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ELECTION 2026: Candidates from 3 districts face off in Kent

On October 6, candidates from the 33rd, 47th, and 5th legislative districts gathered at Green River College in Kent for a forum hosted by local chambers of commerce. The event featured contenders for multiple state offices ahead of the November 3 general election.
During the "Meet the Candidates" session, participants had 60 seconds to introduce themselves. Republican Kristina Soltys, Democrat Senator Claudia Kauffman, and others shared their policy priorities and backgrounds.
Democrat Representative Debra Entenman advocated for non-police response in a $100 million public safety bill passed last legislative session. Republican challengers Michelle Bennett and Patrick Peacock emphasized deterrence through arrests and prosecutions.
Fiscal policy disagreements emerged as Soltys, Bennett, and Yuri Marinchik advocated cutting state spending on the 2021 Climate Commitment Act. Conversely, Democrat Representative Chris Stearns touted the $12 billion space economy and $3.5 billion from the millionaire's tax starting 2029.
Voters will decide these races on November 3, choosing between differing approaches to Washington's affordability crisis. All candidates acknowledged the strain on taxpayers, though they diverged sharply on solutions.

Insights by Ground AI