Erasmo Ruiz Gonzalez is the son of farm-worker immigrants and lives in Spanaway, according to his website. Ruiz, a Democrat, is a social worker, educator and mental health professional. He was elected to the Bethel School Board in 2023, according to the school website. Ruiz has a bachelor’s degree in criminology & criminal justice from Portland State University and a master of science in educational leadership and policy. His LinkedIn also says he was part of the Emerging Leaders program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Ruiz says he will use his experience as a school board director, overseeing its annual budget, to bring fiscal responsibility to the state senator position. His legislative priorities include bipartisan efforts to pass legislation; support for working families, senior citizens, veterans, farmers and students; support for local job creation in his district and investments and training for small businesses; investments in workforce training and apprenticeship programs; women’s health care; law enforcement officers; term limits for elected officials; and public infrastructure including sidewalks, public transit, community centers and health clinics. Ruiz is endorsed by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, the 2nd Legislative District Democrats and the Alliance for Gun Responsibility Victory Fund. 

Erasmo Ruiz Gonzalez PDC link 
Erasmo Ruiz Gonzalez campaign website 
Erasmo Ruiz Gonzalez State Voter Guide

Jim McCune, R-Graham, is the incumbent 2nd Legislative District State Senator. McCune, from Seattle, served as state representative for eight years and Pierce County Councilman for seven years before becoming state senator in 2020, according to his website. He is currently an assistant ranking member on the Law and Justice committee and is on the Early Learning and K-12 Education and Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation committees, according to the state Senate Republicans website. He is involved in several community organizations, including the Boy Scouts, the Kiwanis and Optimists’ Clubs and Big Brother. He attended Highline High School and was a small businessman providing Copper River salmon products. His stated values are “pro-Make America Great, pro-law enforcement, pro-firefighters, pro-police officers, pro-2nd amendment, pro-constitution, pro-life and family values, pro-law & order, pro-armed forces, pro-religious freedom, pro-American Flag, pro-teaching true American history,” according to his campaign website. He also opposes higher taxes and supports improving road infrastructure and maintaining recreational use of parks, trails and farms. 

Jim McCune PDC link 
Jim McCune campaign website
Jim McCune State Voter Guide

Incumbent Andrew Barkis, a Republican, grew up in Chehalis and began working at age 11 to support his family, doing his neighbor’s landscapes, according to his website. Barkis graduated from Seattle University, completing Army ROTC training and hoping to join the military after graduating, but was unable to due to an injury. He shifted to the property management field, where he worked for nearly three decades. Barkis is a member of the Lacey Chamber of Commerce, the Yelm Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation and other organizations. As a legislator, Barkis has been a ranking member of the House Transportation Committee, and says his goals are to stop “forced taxes on drivers” and complete projects with state funding. His other legislative priorities include creating more affordable housing by allowing lot-splitting and increasing growth in rural areas and supporting law enforcement efforts to provide resources to those impacted by drug addictions. Barkis is running unopposed. 

Andrew Barkis PDC link 
Andrew Barkis campaign website 
Andrew Barkis State Voter Guide

Related reading:
A heap of housing bills failed in WA’s legislative session (Cascade PBS)

Matt Marshall, a Republican, served two deployments in the U.S. Army in the Middle East and earned the rank of Captain. Marshall joined the Eatonville School Board from 2019 to 2023. He now works as an orthopedic surgery physician assistant and adjunct professor of natural sciences at the University of Maryland Global Campus. Marshall is in his last year of law school at Seattle University. His legislative priorities are to create a “Parents’ Bill of Rights” for schools. He also says that he wants to “safeguard spaces designed for women’s privacy and safety”; that he “refuses to accept the notion that men – however they identify – have a right to violate the privacy and safety of women;” and that he wants to support women’s sports by “honoring the physical realities and differences between males and females and preserving the spirit of Title IX.” He also believes in eliminating what he considers overregulation of small businesses. Marshall is hoping to reduce taxes on gas and property and to simplify licensing and reduce its fees. Marshall is also committed to supporting more law enforcement, and plans to push for lower taxes for individuals and businesses, simplify regulations and invest in vocational and technical education programs.

Matt Marshall PDC link 
Matt Marshall campaign website 
Matt Marshall State Voter Guide

John Snaza, a Republican, served three terms as Thurston County Sheriff. His priorities in the Legislature would be public safety, responsible budgeting and a multifaceted approach to the drug crisis, including providing treatment and holding drug traffickers accountable. In 2021 he was the subject of a Thurston County recall campaign after he refused to enforce the COVID-19 mask mandate, but state courts stopped the petition after ruling that wasn’t a sufficient reason for a recall. He was ousted in 2022 by challenger Derek Sanders, a deputy in his department. Snaza’s endorsers include the incumbent state Rep. J.T. Wilcox, Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier, and dozens of current or former sheriffs throughout Washington, including Snaza’s twin brother Rob Snaza, sheriff of neighboring Lewis County.

John Snaza PDC link
John Snaza campaign website
John Snaza State Voter Guide

Former 5th Legislative District representative and computer science teacher Chad Magendanz will duel with Bill Ramos for the district’s Senate seat. Magendanz, a Republican, filed for the position in May after a brief run for Superintendent of Public Instruction. During his stint in the Legislature, Magendanz passed bills that expanded computer science education and kept charter schools open. According to the Washington State Standard, Magendanz came out against a directive that asked educators to withhold a child’s gender identity and pronouns from their parents, unless a child consents.

