By Colton Rasanen Six Washington state candidates are running for election to fill the position in the House of Representatives for the 2nd Congressional district. This position is a partisan two-year term that is currently seated by Rick Larsen, who is also running for re-election. The 2nd Congressional district includes Island County and San Juan County. Parts of Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties are also included in this district. The primary election will close August 7. The two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party affiliation, will move on to the general election in late October. 2nd Congressional District Collin Richard Carlson has elected experience as a county delegate for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic Presidential Primary. A Western English and history alumnus, Carlson aims to achieve a universal healthcare system, tuition-free public colleges and universities, funding for low-income housing and investments in infrastructure, according to his candidacy statement. Carlson is a democratic candidate who has plans to make intelligent decisions that will protect the people’s health, homes, communities and education, according to the statement. There is no information on his financial contributions, according to the FEC. Learn more at his website. Uncle Mover has no elected experience and has been a household goods mover for over 40 years. He is a part of the Moderate GOP party. Mover wants to know if we are coexisting with aliens and what the real black hole budgets are for NASA, covert space programs and the CIA, according to his candidacy statement. Mover is curious if the money made from Big Pharma is going to fund the aliens and their mysteries. With major drug problems in the district he is worried about opioid distribution and also the gold in Fort Knox that could possibly be morphine, according to his statement. There is no information on his financial contributions, according to the FEC. Brian Luke is running because of his concern over national debt, U.S. foreign policy, jobs and matters of freedom, according to his candidacy statement. Our debt is $21 trillion and he believes that we need to collect sufficient revenue and avoid overspending, according to the statement. Luke has no reported elected history and has been in the grocery business for 22 years. Luke said in his statement that he wants to seek diplomacy with all nations due to our current engagements that he believes disrespects soldiers and adds more debt. He opposes right-to-work laws and regulations that do not support the creation and maintaining of jobs. Luke also wants to remove the federal prohibition of marijuana and prefers the Libertarian party. According to the FEC, there is no information on his financial contributions. Learn more on his website. Stonewall Jackson Bird (Stoney) has elected experience as Democratic Precinct Committee Officer, in Skagit County from 2004-05, according to his candidacy statement. Bird wants to work to prevent gerrymandering and campaign bribes and to stop “corporate personhood.” Some of Bird’s main goals are to achieve a universal, single-payer healthcare system, debt-free college, fair trade, strongly progressive taxes and expanded Social Security benefits, according to the statement. Bird said in his statement that he is committed to a green new deal; he wants clean water, clean land, clean air and clean electromagnetic space. If elected, he will donate two-fifths of his salary to causes that support his values as a member of the Green party according to his statement. There are no reported financial contributions on FEC. Learn more on his website. Incumbent Rick Larsen is currently fighting to create an economy that creates good-paying jobs by investing in transportation infrastructure and establishing the 2nd Congressional district as a center for renewable energy innovations, according to his website. He has professional experience with the Port of Everett and Washington State Dental Association, and he prefers the Democratic party. Larsen has said in his statement that he wants to establish better education in science, technology, engineering and math and then begin to fund more technical training and apprenticeships, according to his website. He want to address opioid addiction and get better recovery as well as being committed to providing veterans with adept healthcare. According to the FEC, Larsen has made $787,715.14 in contributions with over 25 percent coming from individual donations. Learn more at his website. Gary Franco has elected experience as San Juan County Delegate to Democratic Convention in 1980 and was secretary of Lopez Island Grange from 1978-83. He is a self-taught individual who has worked professionally on a farm since 1976. He is open to listening to citizens about what they want to provide the best service, according to his candidacy statement. Franco has a set of personal guidelines revealed in his statement; he will not accept donations over $1,000 or if they have strings attached and if he is elected he will hold himself to only three terms. Franco prefers the Independent party, and he hopes to discuss responsible fiscal management of our national budget, an affordable military budget, high-quality health care that is available to all citizens, fixing the homelessness epidemic, helping college graduates pay back student loans and creating good-paying jobs, according to his statement. According to the FEC, there are no reported financial contributions. Learn more at his website.
