Moderates may decide a million-dollar battle for state House
Democrat April Berg and Republican Mark James are battling for an open House seat in a Snohomish County district where politically moderate voters may decide the outcome.
Berg and James are dueling in the 44th Legislative District, considered a swing district because historically its seats switch between Democratic and Republican control more often than most.
This year’s winner will succeed Jared Mead, a Democrat now serving on the Snohomish County Council who won the legislative post in 2018 by beating an incumbent Republican.
At stake is a two-year term in Position 2 for the district, which encompasses the cities of Mill Creek, Snohomish, Marysville and Lake Stevens.
James, 58, of Marysville, is in his third year on the Marysville City Council. He also serves on the Snohomish County Planning Commission and runs the coupon magazine Hometown Value Savings.
Berg, 46, of Mill Creek, won a six-year term on the Everett School Board in 2019 and is a member of the Mill Creek Planning Commission. She said she plans to keep serving on the school board if elected to the Legislature.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/moderates-may-decide-a-million-dollar-battle-for-state-house/
Rep. Lovick and Mayor Kartak differ on almost every issue
The contest for a legislative seat between Democratic Rep. John Lovick and Snohomish Mayor John Kartak at times has been overshadowed by the words and actions of the Republican challenger.
At stake is a two-year term in Position 2 of the 44th Legislative District, which encompasses the cities of Mill Creek, Snohomish, Marysville and Lake Stevens.
Lovick, 69, is seeking a third term in a second tour as a House member from the 44th District. He serves as speaker pro tem, making him one of the chamber’s most recognized, and respected, members.
A retired Washington State Patrol trooper, Lovick began his political career on the Mill Creek City Council. He won a state House seat in 1998 and was in his fifth term in 2007 when he was elected Snohomish County sheriff. He was appointed Snohomish County executive after the resignation of Aaron Reardon. He ran for a full term in 2015 but lost to another Democrat, Dave Somers. A year later, Lovick was picked to fill a vacancy on the Snohomish County Council.
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Kartak, 55, was born in Seattle, raised on a farm in Snohomish County and has lived in the city of Snohomish since 1996. He worked as a general contractor from the age of 19 until getting elected Snohomish mayor in a hard-fought election in 2017. He has five grown sons.
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Since May, a spate of controversial public comments and social media posts concerning protests have earned Kartak much attention, not all of it positive and some strongly negative.
Earlier this month, for example, he briefly shared a mocking image of protesters being run over by a car on his personal Facebook page. He called it a “terrible mistake” and “deeply apologized. The last thing I would want to do is offend my community.”
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/rep-lovick-and-mayor-kartak-differ-on-almost-every-issue/