We endorse: In Puyallup area, two Democrats for state House, a Republican for Senate
Sen. Hans Zeiger’s decision to run for Pierce County Council instead of a second term in the Washington Senate set off a chain reaction of political jockeying this year in the Puyallup-centered 25th Legislative District, which also includes Fife, South Hill, Summit, Midland and part of Parkland.
One of Zeiger’s Republicans colleagues in the House is vying for the open Senate job, thus leaving a House seat up for grabs. That means only one post in the 25th District features an incumbent this year, and she faces the same foe she did two years ago.
For House Position 1, we endorse Jamie Smith over Rep. Kelly Chambers for many of the same reasons we did in 2018. This will be Smith’s third attempt at a House seat. If the 38-year-old South Hill Democrat is as tenacious in office as on the campaign trail, the district will be well served.
Education will be front and center as legislators deal with the socioeconomic fallout from COVID-19. There’s nobody better to represent students, families and teachers in East Pierce County than Smith, a smart and passionate Rogers High School social studies teacher.
During our endorsement interview, she also made the strongest argument to bolster the middle class by incentivizing affordable housing, increasing access to healthcare and ending reliance on regressive taxes.
Chambers, R-Puyallup, is a freshman representative and owner of a senior home health service, which makes her well attuned to small business concerns.
She’s a critic of Gov. Jay Inslee’s pandemic restrictions, saying they’ve come at too high a cost to the economy. But it’s one thing to speak out and quite another to sue; the federal action she joined with a group of Republican legislators to try to tie the governor’s hands during an unprecedented public health emergency was ill-advised.
Chambers, 45, had success sponsoring a kindergarten readiness bill, but Smith has more credibility across the full K-12 spectrum.
For the House Position 2 seat, we recommend second-time candidate Brian Duthie. The 37-year-old Puyallup native works as a Port of Seattle firefighter and uses his first responder experience as a touchstone for his legislative agenda: better wildfire protection, increased access to behavioral healthcare, smoother transportation networks.
Compelled by the events of 9/11, Duthie joined the Air Force and served as a mechanic and firefighter. He credits the military for giving him a deep appreciation for public service.
Being a gun owner and a supporter of $30 car tabs helps put Duthie in the moderate Democrat camp, which could fit this swing district. Collaborative governance is what he says is needed to solve the problems brought on by COVID-19, and we believe he’s better suited for it than Cyndy Jacobsen, his Republican opponent.
Jacobsen is a first-term Puyallup City Council member and retired community college math instructor. The 60-year-old mother of seven hits all the main conservative talking points; in Puyallup she says she’s helped keep taxes low while fully funding police.
She says Inslee imposed “capricious edicts” on car dealers and other industries during coronavirus. This will surely resonate with some voters. But saying the governor’s emergency authority should expire after two to three weeks, as she told us, is irresponsible and impractical.
The 25th District Republican making the best case for election in 2020 is Rep. Chris Gildon, who seeks Zeiger’s spot in the Senate. Certainly members of the business community will appreciate Gildon’s experience in commercial real estate and his vision for planned growth.
Gildon, 48, leaned on his 20-plus-year record of Army leadership during his one term in the House and, as we said before the primary, he deserves this promotion to a four-year term. A highlight from his short tenure was unanimous bipartisan support for his bill to curtail price gouging on prescription drugs.
His opponent, Puyallup City Councilwoman Julie Door, 53, is a small business owner dedicated to preserving Puyallup Valley’s dwindling farmland. She’s been on the frontlines of Puyallup’s homelessness problem and has a consistent voice advocating for addiction assistance.
Both are qualified candidates, but Gildon’s already had a go-around in Olympia; Door should complete her term in Puyallup along with the important work she’s doing as the city’s appointed mayor.
ABOUT OUR ENDORSEMENTS
The News Tribune Editorial Board interviewed candidates and did other research before making our picks for the 2020 election. Endorsements are intended to promote civic discourse and encourage voters to dig deeper. Board members who sat in on legislative endorsement sessions include: Stephanie Pedersen, TNT president and publisher; Matt Misterek, editorial page editor; Karen Irwin, editorial writer; Matt Driscoll, local news columnist; and Pamela Transue, community representative and former president of Tacoma Community College. Read more about the candidates in our online Voter Guide.
This story was originally published October 6, 2020 at 5:45 AM.