Photo by Josh Eckstein / Unsplash

Yakima's 2026 Election | A Call to Remember the Real Enemy

Blog Nov 1, 2026

Yakima County's 2026 election has been divisive for local Republicans. Are we going to choose a continuation of our establishment? Are we going to take a risk on some new blood, despite their "inexperience?" Can the Christians remember to unify against the real enemy?

We discuss:

  • Establishment v. Grassroots | Why are We Here?
  • Yakima's 2026 Election is an Attempt at Gridlock
  • What Does an Election Gridlock Mean for Yakima? | It's Always Money
  • Reality Check | Who is Yakima's Real Enemy?
  • OC Endorsements for the 2026 General Election

Yakima Establishment v. Grassroots | Why are We Here?

There was a very clear movement – even before the primary election – to promote candidates who were "more experienced." Unfortunately, this is mediaspeak for keeping incumbents in office (or those who were hand-selected by them).

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"Experience" is used by legacy media to turn away voters from the possibility of change in office. They portray the incumbent as a stable option; any candidate with a "lack of experience" is perceived as risky.

PDC Expenditures Expose a Pattern of Election Support

An article published by the Rain Shadow Report before the primaries exposed a concerning pattern of funding and campaign support for establishment candidates.

The Rain Shadow Report claimed that all of the establishment candidates were being propped up by two people: Bruce Smith & Kelley Gasseling.

Between Smith and Gasseling are the following businesses:

  • Yakima Valley Publishing
  • The Yakima Valley Business Times
  • First Tuesday Consulting
  • SPD&G Advertising and Public Relations

OC took a look at the PDC website to see if this trend was still continuing, and behold...

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Establishment candidates have given over $145,000 in campaign funds to Bruce Smith & Kelley Gasseling's businesses.

From Bad to Worse | A Huge Pool of Yakima Campaign Money

In our article about why Quinn Dalan shouldn't be Yakima's Prosecutor, we conjectured that SPD&G (or just Gasseling) was doing a little insurgent media work for Dalan on the side using a rather nasty "community run" Facebook page.

At the time, Dalan had given SPD&G about $13,800.

To date, Quinn Dalan has now spent $43,500 dollars on SPD&G, AND she's pulled $18,000 in loans for her campaign.

Dalan also isn't the only candidate spending this way...

Yakima campaign money spent on Bruce Smith & Kelley Gasseling's businesses.

Yakima's 2026 Election is an Attempt at Gridlock

The real pattern emerges when we look at Jake Church's campaign spending. Church has spent about as much as Dalan on SPD&G. Why?

Hot Topics | From Yakima Offices All the Way to Congress

Right now, the Sheriff's office is integral to some hot-button issues: FLOCK cameras, immigration, and SB 5974 which would allow a state commission to start removing elected Sheriffs who don't bend the knee to King Ferguson.

Yakima Sheriff Bob Udell originally told the media he was planning to retire. Udell "appointed" and endorsed his lieutenant, Jake Church, on the way out.

Headlines showing Udell endorses Jake Church.
Headlines announcing Sheriff Udell's endorsement of Lieutenant Jacob Church.

An endorsement from Udell is a big deal, and it doesn't give much room for the People to desire change. This has become especially apparent when Sheriff's Deputies began attacking or "exposing" the opposing grassroots candidate, Roman Kilinkaridis, online.

Imagine being elected to office and having to fire your knowledgeable, established employees due to malice, contempt, and/or undermining. Udell frankly should have kept his mouth shut about who he endorsed.

Instead, Udell threw his cowboy hat in the ring for County Commissioner a couple months after endorsing Church. Udell's colleague, and soon-to-be predecessor, Amanda McKinney, is making a strong run for the 4th Congressional District.

Funny enough...four of the six people in our gridlock have also endorsed Amanda McKinney (and Quinn Dalan isn't one of them).

Amanda McKinney endorsements.
Amanda McKinney's endorsement page for Congress.

What Does an Election Gridlock Mean for Yakima? | It's Always Money

Think about it this way...

A criminal gets picked up by our Sheriff's office – they get put in the county jail and the legal game begins. Whether the criminal is held accountable for their crimes depends on County Prosecutor's office, and the criminal's entire court case will be processed by the County Clerk.

If the criminal had friends, their collective trend of crime will lead our County Commissioners to consider certain legislative actions (think FLOCK cameras, drug "harm reduction" strategies, the YVCOG crimelab, etc.).

The Commissioners' legislative actions lead to a public service budget, which our Assessor will then collect for via property taxes, our Treasurer will disburse, and our Auditor will track.

Yakima County Pay Plan for Elected Officials
Yakima County's official pay scale for elected positions in 2026.

Just keep in mind that all of the County offices up for election right now are six-figure salaries. Many elected officials also create or work their way into special interest nonprofits that are funneled county money.

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To maintain the status quo, all offices of the County's establishment must hold. Anyone who threatens newness to any part of this equation gets "put down" by Yakima's legacy media.

Reality Check | Who is Yakima's Real Enemy?

While we've spoken strongly against the establishment Republicans, we want to take a moment to remember the domains and principalities we're actually up against.

Establishment GOP is Running Against Pro-Abortion Maniacs

Charles Ross | Unfortunately, Matt Barker didn't make it out of the primaries, and now it's Charles Ross versus hardcore Democrat, Maria Cuevas. It's probably for the best if Ross stays in office, as much as we're disappointed about Barker's loss.

Maria Cuevas is backed by all kinds of Seattle money, the AFL-CIO (shoutout to 2020's Presidential Election "integrity"), and Planned Parenthood. Disgusting.

Stephanie Patterson | Stephanie is already a higher-up in the Treasurer's office, and she's been endorsed by Ilene Thomson (the current Treasurer). However, we'll happily take Stephanie over Sam Johnson, another pro-abortion propagating Democrat.

Sam Johnson Yakima Herald Letter to the Editor.
Sam Johnson's pro-abortion Letter to the Editor of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Billie Maggard | Billie was running uncontested until extremist candidate Amy Forrest decided to intrude as a write-in. Forrest made a failed run for City Council last year and a failed run for State Representative against Reedy Berg this year. Unfortunately, Forrest is heavily supporting Quinn Dalan.

Amy Forrest Facebook post supporting Quinn Dalan.
Amy Forrest supporting Quinn Dalan's endorsement by the Yakima Herald's Editorial Board.
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If you're feeling bad about having to vote for an establishment Republican, just remember the real opposition wants to rape and kill your children.

OC Endorsements for the 2026 General Election

One Crackima's true endorsements are for:

  • Tyler Haueter for Yakima County Prosecutor | Quinn Dalan doesn't take alleged child sex crimes very seriously. She's also riddled with connections to leftist special interest groups.
  • Roman Kilinkaridis for Yakima County Sheriff | Jake Church was appointed by Sheriff Bob Udell to uphold the status quo. Nothing more, nothing less.
  • Kristoffer Strutner for Yakima County Commissioner D1 | Bob Udell has served Yakima County long enough; everyone thought he was retiring.
  • Keith Effler for Yakima County Assessor | Jacob Tate doesn't seem to aspire to lower our property taxes, only to be consistent and fair about them.
  • BONUS | Matt Barker should run again – we're still getting complaints about voters receiving two ballots.

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Striker East

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