Chad Magendanz PDC link
Chad Magendanz campaign website
Chad Magendanz State Voter Guide

Democrat Bill Ramos currently represents Legislative District 5 as its Position 1 representative, but is now making a run for the state Senate. Ramos first took office in 2019, and currently chairs the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee while also serving on the House Transportation Committee. During his time in the Legislature, Ramos secured funding for highway construction and expansion projects. His current priorities include reducing property taxes, supporting public safety, expanding more affordable-housing options and protecting the environment. Ramos is endorsed by the Washington Education Association and Planned Parenthood.

Bill Ramos PDC link
Bill Ramos campaign website
Bill Ramos State Voter Guide

Mark Hargrove is a Republican running for Washington’s 5th Legislative District, making his reappearance in politics after having served as a representative for the 47th Legislative District from 2011 to 2019. Hargrove, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, worked as a commercial pilot instructor. According to his campaign website, Hargrove seeks to lower the gas tax and improve public safety. 

Mark Hargrove PDC link
Mark Hargrove campaign website
Mark Hargrove State Voter Guide

Victoria Hunt is a Democratic candidate vying for the 5th Legislative District. Hunt first served on the Issaquah City Council in 2019, where she used her background as an environmental scientist and doctorate in ecology to help finalize the city’s Climate Action Plan. If elected to the Legislature, Hunt’s priorities would include pushing for more environmentally based policies, improving human services and investing in public transportation.

Victoria Hunt PDC link
Victoria Hunt campaign website
Victoria Hunt State Voter Guide

Lisa Callan is the Democratic incumbent for the 5th Legislative District’s second position, having served in this role since 2019. Callan vice-chairs the House Capital Budget Committee and co-chairs the Children & Youth Behavioral Health Work Group, which is aimed at improving access to behavioral health services for young people. In 2023 she authored legislation that proposed new accountability measures for youth stuck in state psychiatric health facilities, which was eventually signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.

In 2024, she sponsored another bill that would have restricted the use of restraint and isolation in Washington public schools. 

Lisa Callan PDC link
Lisa Callan campaign website
Lisa Callan State Voter Guide

Republican Patrick Peacock is longtime Washingtonian, spent 20 years in the U.S. Army and currently works as a security specialist for Boeing. Peacock is a supporter of Let’s Go Washington, a series of conservative ballot initiatives that include removing restrictions on police pursuits and repealing the Climate Commitment Act.

Patrick Peacock PDC link
Patrick Peacock campaign website
Patrick Peacock State Voter Guide

Rep. Stephanie Barnard has held this seat since she was elected in 2022. Barnard is running unopposed. Her website states that she has lived in the Tri-Cities for over three decades and is dedicated to her community, with a passion for small businesses and public safety. She said her efforts have contributed to the region’s economic growth and well-being. Prior to her time in Olympia, she served as head of government affairs for the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce and was on the local government affairs committee and Tri-Cities Legislative Council. She was part of the Business Resource Initiative and Business Builders Roundtable. Barnard founded the nonprofit ANGELS Network, to provide resources to low-income parents. She was part of the Franklin County Republican Party and was a national delegate at the Republican National Convention. As a legislator, Barnard’s legislative priorities include improving the region’s economy, supporting businesses and creating “family-wage” jobs. She was on several legislative committees including Innovation, Community, and Economic Development and Veterans; Finance; and Environment and Energy. Her other legislative priorities while in office have included cutting taxes, enhancing public safety, reducing regulations that hinder business growth and protecting the agricultural sector and Snake River dams, according to the state House Republicans website. Barnard is endorsed by U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers, R-WA5, the House Republican Organizational Committee and the Washington Fraternal Order of Police.

Stephanie Barnard PDC link 
Stephanie Barnard campaign website 
Stephanie Barnard State Voter Guide

John Christenson, Democrat, from Kennewick, chairs the 8th Legislative District Democratic Organization. Christenson was also commissioner of the Benton County Fire District #1,  and a founding member and president of the Environmental Information Network of Southeast Washington. Christenson served in the U.S. Army, a Cold War-era veteran who was deployed in Germany. Christenson wrote, “I will apply my knowledge, skills, and leadership experience to make good and fair laws which provide a full measure of benefit to the 8th LD, both counties.”

John Christenson PDC link
John Christenson State Voter Guide

Rep. April Connors is from the Tri-Cities. She graduated from Washington State University with a Bachelor’s in communications, according to her website. She worked as a legal assistant at a law firm and assisted a lead attorney in a case brought to the U.S. Supreme Court. Connors created her own real estate business and was on the Windermere Group One Board of Directors; has volunteer experience with the Academy of Children’s Theatre; and is on the board of the Kadlec Foundation. Her legislative priorities include putting “families back in the driver’s seat” in public education; prioritizing hydroelectric energy and keeping dams instead of creating more wind farms; and pushing back against an urban housing policy she says negatively affects housing affordability in the Tri-Cities. She is endorsed by former U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-WA-04, the Washington Fraternal Order of Police, the Kennewick Firefighters and the Washington Food Industry Association.

