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Stonewall News Northwest reached out to 68 candidates in 30 state legislative district races in 5 Washington State counties. We posed six questions gauging their positions on equality, inclusivity, instilling civility in discourse and bridging community divides.
Many candidates shied away from these questions, but others stepped up.
Ten responded, 58 declined.
COUNTY ELECTIONS COVERED
Click the county below for full candidate responses.
Spokane County | 20 candidates | 5 responded
Walla Walla County | 6 candidates | 0 responded
Clark County | 22 candidates | 4 responded
Chelan County | 10 candidates | 1 responded
Grays Harbor County | 10 candidates | 0 responded
Six questions asked of each candidate:
1. In one paragraph, please share your professional qualifications for the position you are seeking.
2. Please provide your previous experience, if any, in working with LGBTQIA+ people, LGBTQIA+ youth, LGBTQIA+ families and LGBTQIA+ communities.
3. How would you bridge divides to bring people together for important common causes under the larger umbrella of good governance?
4. How would you address the rise in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and violence?
5. What specific policies or protections would you advocate for to ensure LGBTQIA+ people in your community have equal access to healthcare, housing, and employment opportunities? If you would not support protections, please state which ones and why, and detail what concrete alternatives you would implement to guarantee fair and equal treatment for all residents in these areas.
6. What would you say directly to your own LGBTQA+ community?
In their own words.
Candidate messages to their LGBTQ+ communities:
Ben Chrisly
Ben Chrisly
Candidate for Clark County Legislative District 17, State Representative Position 1
“You deserve a representative who sees you, values you, and will fight for your equal place in this community, not just during election season, but always. I'm running because I believe in a Washington where everyone, regardless of who they are or who they love, can build a stable life, raise a family, and be treated with dignity and respect. I'm grateful for this community, and I'm committed to earning your trust and standing with you.”
See Ben's full questionnaire responses here.
John Zingale
John Zingale
Candidate for Clark County Councilor District 2, Position 2
“ I see you and you matter. My door is always open and my phone is on to take your call. I want you make sure you have a seat at the table on matters of our county. You must have your voice heard, and I want to ensure that the council is being proactive in our engagement with you. "
See John's full questionnaire responses here.
Julia Payne
Julia Payne
Candidate for Spokane County Legislative District 6, State Representative Position 2
"We need to make sure that those of us that are comfortable being on the front lines of this war are standing there because we have so many behind us who are suffering from incredible wounds and they need the time and space to heal. Action and advocacy is such a personal thing, but we all need to do what we feel we can. I want to be on the front lines, in Olympia, in the room with the law makers so that I can make sure the voices of this community are heard loud and clear. We are not going away, we are PROUD of who we are, and we deserve to be heard."
See Julia's full questionnaire responses here.
Karina Wallace
Karina Wallace
Candidate for Spokane County Legislative District 9, State Representative Position 2
"You don't have to justify your existence to me, and you won't have to in my office either. I'm not running to manage a "constituency" — I'm running because I believe government should reduce harm and protect dignity, full stop. I see you, I've stood beside you in the work I've done, and I'll keep doing that in Olympia."
See Karina's full questionnaire responses here.
Luc Jasmin III
Luc Jasmin III
Candidate for Spokane County Legislative District 3, State Representative Position 2
"To the LGBTIA+ community, I see you and I can understand you. I am a first-generation Haitian American raising two daughters in Spokane. I know something about a room going quiet when you walk into it, and about people who have never met you having opinions about whether you belong here. That may not be your exact experience, but it does mean I am not confused about what is happening right now, and nobody needs to explain it to me twice. I would rather be judged on what I do than on what I write in a questionnaire, so hold me to it. Ask me about specific bills. Ask me who I stood with when it cost me something. Call my office when something goes wrong and expect an answer that week. And if I ever go quiet while this community is under attack, say so publicly, and say it loudly. That is what an ally is for. An ally who cannot be criticized is just another politician. Central Spokane is full of people Olympia has learned to forget. I would like the job of making sure you're not on that list."
See Luc's full questionnaire responses here.
Michaela Kelso
Michaela Kelso
Candidate for Spokane County Legislative District 6, State Representative Position 1
"I want to be a resource and an ally. I may not understand all the nuances in gender expression, gender identity, or sexual orientation, but I don’t need to. I have no problems accepting that people are who they say they are. I have a fairly “happy go lucky” personality and don’t put a lot of thought into if people are not who they appear to be. I will never knowingly do anything to harm anyone in this community. I have made and probably will continue to make mistakes and only ask that I am informed when that happens so that I can apologize and adjust my behavior."
See Michaela's full questionnaire responses here.
Randi Knott
Randi Knott
Candidate for Clark County Legislative District 18, State Representative Position 1
"I see you. I value you. And I will fight alongside you. I know what it feels like to hear someone you love discussed as a political "issue" when you know them as the whole, incredible human being that they are. But this is not my story to center. One of the most important lessons I have learned throughout my career is that good policy starts by listening to the people who actually have to live with it. LGBTQIA+ people do not need elected officials speaking for them. You need elected officials who will listen to you, invite you into the rooms where decisions are being made, take your experiences seriously, and act. That is the kind of representative I intend to be. If a system isn't working for you, I want to understand why. If a policy will affect your family, I want your voice at the table before the decision is made, not afterward. I will stand against efforts to scapegoat transgender people, queer youth, or LGBTQIA+ families, and I will defend your ability to access healthcare, find housing, work, learn, love, raise a family, and participate fully in your community. You will always have a seat at my table. Not because LGBTQIA+ people are a political constituency to check off a list, but because government works best when the people it serves help shape the decisions it makes."
See Randi's full questionnaire responses here.
Stacy Willoughby
Stacy Willoughby
Candidate for Chelan County Legislative District 12, State Representative Position 1
"You don't have to wonder where I stand or guess at what I mean when I say I'll fight for you. I mean your healthcare, your housing, your ability to walk through Chelan, Wenatchee, or Monroe without bracing for how someone might treat you. With my little brother, I was the first one he talked to after he found out that he couldn’t donate blood in high school. Friends and acquaintances know that I am scrappy and I stand up for injustices when I see them. I grew up as a mixed-race military kid who moved constantly and spent a lot of years being the person people made assumptions about before they knew anything about me. I don't claim that's the same as your experience, but it's part of why I take it personally when someone else's identity gets treated as a debate topic instead of a life. You have a seat at my dining room table, not just my ballot line. I'll show up."
See Stacy's full questionnaire responses here.
Tony Kiepe
Tony Kiepe
Candidate for Spokane County Legislative District 3, State Representative Position 1
"I understand the community and have many friends that are gay. One of my children is gay and is getting married on July 10. I have met his Fiance many times and his family. We all support his next step in life. I recently had a boys trip and while in the Dallas airport I approach our table and a lady was talking about those queer boys. I had to respond to that comment and took up for my boy. That meant so much to him that I would support him in such a manner. He called his friends to let them know what I did for him. I believe we have a different relationship because of this incident. We talked about how he tolerates public ridicule like this. I'm proud of my boy."
See Tony's full questionnaire responses here.
Troy McCoy
Troy McCoy
Candidate for Clark County Councilor District 5
"To my fellow Battle Ground citizens especially considering current events I would simply say: I see you, I love you and you are welcome here."
See Troy's full questionnaire responses here.
