Voters in the 31st District Senate race face a litmus test. Here’s the TNT’s endorsement

Historically, Washington’s 31st Legislative District — which includes parts of South King County and the Pierce County communities of Edgewood, Sumner, Bonney Lake and Enumclaw — is a staunchly conservative area. There’s no denying it.

For evidence, one need look no further than the district’s state Senate seat, where Pam Roach reigned supreme for more than two decades.

Still, this year’s primary election provides an intriguing litmus test for voters of the 31st:

Just how conservative are they, and in the year 2022, what exactly does that mean?

Since 2019, Auburn’s Phil Fortunato has represented the area. A Republican and member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, in many ways Fortunato is cut from a similar cloth as his predecessor (Roach) and the nation’s former president, Donald Trump. Brash and often outspoken, Fortunato — who declined the chance to participate in The News Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsement process — has made headlines in recent years for defying COVID-19 protocols, fighting attempts at sensible gun reform and seeking to restrict access to abortion in a state where residents overwhelmingly voted to protect a woman’s right to choose more than 30 years ago.

The good news for voters in the 31st? If this is their definition of what it means to be conservative, Fortunato is running for reelection, while Clifford Knopik, a first-time political candidate harboring grievances over the state’s response to COVID-19, regularly tracks even further to the right.

The good news for everyone else?

Independent Chris Vance — who earns The News Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsement this year — offers a reasonable, reality-based alternative to both, particularly for those who harken back to the days of Ronald Reagan when they think about what it means to be a Republican.

Vance, 60, is the former chairman of the Washington State Republican Party, as well as a one-time GOP state legislator and King County Council member. But in 2016 Vance left the party, disgusted by the rise of Trump and the increasing radicalization of the right.

Since then, Vance, who lives in Sumner, has committed himself to forging a new path for moderate conservatives left in limbo. He’s convinced it’s a disenchanted constituency just waiting for representation, and his 2022 state Senate bid aims to prove it.

More importantly, Vance told The News Tribune Editorial Board his candidacy is about “the possibility of going to the state Senate and making a difference as an Independent in an atmosphere which has become exponentially more partisan and divisive than I remember.”

When it comes to his legislative priorities, Vance’s candidacy offers a breath of fresh air. He believes the state’s public schools are far too dependent on local levies despite lawmakers’ attempts to fix the problem, and he’s exactly right. He also makes a convincing argument in favor of growth management, as well as breaching the funding divide between state government and local counties, the latter of which he said are “starving” for the money to pay for local responsibilities like policing and public safety while the coffers in Olympia continue to balloon.

If the state simply took responsibility for paying for indigent defense, Vance argued, it would free up more than $300 million for counties across the state to pay for things like “more police, more prosecutors, more jails, more courts, and also more corrections officers.”

In short, Vance isn’t here for the hot-button distractions and culture wars — he says he supports the same things a majority of Americans do, like science, a woman’s right to choose, LQBTQ rights and sensible gun safety legislation — preferring instead to anchor his candidacy on the issues that he believes really matter to moderate voters in the 31st and those abandoned by Trump-style Republican politics.

“This is a suburban district,” Vance said. “I don’t think Senator Fortunato understands how rapidly this district is changing.”

Whether that’s true or not remains to be seen, but in the opinion of The News Tribune Editorial Board one thing is crystal clear:

Vance is the most qualified and competent candidate in the race, and it’s not particularly close.

News Tribune election endorsements reflect the views of our Editorial Board and are written by opinion editor Matt Driscoll. Other board members are: Stephanie Pedersen, News Tribune president and editor; Jim Walton, community representative; and Pamela Transue, a community representative who serves during election season. The Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom and does not influence the work of news reporting and editing staffs. We do not endorse any candidates who do not interview with us. For questions, email matt.driscoll@thenewstribune.com.

This story was originally published July 9, 2022 at 5:00 AM.