April Connors PDC link 
April Connors campaign website
April Connors State Voter Guide

Rep. Keith Goehner, R-Chelan, has represented the 12th District in the House since 2019 and is now seeking a seat in the state Senate. He is a former school teacher and third-generation orchardist whose experience in local government includes serving on the Peshastin-Dryden School Board, the Blue Star Growers Board, and as a Chelan County Commissioner for four terms. In the Legislature, Goehner is the ranking minority member of the House Local Government Committee and serves on the Environment and Energy Committee and the Transportation Committee. During the 2024 legislative session, Goehner passed a bill now signed into law to add detached accessory dwelling units to properties that qualify for senior citizens’ and disabled persons’ property tax exemption. If reelected, Goehner says maintaining infrastructure, boosting local businesses, supporting Washington’s farmers, developing more energy sources and empowering law enforcement are top priorities. 

Keith Goehner PDC link
Keith Coehner campaign website
Keith Goehner State Voter Guide

The Democratic candidate for the House seat is Jim Mayhew, a former Snoqualmie City Council member with more than three decades of experience in corporate financial management. Mayhew is running on a platform of “common-sense leadership” and working to “unite the communities of the 12th District.” Mayhew grew up in Seattle, where as a teen, he says, he navigated the foster care system before paying his way through college and graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in business administration. Mayhew then worked for companies like KPMG, and as the Chief Financial Officer of staffing company Volt Information Sciences. Mayhew’s priorities include bolstering affordable housing, investing in children and public education, supporting Washington’s economy and workforce and protecting abortion rights. 

Jim Mayhew PDC link
Jim Mayhew campaign website
Jim Mayhew State Voter Guide

Former Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett, a Republican, says he is eager to continue serving his community as a representative for the 12th Legislative District. Burnett was a law enforcement officer for more than 25 years, including being elected sheriff between 2011 and 2022, when he lost reelection to current Sheriff Mike Morrison. Burnett currently serves as the director of law enforcement services for Seattle’s Finest Security and Traffic Control and as the Administrative Liaison for the Washington State Sheriffs’ Association. If elected, Burnett says he will prioritize empowering law enforcement to address public safety concerns like homelessness, the circulation of illicit drugs and addressing mental health challenges. Burnett also supports protecting private property rights, supporting small businesses and reducing tax burdens. 

Brian Burnett PDC link
Brian Burnett campaign website 
Brian Burnett State Voter Guide

The Democratic candidate for this position is Heather Koellen, a North Bend City Council member and registered nurse in the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit at Harborview Medical Center. Koellen is also a former North Bend City planning commissioner and past chair of the hospital’s Unit Practice Council, a policy-making elected body of nurses. Koellen says her experience as a nurse has informed her commitment to improving access to equitable health care and supports boosting mental health services, fair compensation for health care workers and protecting women’s reproductive health care rights. Koellen says she is committed to improving access to education and child care, addressing Washington’s housing crisis and promoting environmental sustainability and workers’ rights. 

Heather Koellen PDC link 
Heather Koellen campaign website 
Heather Koellen State Voter Guide

Daniel Scott is a Republican candidate running for a seat in the House representing District 12. Scott holds a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, and currently works as a distribution engineer for the Chelan County Public Utility District, according to Linkedin. Scott also was a member of the Cashmere City Council until June 2021. If elected, Scott says he will prioritize supporting law enforcement and the fire department, as well as students and educators. Scott also advocates for a shift in policy in addressing the mental health and addiction crises.

Daniel Scott PDC link
Daniel Scott State Voter Guide

Incumbent Mike Steele, R-Chelan, is the deputy leader of the House Republican Caucus and has represented the 12th Legislative District since 2017. Before his election to the Legislature, Steele served under former President George Bush in the White House Office of Political Affairs and as the executive director of the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce. In the Legislature, Steele is the assistant ranking minority member on the House Capital Budget Committee and a member of the Education and Rules committees. During the 2024 Legislative session, Steele passed a bill, now signed into law, allowing the Crime Victims Compensation Program to provide more than 12 counseling sessions to the immediate family members of homicide victims if deemed necessary by a licensed mental health provider. If reelected, Steele says, he will continue to prioritize expanding career and technical education, encourage small-business growth, promote environmental stewardship and address the need for workforce housing. 

Mike Steele PDC link 
Mike Steele campaign website
Mike Steele State Voter Guide

Tom Dent, a Republican from Moses Lake, was first elected in 2014 in an open race for the seat, vacant due to then-State Rep. Judy Warnick’s move to the state Senate. Dent has served five terms. Dent has been reelected unopposed several times, including this year. According to his legislator bio, his priorities have been wildfire prevention through improving forest health, increasing initial attack resources for fire suppression, addressing agricultural issues including increasing trade, protecting pesticide use, and managing water resources. As a pilot and aviation business owner, he also lists preserving and expanding aviation infrastructure as a top priority. Dent has received an endorsement from The Association of Washington Business. 

