SEATTLE — Democratic State Representative Sharon Shewmake is leading in the primary race for State Senate District 42 with 47% of the vote after the initial round of ballots was counted Tuesday night.
State Senator Simon Sefzik is trailing Shewmake with 33% of the vote and Whatcom County Councilmember Ben Elenbaas is trailing both with 19% of the vote.
Sefzik has raised $366,024 throughout his campaign, leading Shewmake's $171,376 and Elenbaas' $99,978.
Previous to being appointed to the seat, Sefzik worked as an operations and logistics coordinator for a health organization and held different capacities for the White House from 2020 to 2021 and the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019.
Sefzik made clear he was opposed to Gov. Jay Inslee's statewide mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sefzik said in his candidate statement that he is "concerned about the direction of our county" citing crime rates and economic issues. He is the youngest state senator in Washington state history.
Shewmake is the current state representative for District 42-Position 2, with her term ending in 2023. Shewmake has served on the Capital Budget and Environment & Energy Committees and is vice chair of the Rural Development, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee.
In her candidate statement, Shewmake is leaning on her experience in the Washington State Legislature and said she will prioritize "affordable homes, good jobs, quality healthcare, and keeping Whatcom County a great place to live and raise a family."
Elenbaas has served on the Whatcom County Council since 2020 and is chair of the Planning and Development Committee and a member of the Natural Resources Committee.
In his candidate statement, Elenbaas focused on agriculture, as a fourth-generation farmer. Elenbaas said the district deserves "an experienced advocate for long-term solutions for our river." He said his energy sector experience will serve the district as the state legislature looks toward a clean energy future.