40th District: Lovelett seeks re-election to Senate against 2020 opponent Carrell of Glenhaven
Democratic state Sen. Liz Lovelett of Anacortes and Charles Carrell, a Republican from Glenhaven in southern Whatcom County, are in a repeat of their Aug. 6 primary race, where they were the only two candidates.
Lovelett won the primary by 71% to 29% in the overwhelmingly Democratic 40th Legislative District, which covers the southwest part of Whatcom County, including the southern neighborhoods of Bellingham, western Skagit County and San Juan County.
Liz Lovelett
Lovelett is running for her second four-year term. She was appointed in 2019 to replace Kevin Ranker, who resigned amid workplace harassment allegations. She won a full term in 2020, defeating Carrell by 70% to 30%.
Before her appointment to the Senate, Lovelett had spent five years on the Anacortes City Council. She is a former owner of The Business in Anacortes — a combination record and bookstore, cafe and music and art venue.
In the Legislature, Lovelett heads the Local Government, Land Use and Tribal Affairs Committee, is the vice chair of the Environment, Energy and Technology Committee and serves on both the Housing and and Transportation committees.
“I’ve been here, I show up and and I try to make the people feel that my office is accessible and approachable,” Lovelett told the Bellingham City Club at a Sept. 25 forum that her opponent skipped.
At the event, she criticized the four statewide ballot measures, specifically I-2109 to repeal the capital gains tax affecting about 3,000 of the richest state residents, and I-2117 to overturn the Climate Commitment Act that funds alternative energy programs and other efforts to fight the effects of climate change.
“We need to be taxing the wealthy — not workers. Let’s be realistic about who that tax applies to and how much of a benefit we are seeing in education, especially early childhood,” Lovelett said.
At the forum, she emphasized her dedication to housing reform, such as a new state law for “middle housing” that allows duplexes, fourplexes and apartments of up to six units in residential areas.
Her endorsements include the 40th District Democrats, Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club, the Nooksack Tribe, and a wide range of unions, including Teamsters, Ironworkers, electrical workers and the United Food and Commercial Workers.
Lovelett has raised $160,500 for her re-election bid, including $50,199 from political action committees, $39,842 from business interests, and $23,590 in individual contributions, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.
Charles Carrell
In addition to the state Senate, Carrell is also running for the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.
A retired sheriff’s deputy, he served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and was with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office from 1991-2023, serving nine years as union president.
In his statement for the Washington state voter pamphlet, Carrell said he thinks that “current elected officials are not representing the will and best interests” of the people.
“I will work for parent’s rights, which have been under attack the last few years, and will work to make schools and universities safe for all students,” Carrell said.
Our legislature should also be working to keep our infrastructure up to date, specifically our bridges and the ferry system. The state has completely failed on this topic, by not directing funds to ensure that the bridges are maintained, and our ferry system is working properly,” he said.
Carrell said that the fentanyl crisis, crime and homelessness should also be the other priorities among the Legislature’s priorities.
“The policy decisions by the state have resulted in making these problems even worse. This has jeopardized the safety of everyone, including those currently addicted and the homeless. These issues can be significantly reduced by adjusting our policies to some practical approaches, instead of just throwing more money at the same organizations and hope that it will work this time,” Carrell said.
He didn’t respond to a Bellingham City Club invitation to join a Sept. 25 election forum against Lovelett, according to the City Club. He didn’t respond to Bellingham Herald emails this year or in 2020.
In addition, he has no campaign website or social media.
Carrell has not filed fund-raising information with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