Tom Dent PDC link
Tom Dent campaign website
Tom Dent State Voter Guide

Alex Ybarra, a Republican from Quincy, was appointed to replace Rep. Matt Manweller, who stepped down at the start of the 2019 legislative session. Ybarra defeated Democrat Steve Verhey in 2019 to finish Manweller’s term. He is running unopposed as he seeks election to a third full term, a similar scenario to his 2020 and 2022 election bids. According to his legislator bio, his top legislative priorities are protecting taxpayers, adequately funding schools, fostering the creation of more family-wage jobs, addressing water issues and supporting agriculture. He received endorsements from The Association of Washington Business and the Washington State Labor Council. Ybarra was among a group of conservative Latino voters who intervened in the Palmer v. Hobbs case in U.S. District Court and are appealing a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs and the redrawn map the state adopted earlier this year.

Alex Ybarra PDC link 
Alex Ybarra campaign website
Alex Ybarra State Voter Guide

Maria Beltran, a Democrat from Yakima, is running for office after a decade of community organizing and campaigning for other candidates. She was the youngest board president of OneAmerica, an organization involved in voting-rights cases in the Yakima Valley. Beltran said in a Cascade PBS story that her top priorities were addressing affordability, increasing high-wage jobs and helping people gain skills to secure those jobs. As a Democratic challenger seeking to grab a seat long held by Republicans, Beltran has received numerous endorsements ahead of the primary, including from unions, county Democratic parties and top Democratic leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig. 

Maria Beltran PDC link
Maria Beltran campaign website
Maria Beltran State Voter Guide

Curtis King, a Republican from Yakima, lived a mile outside of the boundary of the 14th Legislative District under the new political map, but he moved so he could remain in the district. King was appointed to the Senate in 2007 after longtime state Sen. Alex Deccio retired. King was then reelected to four terms and is now seeking a fifth. King’s legislative priorities include addressing the state’s transportation issues, preserving the vitality of the agriculture industry and addressing the state’s spending and budget. He has received several endorsements from the Association of Washington Business, Mainstream Republicans of Washington and the Associated General Contractors of Washington. 

Curtis King PDC link
Curtis King campaign website
Curtis King State Voter Guide  

Chelsea Dimas, a Democrat from Sunnyside, has an extensive career background in community organizing, graphic design, marketing and communications, including working for the House Democratic Caucus as a communications specialist. She now works in communications for Civil Survival, an organization that mobilizes and supports those impacted by the criminal justice system. She also is a commissioner with the Washington State Human Rights Commission. Dimas previously ran for Sunnyside City Council, and last fall helped a coalition of candidates get elected to the council. According to her campaign website, her top issues include expanding affordable housing, workers’ rights and funding for K-12 education. 

Chelsea Dimas PDC link
Chelsea Dimas campaign website
Chelsea Dimas State Voter Guide

Gloria Mendoza, a Republican from Grandview, is running for office after a decade serving on the Grandview City Council, including several as mayor. Mendoza also owns several businesses, including a commercial driving and vocational school, and is a radio host for a regional radio station. According to a Cascade PBS article, Mendoza’s priorities include working for small government and public safety. Mendoza voiced concern regarding a voting-rights court decision that led to a new Legislative district map in various venues, including in a Seattle Times op-ed.  

Gloria Mendoza PDC link
Gloria Mendoza campaign website
Gloria Mendoza State Voter Guide

Deb Manjarrez, a Republican from Wapato, runs an accounting firm in Yakima and also owns an orchard in Wapato with her husband. Manjarrez has been active in local politics, chairing Yakima County’s Republican Party for many years. Manjarrez’s last campaign for public office was in 2016 when she ran for Yakima County Commissioner. According to a Cascade PBS article, she said she wants to use her accounting experience to help the state run more efficiently and save taxpayer dollars. Education and public safety are other top priorities.

Deb Manjarrez PDC link
Deb Manjarrez campaign website
Deb Manjarrez State Voter Guide

Ana Ruiz Kennedy, a Democrat from Pasco, said she initially looked at a second run for Franklin County commissioner. In 2020, she won Latino precincts but lost overall — providing a case for those who sued the county over its at-large general election system. Kennedy decided to run for state representative instead of seeing an opportunity to represent the region at the state level. Kennedy’s top priorities are addressing affordability issues and giving Latino voters more of a voice. Kennedy is also a commissioner for the state’s Commission for Hispanic Affairs. Kennedy has received endorsements from the Franklin County Democratic Party and several unions. 

Ana Ruiz Kennedy PDC link
Ana Ruiz Kennedy campaign website 
Ana Ruiz Kennedy State Voter Guide

Chris Corry, a Republican from Yakima, is currently a state representative in the 14th Legislative District. He was elected in the 14th District in 2018 and served three terms. He’s seeking another term, but with the 15th Legislative District, which he now lives in under the new legislative map adopted earlier this year. According to his website, his top priorities are addressing state spending to help residents retain more money, maintaining local control of schools, reducing regulations and taxes to boost economic activity, addressing issues specific to Central Washington and preserving conservative principles.

Chris Corry PDC site
Chris Corry campaign website
Chris Corry State Voter Guide

Chase Foster is from Zillah in the lower Yakima Valley. He was previously elected to the Kennewick Housing Authority Board of Commissioners and served as vice chair. He earned a masters in business administration from Eastern Washington University and served two terms of AmeriCorps service. Foster has no party affiliation listed on his state candidate registration, calls himself a centrist and criticizes both parties for being ineffective in Olympia.

