City of Lakewood

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.

Three other candidates are running for Lakewood City Council, Position 1.

If elected to the Lakewood City Council, Alice Fong intends to focus on making residents feel safe and supporting small businesses. Fong currently serves as an appointee on the state's Public Health Advisory Board and as a former co-chair of that board, as former chair of the Pierce County Commission on Refugee and Immigrant Affairs, as past chair of the Lakewood Promise Advisory Board, and as an Equity Policy Reviewer for the Tacoma Public School District, among other roles.

Fong has few specifics about what kinds of policy she would create or support. Broadly, she states that, aligned with her work on the Lakewood Promise Advisory Board, she would continue to support youth. The board focuses on providing "public safety, health, education, and equal opportunity" to the city's children. She also states that she wants to help the city retain businesses and work with the police, fire department, and city staff to keep the city safe.

Mark Herr, who ran unsuccessfully for the 28th Legislative District House seat as a Republican last year against Democrat Mari Leavitt, is now running for the Lakewood City Council as well. He is a member of the Lakewood Planning Commission and an Army veteran.

Herr has no detailed policy priorities on his website as of late July. However, his previous campaign as a Republican and his endorsements from Republicans Jason Whalen and Rep. Travis Couture make it clear he would be a conservative voice on the council.

Chas Ames ran for Tacoma City Council Position 4 in 2019 and 2023. He is the former chair of the Lakewood Public Safety Advisory Committee and has served as president of the Harrison Preparatory School Parent Teacher Organization, neighborhood association president, and as a Marine Corps servicemember. As of late July, his site lists no campaign priorities or endorsements of any kind.

Two other candidates are running for Lakewood City Council, Position 3.

Former Air Force Captain Chaplain and small business CEO Philip Lindholm is in the race to address his top priorities of affordability, public safety, and responsible growth. Lindholm has served in several roles in the community, including as a Lakewood Planning Commissioner, on the Lakewood Rotary, and for the Pierce County Dispute Resolution Center, among other roles.

His site doesn't explicitly detail policies that he would pursue to achieve his goal of making the city a place where every chapter of life belongs, though he has hosted a podcast with many elected officials and locals on issues such as housing, schools, and tariffs.

Lindholm appears to be aiming for a moderate position and states that his endorsements represent bipartisanship, though the support of Republicans like Jason Whalen does not necessarily point to the most progressive possible agenda.

The final candidate, Taylor Whitt, has no information available about his campaign as of mid-June.