29th Legislative District

Two candidates are challenging Bryan Yambe for Pierce County Council from District 5. Kimber Starr is a former small business owner who served on the Pierce County Planning Commission. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington, which she believes will enhance her ability to analyze policy, manage budgets responsibly, and develop her leadership skills.

Starr is campaigning for responsible economic development, affordable housing, and public safety. If elected, she hopes to provide resources for entrepreneurs and create vibrant small business districts to attract small and local businesses. She also wants to prevent displacement through supporting homelessness programs and streamlining housing development. Additionally, Starr is a proponent of community-based policing and expanding mental health crisis response teams.

The other candidate in this race is Republican Terry Wise. He is a real estate broker and the owner of Terry Wise & Associates. While his campaign website does not detail any specific policies he would support, his statements indicate a more conservative platform. On his website, Wise echoes conservative talking points that blame people experiencing homelessness rather than seeking solutions. Wise is clearly out of step with the people of Pierce County's 5th District.

While we appreciate Kimber Starr's progressive-leaning campaign in this race, Yambe's strong track record and impressive list of endorsements from community leaders make him the clear choice in this race.

Former Gig Harbor city council member Tim Payne is also running for the Port of Tacoma, representing District 1. Payne was on the council for 12 years, according to his Twitter account.

Payne's campaign is prioritizing the expansion of job opportunities, supporting businesses, modernizing the port, and regional collaboration. Unfortunately, he does not suggest any specific strategies or policies he would advocate for if elected. Additionally, Payne's previous association with the conservative group, Opportunity for Washington, indicates a rightward lean in his priorities.

Former Republican state lawmaker JT Wilcox is running for the Port of Tacoma Commission, District 4 seat. Wilcox stepped down from his Legislative District 2 seat earlier this year, where he had served since 2010 as a ranking conservative. Professionally, he’s worked for a lumber company, in self-employed consulting, and as the director of operations for Wilcox Farms.

Wilcox is a staunch conservative who previously organized a ballot measure to eliminate Washington’s sexual health education, opposed legislation that keeps our community safe by instituting commonsense gun safety measures and environmental protections, and has been a consistent obstacle to rebalancing our tax code. In his bid for the port commission, Wilcox is demonstrating a similar set of values, including suggesting that Tacoma voters put him in power because his family’s farm business is a local employer. He brings a business lens to port leadership, but we know that our community thrives when leaders view this commission as an opportunity to strengthen workers’ rights, environmental protections, and community investment. Wilcox is not a progressive choice for the Port of Tacoma.

Deputy Mayor and Tacoma City Councilmember John Hines is also running for mayor. Hines ran and lost in 2015, but ultimately persevered in 2019 and has served on the city council since. He has worked as an instructional facilitator for Tacoma Public Schools. Hines has also served in other community leadership roles, including on the Tacoma Public Library Board of Trustees, the Pierce Transit Commission, and the YWCA Board.

Hines speaks of his accomplishments in helping hundreds of people connect with services and housing, supporting emergency shelters, and improving streets and sidewalks. If reelected, Hines would focus on public-private partnerships to revitalize downtown, expand affordable and permanent supportive housing through the city's Housing Trust Fund, and invest in core services, such as trash collection and road repair. While Hines has some positive accomplishments on the council, he's running a moderate campaign with substantial backing from corporate interests in Tacoma.

Small business owner Whitney Stevens is running for mayor to leverage her extensive community experience to help Tacoma residents thrive. Among her long resume of service are serving as chair of the 27th District Democrats, as a Pierce County Planning Commissioner, as an advisory board member for Sound Transit projects, and as the founder of the Viability Project, which helps women and underrepresented candidates learn how to run for office.

Stevens' top priorities are police accountability, childcare, and revenue growth. She wants to lead the city in a reconciliation process, bringing together the community and the police department to heal divides and build a more effective vision of community safety. As mayor, she states that she would commit to bringing stakeholders together to create safe and inclusive spaces with moderate investments, thereby expanding summer childcare options and providing parents with more choices. Stevens aims to further invest in pedestrian and transit infrastructure with Climate Commitment Act funds, explicitly supporting inclusive practices for the city, including connecting underrepresented residents to family-wage jobs.

Anthony "Tony" Ginn has served in several nonprofit leadership positions, including serving as the grants chairman for Rotary 8 and as board president of Tacoma Community House from 2006 to 2008. Unfortunately, he has no website detailing his platform as of mid-June, and his official candidate statement has no information, only stating that he will take an "Oath and Pledge" to uphold the Constitution.

Former U.S. Army Ranger and Tacoma Human Services Commissioner Jesus "Jesse" Carlos is running to improve economic development and public safety. Carlos works as a financial advisor and has served on the fifteen-person commission since 2024. He wants to expand what the city is already doing on the Violent Crime Reduction Plan, as well as grow the crisis response team for mental health professional responders, and expand youth programs to reduce gun violence. By aggressively recruiting high-growth sectors such as clean energy technology and advanced manufacturing, he aims to promote Tacoma as a business-friendly environment while supporting waterfront development and small businesses. To support a more climate-resilient Tacoma, Carlos would also promote clean energy usage through solar arrays on city property, support transit, such as the light rail extension to the Tacoma Dome, and expand park space.

Steve Haverly is running a second time for mayor of Tacoma, having lost to incumbent Mayor Woodards in 2021. Haverly, who formerly worked in construction, states that his background as a lifelong Tacoma resident gives him insight into what the city needs, although he does not specify any leadership experience in community or government service. He does have a detailed platform on his website, though it seems to focus on staffing more police, a goal that is at odds with his desire to reduce services and tighten the budget, as well as reducing "scandals."

Driver Brandon Vollmer is also in this race. He does not list any elected or community leadership experience, though his official voter's guide statement lists his involvement with the city of Lakewood's parks department.

Vollmer states that his low-income experience can serve as insight into solving the city's problems. He wants to enforce a daytime camping ordinance and connect people to services and housing. Vollmer wants to be a conservative leader who cuts funding for city services and designates groups with ANTIFA as domestic terrorists to empower law enforcement to prosecute them. He is not a serious candidate in this race and would be a step backward for the Tacoma City Council.