Whatcom County

Three other candidates are running for Whatcom County Council from District 3: Tyler Byrd, Kyle Christensen, and Daniel Probst. None of them match Rienstra's experience and progressive values.

Conservative incumbent Tyler Byrd is running for a third term on the Whatcom County Council. Byrd joined the council in 2018 and works in strategy for a technology support company, having previously run an internet marketing agency. He is a conservative voice on the council, having previously voted against community coronavirus relief funding, public investments in affordable housing, and measures to mitigate the environmental impact of local fossil fuel shipping.

Byrd has a track record of ignoring community needs in the face of promoting private interests. In 2023, the Cascade Daily reported that for over 80% of required council-related meetings, Byrd was either absent or functionally so by joining without video. Although he has yet to release a campaign platform as of late June, it is clear that he will continue to bring conservative ideas to the council that are out of touch with what Whatcom residents need.

Kyle Christensen is also running for Whatcom County Council, District 3. Christensen was the Mayor of Sumas from 2017-2021 and served as Treasurer for the Tillamook and Umatilla Tribal Volunteer Firefighter Associations. He previously ran as a Republican to represent the 42nd Legislative District in 2022, but did not progress past the primary.

His current campaign for Whatcom County Council is focused on infrastructure and disaster recovery, supporting local businesses, and protecting freedoms, rights, and liberties. His campaign website lacks detailed policies outlining what he would support or implement if elected. Due to his prior run as a Republican, his platform is likely to lean more conservative.

Daniel Probst is the final candidate running for Whatcom County Council, District 3. According to his candidate statement, Probst had a career in trades and ran a small business that "brought talented people together to achieve success." He has also contributed to his community through leading trash cleanups and trail maintenance.

Probst pledged to care for the environment and champion policies to protect clean water for salmon and preserve the outdoors. His platform is based on caring for the land, and he recognized the Coast Salish peoples who originally occupied this area. He is passionate about supporting small businesses, agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism economies. However, his platform lacked more detailed proposals and policies he would support and implement if elected.

While we can appreciate Probst's passion for environmental protection, his campaign is too narrow to be representative of Whatcom County. We recommend Jessica Rienstra for her well-rounded campaign.

Incumbent Commissioner Ken Bell is running for another term in District 2 on the Bellingham Port Commission. Formerly a Whatcom County planning commissioner and Whatcom County charter review commissioner, Bell joined the port commission in 2017. He also served as the president of a soil decontamination company outside of office.

Bell is a more conservative voice on the commission and works with the Whatcom Republicans. He has previously been politically affiliated with consultants from a fossil fuel shipping terminal that community members, progressive leaders, and the Lummi Tribe successfully opposed. Bell’s track record on the port commission includes uncompassionate sweeps of homeless encampments on port property as well as supporting private interests and marine trade at the cost of community needs. He is not a progressive choice

Kaylin Bosley is also challenging Bell for Bellingham Port Commissioner, District 2. Bosley is a local comedian who is actively engaged in the queer community of Bellingham. Unfortunately, Bosley's candidate website is still down as of late June. Her voter guide entry highlights her experience in operating under a tight budget and her desire to ensure the port's long-term prosperity. While we appreciate Kaylin Bosley's enthusiasm, we would have liked to see more specific policy proposals from her.