of American Family Association Action, offers help voters decide “which candidates on your ballot truly represent your biblical values” by providing questionnaires on issues such as abortion, religious freedom and the power of the federal government.

Three Republican candidates, including Spokane City Councilman Jonathan Bingle, Ferry County Commissioner Brian Dansel and disabled veteran Rick Valentine Flynn, filled out the organization's questionnaire, as did Kootenai County Assistant State's Attorney and Democratic candidate Matthew Welde.

Many of the policy positions addressed in iVoterGuide's questionnaire for candidates running for an open seat in the 5th Congressional District have been covered elsewhere, including in debates or in the Spokesman-Review's own policy questionnaire.

However, the religious group's questions raised a number of viewpoints not covered elsewhere. The organization asked candidates whether they believed that marriage was defined as “a sacred and legal union between a man and a woman” and that no government could take a position on the issue.

Welde strongly disagreed, Flynn responded “neutrally” and said the fight against gay marriage was politically toxic, while Bingle and Dansel strongly agreed. In a brief interview, Dansel said this was a personal belief, adding that the government should not interfere in private citizens' marriages; Bingle said he would not vote for legislation supporting the concept of gay marriage.

The candidates were also asked if they supported abolishing the U.S. Department of Education. Welde and Flynn both strongly opposed it, while Dansel and Bingle both strongly supported it.

Dansel also clarified his position on abortion access in iVoterGuide. While he declined to say whether he would support a federal abortion ban when speaking to The Spokesman-Review, he stressed in his response to iVoterGuide that the issue is a state matter and that he supports passing “strong pro-life laws at the state level.”

The questionnaire also looked at the candidates' positions on issues related to transgender people, including whether trans women should be barred from participating in women's sports or “occupy women's spaces” – Bingle, Dansel and Flynn all strongly agreed, while Welde chose not to respond. When asked whether children should be protected from abuse, “including gender ideology, grooming and body mutilation,” Bingle, Dansel and Flynn also strongly agreed, while Welde chose not to respond.

Most candidates for the 5th District did not respond to iVoterGuide's candidate questionnaire.

The local organization We Believe We Vote, which normally produces similar questionnaires, was unable to complete a guide for the primary election due to technical difficulties and instead referred voters to the iVoterGuide.