Candidates make their case to represent central Spokane in Olympia ahead of filling week

OLYMPIA - Although candidates cannot formally file with the secretary of state's office until the first week of May, the race to represent Spokane in the state Capitol already is underway.

Several prospective candidates announced their intentions this week, while others have filed paperwork with the state Public Disclosure Commission that allows them to receive and spend money for campaign purposes. Even more could decide in the coming days and weeks to toss their hat into the ring.

The 3rd Legislative District, a traditional Democratic stronghold, will elect at least one new representative after longtime Rep. Timm Ormsby announced earlier this month he would not seek re-election to another term.

Ormsby's seatmate, state Rep. Natasha Hill, has filed with the PDC for another term and has raised more than $4,100 as of Friday.

Two Democrats who have previously run for public office but fell short in their races, Luc Jasmin and Pam Kohlmeier, have filed paperwork with the PDC to run for Ormsby's seat. After earning 35.9% of the vote in a challenge against Republican Rep. Joe Schmick in the 2024 election, Kohlmeier formally announced Tuesday that she will seek to represent the 3rd district.

Spokane City Councilman Zack Zappone, another rumored candidate, announced Thursday he would not run for the legislature this year, and would instead focus on "taking on greater leadership on the local level to move our city forward." In his announcement, Zappone endorsed Jasmin's campaign. Zappone declined to say what office he plans to run for, but the Spokane City Council president and mayoral positions will be up for election next year.

Rob Linebarger, the chair of the Spokane County Republican Party, said on Friday that he expects a Republican candidate to file in both races. Linebarger said those interested will formally declare their candidacy during candidate filing week, which runs from May 4 to 8.

John Kness, a Republican, has filed to run for the 3rd district, though his filing does not specify which seat he is interested in. Kness said Friday he has not decided which seat he will formally run for.

While half of the seats in the state Senate are up for grabs this year, 3rd district Sen. Marcus Riccelli is not among the 24 who will need to run to retain their seat. Riccelli was elected to a four-year term in the 2024 election and will next appear on the ballot in 2028.

Ahead of candidate filing week, The Spokesman-Review spoke to the declared candidates who want to follow Ormsby and represent the 3rd district in Olympia.

Luc Jasmin III

Jasmin is looking to make the switch from the executive to the legislative branch of government. For the past four years, he has served as the Eastern Washington liaison for Govs. Jay Inslee and Bob Ferguson.

It is a role, he said, that has shown him the ins and outs of government and has allowed him to develop strong relationships throughout state government. It's also a job he believes has prepared him to serve in the Legislature on Day 1.

"I see my neighbors, community members and friends struggling. And a lot of them, when I talk to them, they don't believe our taxes and our policies prioritize them," Jasmin said in an interview Friday. "And I have the deep belief, and the experience, to know that when we invest in people first, our economy thrives."

To accomplish this, Jasmin proposed increased investments in health care, education and union protections.

While serving as the governor's liaison, Jasmin said he has been able to direct resources from Olympia to Spokane, and wants to use "my lived experience and my experience in our executive branch of government to balance things for people."

"The thing that I really want folks to know is I show up, I listen, I bring people together," Jasmin said. "And most importantly, I have a track record of getting things done."

Jasmin said federal cuts to health care, coupled with state-level cuts to early learning services and education, have hurt the ability to seek quality employment.

"I really want to focus on the things that are really going to give back and support folks and their access to health, to work, to child care, to education," Jasmin said. "Because that's what's going to make us withstand any federal cuts that are happening."

John Kness

Kness has a unique approach to the role: allowing people to directly decide on legislation.

Kness has proposed allowing registered voters in the district to create a verified account on his website and complete questionnaires that decide his decisions. According to his website, Kness will support the position that receives a simple majority of responses. Voters would also be able to submit ideas for legislation, and Kness would formally introduce those that receive the most support.

In an interview Friday, he said the idea is to give voters a greater say in legislation and reduce the influence of corporations and lobbyists.

"I think there are a lot of people who are disengaged because they don't feel like their voice is heard," Kness said in an interview.

A Republican, Kness said he's always been interested in politics, though in recent years he's noticed an increasing divide between people. He also said he's noticed that most politicians vote in line with their party, rather than what their constituents want.

"When I'm around town, I'm talking to people at church or work or any of my hobbies, there's a lot more people that are a lot more down the middle, and that have views on both sides," Kness said. "And that's just not the way that our politicians, or our system, are set up."

As of Friday afternoon, Kness has not raised any money for his campaign, though he said he has received positive feedback from the people he's talked to about the idea.

Pam Kohlmeier

As she kicked off her campaign on Tuesday, Kohlmeier said she wants to focus on affordability and health care. Kohlmeier, who earned a medical degree from the University of Nebraska and a law degree from Gonzaga University, said in an interview Friday that she believes she would bring a "unique skill set" to the role, particularly around the funding model for the health care system.

"There are few people who understand the complexity of what's involved, and I'm one of those people," Kohlmeier said Friday.

During her career, Kohlmeier said she's seen not only the importance of health insurance but also how health care costs can ripple through someone's life. During the interview, she recalled the father of one patient telling her that, as a result of paying for ongoing treatment, they ran out of money to buy food at the end of the month.

"And I took that to heart years ago, and I know the importance of social determinants of health," Kohlmeier said, "how you really can't be healthy if you don't have enough food and shelter."

Kohlmeier said the Legislature should focus on what it takes "for a community not just to survive, but thrive."

"And having a fresh set of eyes to come in and do that is really necessary," Kohlmeier said. "And especially having someone with those fresh eyes, with a real skill set that's needed right now."

Kohlmeier also proposed increasing funding for public education, which she said could help close the political divide. Currently, Kohlmeier said the state fails a requirement under the Washington constitution to adequately fund public education.

"If people learn about the issues, then it's easier to come together with a common goal," Kohlmeier said. "Right now, we have so much divisiveness because of the lack of education on issues, and kind of a lack of critical thinking that people have."

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