Union worker seeks state House seat

A union staffer from Olympia is running for an open seat in the state House.

Dylan Carlson announced his campaign Thursday. Carlson, 32 and a Democrat, works as a staff representative with a union of county and city employees that is affiliated with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The seat is up for grabs in 2016 because Rep. Sam Hunt is seeking the Senate seat opened up by Sen. Karen Fraser’s bid for lieutenant governor.

The 22nd District includes Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and parts of unincorporated northern Thurston County. Carlson has served as chairman of the district’s Democratic Party organization, he said.

In his announcement, Carlson touted his experience negotiating union contracts. He said curbing climate change would be among his priorities as a legislator, calling it “the most devastating threat we face.”

The other House member serving the district is Rep. Chris Reykdal, who is also leaving to run for superintendent of public instruction in 2016. Laurie Dolan, a former aide to Gov. Chris Gregoire, is running for Reykdal’s seat. Olympia City Councilman Nathaniel Jones announced Wednesday he is exploring whether to run for Reykdal’s or Hunt’s seat.

This story was originally published October 8, 2015 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Union worker seeks state House seat."