Chase Foster PDC link
Chase Foster campaign website
Chase Foster State Voter Guide

Rich Bright is a Republican from Selah. The Army veteran worked for years fixing communications systems at the Yakima Training Center and as a public schools volunteer. According to his campaign site, his priorities include strengthening conservative leadership in Olympia and reestablishing gun rights in Washington.

Rich Bright PDC link
Rich Bright’s campaign website
Rich Bright State Voter Guide

Jeremie Dufault, a Republican from Selah, previously served in this seat for two terms but was drawn out of the district under the 2021 map from the state redistricting commission. The new map adopted earlier this year has Dufault back in his old district. According to his campaign site, his priorities are to maintain small government, lower taxes — including blocking state income tax proposals — and help veterans.

Jeremie Dufault PDC link
Jeremie Dufault campaign website
Jeremie Dufault State Voter Guide

Republican Paul Harris currently holds Legislative District 17 Position 2, to which he was elected in 2010, but is running to fill outgoing Republican Sen. Lynda Wilson’s seat. Harris, of Vancouver, served on the Evergreen School Board for 10 years and is a small-business owner. He also served on multiple local boards including those of Share, the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council and Columbia River Mental Health. His priorities focus on protecting the environment, preventing income taxes, providing quality education, improving long-term care, investing in infrastructure, stopping the influx of illicit drugs, supporting law enforcement and protecting reproductive rights. 

Paul Harris PDC link
Paul Harris campaign website
Paul Harris State Voter Guide

Democrat Marla Keethler is currently serving her second term as the mayor of White Salmon, a town of about 2,500 on the banks of the Columbia River. She also serves as commissioner of the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority. Prior to being elected mayor, she worked as a broadcast sports journalist based in New York City, during which she covered six Olympic Games and earned four Emmy Awards. Her priorities include affordable housing, child care, public safety and infrastructure. 

Marla Keethler PDC link
Marla Keethler campaign website
Marla Keethler State Voter Guide

Kevin Waters, R-Stevenson, is a fourth-generation southwest Washington resident who has represented the 17th district since 2023. In addition to serving in the Legislature, Waters is the executive director of the Skamania County Economic Development Council, and the founder of his family’s business, Backwoods Brewing. Waters was also a Port Commissioner for Skamania County for over eight years. During the 2024 Legislative session, Waters had four bills signed into law by Gov. Inslee, including bills to facilitate the removal of fish barriers and allow the Liquor and Cannabis Board to impose civil penalties on store clerks who sell alcohol to minors. If reelected, Waters says he supports cutting taxes, promoting sustainable infrastructure, and boosting funding for law enforcement. 

Kevin Waters PDC link
Kevin Waters campaign website
Kevin Waters State Voter Guide

An intensive care nurse for more than 25 years, Terri Niles, a Democrat, says her primary goal is to foster cooperation and bridge divides in achieving practical solutions for problems facing Washington communities. Niles, who says she is the product of a bipartisan household, describes herself as the only pro-choice candidate in the race, and says access to reproductive health care and addressing Washington’s nursing shortage are top priorities. If elected, Niles says she will prioritize policies to address public safety through crisis-intervention programs, address the high cost of living, support education and workforce development, and build a strong economy that works for everyone. 

Terri Niles PDC link
Terri Niles campaign website
Terri Niles State Voter Guide

City council member and pro tem mayor for the city of Washougal, David Stuebe said in a news release that he hopes to use his political experience to address issues facing his community at the state level. Before his political career, Stuebe, a Republican, served in the United States Marine Corps for 30 years, retiring as a colonel. He also worked in the health care and pharmaceutical industries for over 20 years, where he says he held leadership and management positions. Stuebe says his platform includes prioritizing public safety, bolstering law enforcement, addressing homelessness and the affordable-housing crisis, and investing in infrastructure, education and healthcare. 

David Stuebe PDC 
David Stuebe campaign website
David Stuebe State Voter Guide

Republican Brad Benton, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the state House of Representatives in 2022, studied accounting and political science at Whitworth University in Spokane. He graduated in 2018, according to his Linkedin page. Before his current job as a customer development representative, he worked as an auditor for public accounting firm Moss Adams. The son of former state Sen. Don Benton, he grew up in Clark County. He advocates for property rights and lower taxes, according to his website. He opposes including light rail or tolling on the replacement of the Interstate 5 Bridge.

Brad Benton PDC link
Brad Benton campaign website
Brad Benton State Voter Guide

Democrat Adrian Cortes is serving his second consecutive term on the Battle Ground City Council and served as mayor from 2020 to 2021. Cortes has worked as a special education teacher in the Camas School District since 2015 and has a doctorate in education from George Fox University. Cortes’ endorsements include all three lawmakers from the 49th District, the mayor of Vancouver and Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates. Cortes said his priorities include improving education, transportation and public safety, as well as increasing the affordable-housing supply and decreasing rates of homelessness.

