Election 2026: Four candidates running for 39th Legislative District Position 2 state House seat
Four candidates are running for the 39th Legislative District Position 2 seat in the state House of Representatives.
The seat, currently held by Republican Carolyn Eslick, represents eastern Skagit and Snohomish counties. Eslick is not running for reelection.
Candidates in the race are Republicans Steve Ewing, Lacey Sauvageau and Robert Sutherland, and Democrat Ida Keeley.
Ballots will be mailed July 15.
All of the candidates except for Sauvageau responded to an email questionnaire from the Skagit Valley Herald.
The four candidates are:
STEVE EWING - REPUBLICAN
Ewing is an administrative hearings officer who serves on the Snohomish County Charter Review Commission and served on the Lake Stevens City Council from 2019 to 2025.
Ewing said the biggest issue facing the candidate elected to the position is managing the state's finances.
He plans to address this issue by focusing on core government functions, schools that teach basics such as reading and math, keeping roads and communities safe, and holding the state accountable for how tax dollars are spent.
"People are leaving Washington because state government is getting weird," Ewing said. "Steve Ewing will stand up for 'normal' government - normal good schools, normal better roads, normal balanced budgets, normal affordable taxes."
Ewing said what sets him apart from his opponents is that he has more years of elected experience, and more endorsements from labor organizations and elected officials in the 39th District, including having Eslick's endorsement.
His website is electsteveewing.com.
IDA KEELEY - DEMOCRAT
Keeley is a Lake Stevens consultant with 25 years of experience in child welfare and juvenile justice.
She has held several board positions, but this is her first time running for office.
Keeley said the biggest issue facing the candidate elected for the position is that families are struggling with rising costs.
She said she plans to address this by demanding accountability for every state dollar spent, fighting for a fairer tax structure, and working with communities and businesses to push for policies that will put working families at the forefront.
Keeley said what sets her apart from her opponents is her experience at the county and state levels working with child welfare, juvenile justice, courts, government systems, and complex budgeting and disciplinary systems.
"The kind of representative I intend to be is straightforward: one who puts people over party," she said. "I am running as an Independent Democrat because I believe in practical solutions over ideology, and I will always put affordability and the needs of working families ahead of party politics."
Her website is idaforwa.com.
LACEY SAUVAGEAU - REPUBLICAN
According to Sauvageau's LinkedIn, she is a transportation specialist for the state Department of Transportation and a self-employed travel agent through Fora Travel.
She was elected in March to serve on the Inlandboatmen's Union of the Pacific contract negotiations team, according to information she submitted for the Skagit County Voters Pamphlet.
In 2020, Sauvageau ran for the 38th Legislative District Position 1 seat in the state House of Representatives and received about 7% of the vote.
Her Voters Pamphlet submission says she will advocate for working families by helping lower the costs of basic needs and taxes.
She also plans to advocate for more funding for public safety, public transportation and education.
ROBERT SUTHERLAND - REPUBLICAN
Sutherland is a retired biochemist from Granite Falls who was elected to represent the 39th Legislative District in 2018 and 2020, but was defeated in 2022.
He said the biggest issue facing the elected candidate is excessive taxation, which he plans to address by proposing legislation to eliminate state-level property and income taxes, and lower gas taxes and vehicle registration fees.
Sutherland also said he plans to address traffic congestion, support fully funded law enforcement, and support parents' rights to decide on children's education and healthcare, as well as the right to bear arms.
He said what sets him apart from his opponents is he is the only candidate who has served in the position.
"(I'm running) to fight for the future of my four adult kids and for everyone else," Sutherland said.
His website is sutherland4rep.com.
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