As Budget Talks Crawl, A Washington State Senate Race Accelerates

By Austin Jenkins
Republican Jinyoung Englund, left, and Democrat Manka Dhingra will face off this fall for an open state Senate seat in Washington's 45th legislative district. CAMPAIGN PHOTOS

Listen

It’s only June in an off-election year, but yard signs are up and candidates are knocking on doors in Washington’s 45th legislative district. It’s just one race, but the outcome could decide who controls the Washington state Senate.


The 45th stretches from Sammamish to Woodinville on Seattle’s east side. Republican Andy Hill held the state senate seat in this district until his death last October. Now a special election this fall will fill the position.

But this is no ordinary legislative race. Republicans currently have a one-seat majority in the state Senate. If they want to hold onto that majority, they must hold onto this seat. Their candidate in Jinyoung Englund, a former director of communications for The Bitcoin Foundation, whose mission is to create awareness about the digital currency. 


The Democrats’ candidate is Manka Dhingra, a deputy King County prosecutor.

Key issues in the race include education, transportation and taxes. And the race has already drawn more than $840,000 in direct contributions and independent spending.



Democrats expect an electoral tailwind this year because of the impact President Donald Trump is having on the Republican brand—especially in suburban areas. They’re emphasizing Dhingra’s experience not only as a prosecutor, but as an advocate for women, immigrants, veterans and the mentally ill. 



Republicans hope to keep the race local by tapping into anger over Sound Transit car tab fees and promising to be a bulwark against Democratic tax plans. They’re positioning Englund as someone with business experience, but also a daughter of immigrants, a military spouse and next generation candidate who can appeal to younger voters. 



Both sides expect the contest to be a record breaker in terms of money raised and spent in a Washington state legislative race.

The brisk pace of the campaign contrasts with glacial budget negotiations in the state capitol where lawmakers are meeting in their second special session.

Copyright 2017 NWNews. To see more, visit NWNews.

Related Stories:

The Calistoga Reach Levee Set Back in Pierce County is an engineered levee set back to help the river flow in a more natural way. The project was part of a larger Floodplains by Design grant. // Courtesy the Washington State Department of Ecology

Rethinking levees to reduce flood risk

Washington Rep. Steve Tharinger of the 24th district became intimately acquainted with levee setbacks when he discovered the levee protecting his house on the lower Dungeness River was not only not protecting his house, but harming the ecosystem too.
“I sold my house and the five acres in a barn we had, so that we’d have more room to move that levee back and give the river more room,” Tharinger said. Continue Reading Rethinking levees to reduce flood risk

Read More »
September 29, 2023
A woman and her baby are pictured in front a blurred forest scene near sunset. She's smiling toward the camera. She has shoulder-length brown hair that's parted in the center and is wearing a grey sweater. Her baby looks toward the right and has chubby cheeks and is wearing a red and black plaid long-sleeve top and blue jeans.

‘It happened exactly the way we all had feared’: Idaho women sue state for failure to protect patients with pregnancies that threatened life and health

An Idaho woman worried a year ago what might happen to her family if she needed an abortion after the state’s ban took effect. That fear came true. Now, the Caldwell woman is suing. Continue Reading ‘It happened exactly the way we all had feared’: Idaho women sue state for failure to protect patients with pregnancies that threatened life and health

Read More »
September 29, 2023
Tags: