Cowan campaign makes Colfax stop

Rich Cowan used to patrol opposing sides as a referee in Whitman League basketball games while attending Washington State University. Now, the founder of Spokane-based NxNW film production company and former Pullman firefighter, he wants to bridge opposing views in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Cowan is challenging four-term incumbent Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers for the Fifth District’s seat in the house. He met with supporters Monday afternoon in the Norma McGregor room at the Colfax library.

“Our issues, really are bipartisan issues. It isn’t a D or an R thing,” he said.

That’s not, he said, the opinion of his opponent.

“Honestly, she’s very ambitious within the Republican party. And she wants to be chair of the caucus,” said Cowan. “That’s a big deal for her. That partisan ambition. But I don’t see that helping the district.”

Cowan said the perks that once accompanied a rise in party leadership like more projects and funding earmarks have disappeared in the current climate.

“The days of bringing home all the pork and stuff, which she’s against philosophically, that’s not there anymore,” he said. “So that makes it hard to do what’s right for the district.”

One decision he said hurt the Fifth was the inability of Congress to pass a new Farm Bill before the election.

“It should have been a priority,” said Cowan, noting Congress left until Nov. 13 without passing the Farm Bill.

“Which is ridiculous, I have to say. They canceled the rest of October so they could go home and campaign,” he said. “Really? You’ve got to get your job done.”

He praised the contents of the proposed Farm Bill, its continuance of the Conservation Reserve Program, funding for research and rural development and the switch from direct payments to an emphasis of crop insurance.

“I believe that’s the direction we’re going now, crop insurance,” he said.

Cowan aspires to sit on the House Agriculture committee if elected.

A fan of “Obamacare,” Cowan criticized the Medicare reform plan espoused by GOP Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan, a congressman from Wisconsin.

“Medicare can’t go away,” he said. “It’s not an entitlement. I don’t like that word. It’s something you’ve earned over your working career, and you deserve it.”

“We cannot mess this up and turn it into something that has vouchers. That’s not what we owe our senior citizens.”

Cowan said his top priority is bringing projects to the district that will come with jobs.

He said the country needs to commit to building and keeping up its infrastructure.

Cowan has two grown children. His WSU studies netted a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s in human nutrition.