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District 39 voters in portions of Skagit and Snohomish counties will see two choices for two positions on their ballot in November for who will represent them in Olympia in the House of Representatives.
The house races for Positions 1 and 2 feature two incumbents, a former representative and a newcomer to politics. All four identify as Republicans.
The race for Position 1 between incumbent Rep. Sam Low, from Lake Stevens, and challenger Robert Sutherland, from Snohomish, is a rematch of their 2022 battle when Low unseated Sutherland.
Sutherland has previously cast doubt on the 2020 election, and during his time in the House, unsuccessfully brought election security-related bills forward.
“There’s hardly a person I’ve talked to who [hasn’t said], ‘Robert, why should I vote? They’re cheating, my vote doesn’t count,’” he told Cascadia Daily News in June, noting that during his second term in Olympia, he sponsored four election reform bills, including one to end mail-in ballots. “People are concerned about the integrity of our election system.”
Sutherland is also concerned about the high rate of taxation in the state.
“The government in Washington state is at a point where they’re taxing citizens excessively,” he said in June.
Meanwhile, Low believes his first term was filled with successes including working as the assistant ranking member on the House Transportation Committee, to passing a bill concerning animal cruelty.
If sent back to Olympia, Low wants to continue his work on the ferry issue facing the state, with five electric ferries being constructed.
“I’m hoping that we can tackle filling the gap in between, maybe by purchasing some used ferries that might work with the existing infrastructure we already have and get that relief to people that are struggling,” he said.
In a crowded primary field, Low had 39% of the vote while Sutherland had 28%. Low has also managed to out-fundraise his opponent, raising nearly $171,000 in campaign contributions while Sutherland has $17,000 in contributions.
The race for Position 2 features Rep. Carolyn Eslick, from Sultan, and newcomer Jackie Huey, from Snohomish. Eslick, who has been in office since her appointment in 2018, said she’s interested in proposing programs to help the underserved and homeless people if she’s sent back to Olympia in January.
She added that she also wants to continue the growth of a home-sharing program for seniors across the state, which matches seniors with open rooms in their homes with seniors needing housing.
“Because of inflation, there’s so many seniors that are really looking at the possibility of being homeless and this is one small way we could help them,” she said.
Huey, who describes herself as a lifelong volunteer, told CDN in June she is also concerned with the number of taxes Washingtonians pay.
“I believe you, the taxpayer, would have a choice of where your money is being spent,” she said. “The well-being of your family is affected greatly by the higher gas, property and sales taxes. I am running to oppose outrageous spending that will bankrupt Washington.”
Eslick has raised a whopping $58,000 in campaign contributions to Huey’s $510.
In the August primary, Eslick nabbed 65% of the vote while Huey had 31%. No other candidates ran and 3% of the vote went to write-in candidates.
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.