Adrian Cortes PDC link
Adrian Cortes campaign website
Adrian Cortes State Voter Guide

Deken Letinich, a Democrat, is a laborer and union organizer with Laborers Local 335. In 2018 he was selected as Union Member of the Year at the annual Labor Roundtable of Southwest Washington awards banquet. In 2024, he successfully advocated on behalf of working families for increased workplace safety and improving access to health care products on worksites, according to his campaign website. His priorities include getting southwest Washington infrastructure and maintenance dollars out of the capital budget, and providing adequate funding for police, firefighters and emergency medical professionals. Other priorities include improving accessibility to child care and addressing the affordability crisis. He was born and raised in Clark County, where his family goes back three generations.

Deken Letinich PDC link
Deken Letinich campaign website
Deken Letinich State Voter Guide

Stephanie McClintock is a Republican serving her first term in the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 18th Legislative District,  Position 1. McClintock’s experience includes working in human resources and as an event planner for Holland Residential. She served as the vice-chair of the Clark County Republican Party from December 2010 through June 2012 and chair from June 2012 to December 2012. She served on the Battle Ground School Board from 2013 until 2017. She holds a bachelor of arts in business management from Concordia University, and she currently works in public relations for United Grain Corporation. McClintock lists public safety and education among her top priorities. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and two sons.

Stephanie McClintock PDC link
Stephanie McClintock campaign website
Stephanie McClintock State Voter Guide

John Ley, 68, is a retired airline pilot and former reporter for ClarkCountyToday.com. The Camas Republican faces felony election-fraud charges related to his unsuccessful 2022 run for a seat in the same district, accused of providing false information for voter registration and false information on a declaration of candidacy. He pleaded not guilty in Clark County Superior Court. His trial is scheduled for October. The case stems from a voter registration challenge alleging Ley does not live in the 18th District. The issue was taken to court, where a Superior Court Judge ruled Ley was an ineligible candidate. After that challenge was filed, Ley changed his address to an apartment in the Hazel Dell neighborhood within the district boundaries, which he has maintained for two years. Ley’s priorities include halting the Interstate (I-5) Bridge Replacement program, bolstering public safety, lowering taxes and reining in state spending. He is endorsed by the Clark County Republican Party.

John Ley PDC link
John Ley campaign website
John Ley State Voter Guide

Related reading:
Election fraud charges don’t stop Camas Republican John Ley’s 18th District House campaign (The Columbian)
Former legislative candidate John Ley pleads not guilty in voter fraud case; his lawyer says charges politically motivated (The Columbian)

John Zingale, 43, is a middle school social studies teacher who previously held a career in the retail grocery industry. The Democrat lost his 2022 bid for 18th Legislative District House Position 1 to Rep. Stephanie McClintock, R-Vancouver. Now he is running for state House Position 2. Zingale has been in public education for more than a decade. He has been honored with numerous teaching awards, including Washington State History Teacher of the Year. He holds a master of teaching degree from the University of Portland and a bachelor’s from Northern Illinois University. Zingale’s priorities include expanding health care access, fixing education funding, improving infrastructure, protecting the environment, ensuring access to abortion and strengthening crime-prevention strategies.  

John Zingale PDC link
John Zingale campaign website
John Zingale State Voter Guide

Related reading:
Vancouver teacher John Zingale announces run for 18th Legislative District representative (The Columbian)

Republican John Braun has been the state senator for Legislative District 20 since 2013 when he ousted incumbent Dan Swecker. Braun has been the Senate Minority leader since 2021. Braun is also a member of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, the Labor & Commerce Committee, and the Housing Committee. He is a U.S. Navy veteran and runs Braun Northwest, a manufacturer of emergency vehicles that his parents founded. While his Democratic counterparts have said he has worked well with them on nonpartisan bills, he is a staunch conservative who has voted for President Donald Trump twice and for 2020 gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp, and has criticized Democrats for leaving the redrawing of a majority-Latino legislative district in Central Washington to the courts, instead of reconvening the Redistricting Commission. He has also criticized Democrats in the state legislature for asserting legislative privilege in the redaction of information from public documents.

John Braun PDC link
John Braun State Voter Guide

Related reading:
New GOP leader in Washington’s state Senate wears a lot of hats (Cascade PBS)

Republican Peter Abbarno of Centralia was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020. Before going to the Legislature, Abbarno was a Centralia city council member and served as Mayor Pro Tem. He is an attorney at Althauser Rayan Abbarno, LLP. Abbarno cites his record of voting against taxes, including the state cap-and-invest program, the capital gains tax, the 988 phone line fee and other increases. Abbarno also opposes restrictions on guns. Abbarno said he supports accountability and training for police, but he objected to bills that ended up “taking away many law enforcement tools.”

Peter Abbarno PDC link
Peter Abbarno campaign website
Peter Abbarno State Voter Guide

Melvin Kaleolani Apana, who lists an Amboy mailbox for an address, is challenging Republican Peter Abbarno for the 20th Legislative District. Apana’s party is listed as Culture Republican. Apana didn’t submit any information to the voter guide, and didn’t respond to an email from Cascade PBS.

Melvin Kaleolani Apana PDC link
Melvin Kaleolani Apana State Voter Guide

Republican Ed Orcutt of Kalama has been in the state House of Representatives since 2002. He is the ranking member on the House Finance Committee and also sits on the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. He believes the state should live within its existing revenues and avoid raising taxes, and has pushed for tax relief. Orcutt has been in the forestry industry for decades, and owns a consulting firm.

