A candidate forum hosted by the Kent and Covington Chambers of Commerce on October 6 brought together state legislative candidates from the 33rd, 47th, and 5th districts. The event, held at Green River College’s campus in Kent, provided an opportunity for candidates to introduce themselves and engage in discussions, with a significant focus on approaches to public safety and crime. King County Elections has mailed ballots to voters for the general election on November 3.
The 33rd Legislative District, which includes Burien, Normandy Park, SeaTac, Des Moines, and parts of Kent, Tukwila, and Renton, saw all candidates for its races in attendance. Incumbent State Senator Tina Orwall, a Des Moines Democrat, appeared despite running unopposed. For State Representative Position No. 1, incumbent Democrat Edwin Obras of SeaTac, who noted he was only elected last year, faced Republican challenger Chris Martinez of Des Moines. Martinez, an automotive technician, highlighted his focus on tax reform and Second Amendment rights. In the race for Position No. 2, SeaTac Republican Yuri Marinchik, an immigrant and small business owner, challenged incumbent Democrat Mia Su-Ling Gregerson of SeaTac, who stated her intent to "go back and do the hard work."
Most candidates for the 47th Legislative District, which covers Covington and parts of Auburn and Kent, were also present. State Senator Claudia Kauffman, the incumbent Democrat from Kent, sought reelection against Republican challenger Kristina Soltys, a Covington City Council member. Soltys told attendees she feels "the same pressure all our families, businesses and maybe even you feel in this room," while Kauffman emphasized continuing "the great work we’ve been doing." For State Representative Position No. 1, incumbent Democrat Debra Entenman of Kent, prioritizing police accountability and access to education, ran against Libertarian Cobi Clark of Auburn. Clark, with a background in real estate development, aimed to "defend our constitutional rights and people’s rights as a political market." In the Position No. 2 race, only incumbent Democrat Chris Stearns of Auburn attended; Republican challenger Ted Cooke of Covington was not present.
In the 5th Legislative District, encompassing Enumclaw, Issaquah, Maple Valley, North Bend, Renton, Sammamish, and Snoqualmie, only the Republican challengers attended the forum. Michelle Bennett, running to unseat incumbent Democrat Rep. Zach Hall for Position No. 1, introduced herself as Mercer Island’s police chief with 36 years of law enforcement experience, pledging to be "honest and transparent." Patrick Peacock, challenging incumbent Democrat Rep. Lisa Callan for Position No. 2, drew on his background as a warrant officer in the U.S. Army intelligence field. He argued for giving "some other people a chance" after years of Democratic leadership.
Following candidate introductions, attendees discussed various issues, with candidates selecting questions from a fishbowl. Discussions frequently turned to crime, where candidates generally agreed that responses should involve a blend of police and non-police strategies. Republican candidates tended to lean more heavily on police resources, while Democrats often emphasized non-police approaches.
Representative Entenman spoke about her advocacy for including non-police responses in a $100 million public safety bill, stating, "It’s community, it’s police, it’s all of us working together." Representative Obras similarly expressed that "Police and schools can’t do it alone," advocating for collaboration between community-based organizations and law enforcement. Representative Stearns noted that after his election, he worked to lower the standard for police arrests from probable cause to reasonable suspicion. From their law enforcement backgrounds, Bennett and Peacock both spoke about bolstering police resources. Peacock defined "deterrence" as the "cornerstone of any safety," linking it to effective arrests and prosecutions. Bennett criticized recent legislation she said effectively banned non-lethal weapons, leading to officers more commonly resorting to lethal force, stating that "Lives have been lost" due to what she termed "poorly thought-out legislation." Libertarian challenger Cobi Clark suggested private security companies could play a role in addressing crime.
