This full slate of candidates is already fundraising for 42nd District seats
Republican and Democratic party candidates are raising money for the three open seats in the 42nd Legislative District, well in advance of the official spring filing week.
Both state House seats and the state Senate seat have fielded enough candidates for an Aug. 2 primary runoff, where the two top finishers advance to the Nov. 8 general election, regardless of party affiliation.
Candidates for the primary can file from May 16-20 to challenge for open seats, according to the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office website.
But several candidates have made official campaign announcements in recent weeks, and have opened fundraising accounts with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
It’s a stark difference from the 2020 election, when only one person from each of the two major parties sought the 42nd District’s two state House seats.
Washington state’s 42nd District covers Bellingham’s northern neighborhoods and the rest of northern Whatcom County.
Incumbents are Republican state Sen. Simon Sefzik of Ferndale, appointed to complete the term of the late Doug Ericksen, and Democratic state Reps. Alicia Rule of Blaine and Sharon Shewmake of Bellingham.
State Senate
Each state legislative district gets one senator, who serves a four-year term.
Here are those who have declared their candidacy or have opened Public Disclosure Commission fundraising accounts, according to previous Bellingham Herald reporting.
▪ Russ Dzialo of Lynden, who recently resigned as treasurer of the Whatcom County Republican Party and as a GOP precinct committee officer, told The Herald that he will file in May to run on the new Forward Party, founded by presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
▪ Ben Elenbaas of Custer, a member of the Whatcom County Council who’s also a farmer and works at BP Cherry Point Refinery. He’s running as a Republican and has been endorsed by his Council Council colleagues Kathy Kershner and Tyler Byrd.
▪ Sen. Simon Sefzik, R-Ferndale, a former White House intern and recent graduate of Patrick Henry College, who was appointed to the seat in January by the Whatcom County Council. He’s been endorsed by the Whatcom County Republican Party, former 42nd District Rep. Luanne Van Werven, and by Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia.
▪ Rep. Sharon Shewmake, D-Bellingham, a Western Washington University economics professor who is in her second term for 42nd District House Position 2.
House Position 1
Each state legislative district gets two members of the House of Representatives, who serve two-year terms.
Here are those who have declared their candidacy or have opened Public Disclosure Commission fundraising accounts.
▪ Kamal Bachu of Blaine, who lost a November 2021 bid for the Whatcom County Council at-large seat. He’s running as a Republican.
▪ Rep. Alicia Rule, D-Blaine, who is serving her first term in the state House.
▪ Tawsha Dykstra Thompson, a former Bellingham Police sergeant who left the department in December 2021 .
House Position 2
▪ Kyle Christensen, a Republican and former mayor of Sumas who’s now working as Whatcom County recovery manager, assisting relief efforts from the November 2021 floods.
▪ Dan Johnson, a Republican and former owner of a Whatcom County towing company who runs a vlog called “The Hook.”
▪ Richard May of Blaine, a Democrat who’s a member of the Blaine City Council.
▪ Joe Timmons of Bellingham, a Democrat who’s serving as Gov. Jay Inslee’s regional representative in Northwest Washington.
This story was originally published February 10, 2022 at 12:56 PM.