Ed Orcutt PDC link
Ed Orcutt campaign website
Ed Orcutt State Voter Guide

Incumbent Andrew R. Stokesbary, a Republican, was born and raised in the south Puget Sound region and graduated from Duke University. He later enrolled at the University of Notre Dame law school and served as a legislative aide for the King County Council, according to his LinkedIn. Along with his legislative career, Stokesbary is a partner at the law firm of Chalmers & Adams,providing legal counsel to local startup companies, and is licensed to practice in Washington and Arkansas and before the United States Supreme Court. He lives in Auburn with his family. His legislative priorities include finding bipartisan solutions; reforming the way state government operates; prioritizing state funding to ensure the safety of communities; affordable living; education; and investing in family-wage job growth, according to the state Republican House of Representatives website. 

Andrew R. Stokesbary PDC link 
Andrew R. Stokesbary campaign website
Andrew R. Stokesbary State Voter Guide

Sara Sutterfield is running as a Democrat. According to the website of the 31st Legislative District Democrats, which endorsed her, Sutterfield attended Southern Utah University studying secondary art education, but did not complete her studies. She moved to Washington and worked various jobs, including delivering pizza, completing a Certified Nursing Assistant program, dance fitness instruction and others before moving to Wilkeson, Washington, after having her second child. She says her experiences and community involvement will serve her as a legislator. Sutterfield is a member of the Friends of the Carbon Canyon and the Foothills Historical Society in Buckley, Washington. She said her legislative priorities are to prioritize mental health care accessibility, support education and the environment, and invest in small-town infrastructure. 

Sara Sutterfield PDC link 
Sara Sutterfield State Voter Guide

Brian L. Gunn is running as a Democrat. Gunn graduated from the University of San Francisco, according to the website of the 31st Legislative District Democrats, which endorsed Gunn for this race. Gunn has worked for PEMCO, Seattle Children’s Hospital and Boeing; volunteered for local candidates; and served as a committee member for a state senate campaign. He said his experience will serve him as a legislator if elected. Gunn’s legislative priorities include taxing the wealthy, improving State Routes 164 and 410, creating a new bridge between Enumclaw and Buckley, supporting public education and launching water-quality projects for small local farms and salmon. Gunn is also endorsed by the Washington State Labor Council, according to his website. 

Brian L. Gunn PDC link
Brian L. Gunn campaign website 
Brian L. Gunn State Voter Guide

Joshua Penner currently serves as the mayor of Orting, Washington. Penner served for seven years in the United States Marine Corps and was deployed to Iraq. Once he returned from his deployment, Penner co-chaired the King County Veterans Consortium and co-founded the Pacific Northwest Veterans Coalition, according to his website. He is also a board member of the Association of Washington Cities and the founder of Inquisio.AI, according to his LinkedIn. Penner’s legislative priorities include protecting gun owner rights, restoring public safety and increasing funding for education. Penner is running as a Republican. Penner is endorsed by the incumbent, State Rep. Eric Robertson, who is not running for reelection.

Joshua Penner PDC link 
Joshua Penner campaign website
Joshua Penner State Voter Guide

A Democrat from ​​Arlington, John Snow has never run for political office before, according to his campaign site. The Navy veteran served 13 years in the Middle East and Asia before being reassigned to Naval Station Everett in 2021. His platform includes lowering taxes for working-class people, supporting unions, funding public education, increasing wages, protecting abortion access and lowering the cost of living. Snow has earned the endorsement of the 39th LD Democrats and the Snohomish County Democrats.

John Snow PDC link
John Snow campaign website
John Snow State Voter Guide

A Republican who grew up in Alger and now lives in Sedro-Woolley, Keith Wagoner has served in the Washington state Senate representing District 39 since his appointment in 2018. He is the current GOP whip in the Senate. Wagoner unsuccessfully ran for Secretary of State in 2022. He has also served as the mayor of Sedro-Woolley and sat on its city council. His platform includes supporting law enforcement, supporting agriculture in the Skagit Valley and creating opportunities for young people. For the 2024 primary, he has earned the endorsement of the Skagit County Republicans.  

Keith Wagoner PDC link
Keith Wagoner campaign website 
Keith Wagoner State Voter Guide

Republican Rep. Sam Low won his seat in 2022, defeating incumbent Rep. Robert Sutherland by 12%. He’s also a Snohomish County Council member. Low, who lives in Lake Stevens, previously served on Lake Stevens City Council. Low’s priorities are public safety, transportation, protecting farms and private property, fiscal responsibility, and bringing broadband access to the rural parts of District 39 and family-wage jobs, according to his campaign site. He has been endorsed by Republican lawmakers and local leaders, as well as Washington Building Trades, UA32 and Mainstream Republicans of Washington.

Sam Low PDC link
Sam Low campaign website
Sam Low State Voter Guide

A two-term Republican state representative who lost his seat to Sam Low in 2022, Robert Sutherland has been known across Washington for his attempts to cast doubt on the 2020 election, calling for a forensic audit of the vote tally. He paid $2,500 to the state for an ethics violation in 2022 when he harassed a sergeant-at-arms in the Washington State Capitol. Sutherland unsuccessfully ran for Snohomish County Auditor in 2023. His priorities include funding law enforcement, lowering taxes on gas and travel, educational freedom, election reform and eliminating state-level property taxes, according to his campaign website. The Granite Falls resident has earned the endorsements of the 39th LD Republican Committee, the Snohomish County Republican Party and the Skagit County Republican Party.

