He might be 15, but this WA teen says he’s running for governor in 2028
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- Ethan Brunton, 15, announced bid for Washington governor in 2028 election.
- Brunton criticizes Gov. Ferguson’s $9B tax hike and pledges bipartisan action.
- Brunton aims to enter military post-term and rejects career-politician path.
Most folks Ethan Brunton’s age dream about going to prom or heading to college. But the 15-year-old from Chehalis in southwest Washington has his sights set a bit higher.
He wants to be governor.
Brunton formally announced his candidacy for the 2028 Washington governor’s race last week, as first reported by The Chronicle. The political hopeful told McClatchy that he’ll focus on fixing issues that have gone long ignored in Olympia.
“We’ve had older politicians make the same mistakes for decades, and I believe voters will be ready for courage and new energy,” said Brunton, who will run as a Republican.
On Gov. Bob Ferguson’s first day in office in January, the Democrat said he’d have a “bias for action” and broadcast himself as a reformer.
Brunton disapproves of Ferguson’s performance so far, citing his approval of a multi-billion-dollar tax hike embedded in the state budget.
Brunton will turn 18 just months ahead of the November 2028 gubernatorial election. He explained that he first became interested in politics after watching political videos online.
The biggest challenges facing Washington include public safety and affordability, Brunton said. He believes law enforcement should be fully funded and wants to get violent crime and the fentanyl crisis under control.
As for any non-political career goals?
“I plan to join the military after my term as governor,” Brunton said. “I don’t plan, as of right now, to try to run for re-election multiple times.”
While veterans often enter the political arena after a storied career in the military, Brunton said he plans to serve as governor first: “Since I can’t join the military until I’m 18, I have three years of where I can campaign.” And still living at home will allow him to make political office a priority.
Data from the Pew Research Center suggests that the majority, 66%, of voters ages 18 to 24 preferred the Democratic Party, but Brunton said he will run as a moderate Republican.
Ballotpedia may have a page on the 15-year-old, but Brunton made it clear that career politics is not something he is considering for the future.
“I plan to work with both sides of the Legislature and both sides of the political parties on non-partisan issues,” he said. “I would say, if you want someone who isn’t a career politician and who will listen to you, and if you’re tired of broken politics, I’m your candidate.”
Ferguson, 60, has a few extra years of experience on Brunton. Even the governor’s teenage twins are older than the young Republican.
Yet Brunton said that he’s not “running as a youth candidate.”
“I’m running for everyone — from rural farmers to tech workers, from working families to seniors,” he said. “Washington is my home, and I’m ready to fight for it.”
Of course, politics compose only one facet of Brunton’s life. In his spare time he enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and fishing. And his parents support his political endeavors, he said, though they “didn’t think it would get this far.”
If all goes according to plan, Brunton, who’s home-schooled, will graduate in July 2028 — just as the campaign trail heats up. He thinks he’ll appeal to voters on either side of the political spectrum, citing a drop in Ferguson’s approval rating among Democrats.
Brunton is hoping to soon steer the state.
“Leadership isn’t defined by age,” he said. “It’s defined by action.”
In the near term: Brunton says he’ll be delivering a speech at the Chehalis Timberland Library on Aug. 2 at 2:30 p.m.
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