Last summer, Washington State Senator Kevin Van De Wege announced he’d seek higher office rather than running for reelection to the Senate. That has created an open seat in a predominantly rural district that remarkably remains all-Democratic despite the Republican Party’s ascendancy throughout rural Washington.
Seeing an opportunity to step into a more prominent role, Representative Mike Chapman, one of Van De Wege’s House counterparts, has thrown his hat in the ring. In statements discussing his candidacy, Chapman has emphasized the bipartisan nature of the Senate and expressed his view that his voice will be more impactful as a senator.
In a statement published last July, he explained his interest in increasing the effectiveness of his representation for the Olympic Peninsula: “This is a critical time for the Peninsula. We still have work to do to create jobs, increase economic opportunity, increase public safety and improve the quality of life of every person that lives in this beautiful place.”
Chapman is currently completing his fourth term in the House, having previously served as a local law enforcement officer and customs officer before being elected Commissioner of Clallam County. As a state representative, Chapman has focused on writing ecological and infrastructural legislation, sponsoring notable protections for ethical fishing and infrastructural projects along the coast.
His website highlights his accomplishments procuring funding for an Elwha Bridge replacement project and new roads near Sequim.
Chapman is a frontline Democrat who has voiced opposition to some of the police reform bills put forward by members of his party.
“I didn’t support all police reforms. I thought they went too far. I voted for bipartisan solutions,” Chapman said of reforms that arose from anti-law enforcement protests that occurred not long after his 2022 reelection.
On most issues, however, he holds views that are in line with other members of his party. For example, Chapman supports environmental restoration projects and thoughtful management of logging, and has expressed support for tax reforms that support small businesses.
The 24th Legislative District spans much of the Olympic Peninsula and stretches east past Sequim, encompassing Jefferson and Clallam counties. The 24th contains Sequim and Port Angeles, but, as mentioned, it is nonetheless considered a rural district as the majority of voters are spread out in small communities along the coast. It’s worth repeating that it is the last rural district in the state of Washington in which all seats are held by Democrats.
Although Clallam County has been a tossup in recent elections and the southern part of the county near Grays Harbor is increasingly Republican, Jefferson County has been a reliable liberal stronghold. This has allowed Representative Chapman and his seatmate, Representative Steve Tharinger, to coast to comfortable victories in recent years.
In the Senate race this fall, Chapman seems to be headed for another win. His likely opponent, Marcia Kelbon, faces an uphill battle to dislodge Chapman’s support among Jefferson and Clallam County voters. (No other candidates had filed for the seat with the Public Disclosure Commission as of press time.)
Kelbon currently serves as a fire commissioner in Quilcene, a small town of about 600 on the Hood Canal. Historically a fishing and logging town, Quilcene is known for the annual Olympic Music Festival and one of the largest oyster hatcheries in the world.
Kelbon worked as a civilian engineer in the Navy before moving to a biotech firm, where she acted as senior executive and lawyer. She describes herself as an independent thinker, and hopes to bridge partisan divides in the Legislature. She declared her candidacy last year and does not have any credible Republican rivals.
Kelbon describes herself as a “moderate”, and many of the issues highlighted on her campaign website imply a focus on small government.
Kelbon focuses primarily on issues that affect rural residents, such as a tire regulation that would impact rural motorcyclists or fishery regulations.
Kelbon is campaigning on her opposition to police oversight and polluting pricing legislation and her support of criminal prosecution of drug use. Kelbon also says she wants to scale back taxes and business operation fees, offering familiar refrains about putting money back in the pocket of middle class families on the Peninsula.
Although Republicans have indicated they may put effort into the 24th district, Kelbon has a long way to go to overcome Chapman’s name recognition and reputation.
Kelbon ran against Greg Brotherton for a county seat in 2022, but lacks Chapman’s history of running district-wide.
Chapman has raised significantly more than his opponent in each of his past three races, but has donated much of that back to the House Democratic Campaign Committee. Now he’s one of the Washington Senate Democratic campaign’s candidates. So far this year, he has outraised Kelbon, and it is not unreasonable to conclude that he will continue to. Kelbon is a competent candidate and Republicans have sometimes been able to erode the Democratic margin of victory over the last decade in the 24th, but at the moment, Democrats look favored to hold the district’s Senate seat this November.