Robert Sutherland PDC link
Robert Sutherland campaign website
Robert Sutherland State Voter Guide

A Republican from Sultan, Carolyn Eslick was appointed to her seat in 2017 and has subsequently won reelection three times. She was the first woman mayor of Sultan and served as a Sultan City Council member. Eslick’s platform includes addressing addiction, supporting law enforcement, lowering taxes, restoring parental rights and supporting K-12 education, according to her campaign website. She has received endorsements from multiple local leaders in Skagit and Snohomish counties as well as the Washington Mainstream Republicans.

Carolyn Eslick PDC link
Carolyn Eslick campaign website
Carolyn Eslick State Voter Guide

Jackie Huey is a Republican from Snohomish and describes herself as a lifelong volunteer. This is her first campaign for public office. Her priorities include tax relief, fiscal responsibility, protecting constitutional rights, the right to bear arms, supporting law enforcement and protecting parental rights. She has received endorsements from the Snohomish Republican Party and the LD39 Republican Party.

Jackie Huey PDC link
Jackie Huey State Voter Guide

A native of southwest Washington, Cleveland was born and raised in the 49th District. Cleveland currently serves as chair of the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee.

Cleveland has more than 30 years of experience working in the public and private sector. Most recently she worked as the development director at Family Solutions in Vancouver. She previously worked with Legacy Health, the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and others.

Many of the bills Cleveland has sponsored are health care related. During the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions, she successfully ushered bills on health care oversight, cost sharing, essential benefits, telemedicine, postretirement nursing and others through to becoming law. 

Annette Cleveland PDC link
Annette Cleveland campaign website
Annette Cleveland State Voter Guide

While the 49th District has long been held by Democrats, Republican Lucia Worthington is hoping to change that. Worthington holds bachelor’s degrees in history and philosophy as well as a Masters of Arts in business.

Worthington has worked in agriculture, construction and banking, and now owns a consulting business. Worthington says growing up poor resulted in a strong work ethic.  

Worthington’s focus issues are parents’ rights, ensuring teachers have the resources they need, improving infrastructure, enforcing laws and reducing crime rates. Worthington also wants to propose a separate truck route to bypass the Vancouver and Portland areas.

Lucia Worthington PDC link
Lucia Worthington campaign website
Lucia Worthington State Voter Guide

Brett Graham, of Vancouver, filed to run as a Republican. As of press time, Graham did not return The Columbian’s calls for comment, and Graham’s website was not active. Graham’s state voter guide says Graham works as a process technician for Polaris. Graham promises to “identify root causes and respond with appropriate solutions that benefit our entire community, and bring to light problem areas that are not so obvious.”

Brett Graham PDC link
Brett Graham campaign website is under construction
Brett Graham State Voter Guide

Sharon Wylie is seeking reelection to Washington’s 49th Legislative District, a seat she’s held since 2011. From 1993 to 1997 she served in the Oregon House of Representatives in State House District 22 in Gresham. Prior to her appointment to the Washington House of Representatives in 2011, she was the Government Relations Officer for Clark County and several other county and transportation organizations in Washington. In 2019 she was appointed to serve on the Washington State Arts Commission. She co-chairs the House Regulated Substances & Gaming Committee and holds seats on the Finance and Transportation committees. In her district, Wylie has chaired the Council for the Homeless and served as a board member of Affordable Community Environments, a low–income housing development nonprofit. She is an advocate for programs to reduce poverty and homelessness, and supports replacing the Interstate (I-5) Bridge. She is also active in Vancouver’s downtown arts community. She holds a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of California Riverside.

Sharon Wylie PDC link
Sharon Wylie campaign website
Sharon Wylie State Voter Guide

Related reading:
Rep. Wylie seeking reelection to state House for 49th Legislative District (The Columbian)

Russell Barber is a Republican seeking public office for the first time. Barber works as a software engineer and cybersecurity consultant for a large energy provider. If elected, he said he would lead with a focus on developing transportation infrastructure in southwest Washington, namely proposing the construction of a third bridge or tunnel across the Columbia River. Barber said he would also hope to find ways to lower local taxes and expand access to education options beyond public schooling.  

Russell Barber PDC link
Rusell Barber State Voter Guide

Democrat Monica Stonier, a familiar face and name for southwest Washington voters, was first elected to the 17th District House, Position 1, in 2012, where she served until her move to the 49th District in 2016, where she has served since. Stonier, who works as an instructional coach in Evergreen Public Schools, has been a staunch pro-labor representative throughout her tenure across both districts, having stood with fellow educators through two teacher strikes while in office. Most recently, Stonier was a lead sponsor for bills that sought to expand graduation pathways for high school students and prevent school districts from discriminating against school curricula that teach about any defined protected classes. 

Monica Jurado Stonier PDC link
Monica Jurado Stonier campaign website
Monica Jurado Stonier State Voter Guide

Related reading:
Rep. Monica Stonier, Clark County educators rally to protect Washington capital gains tax (The Columbian)
‘I’m an English teacher before I’m a legislator’: Stonier introduces bill to protect against book bans (The Columbian)