Four candidates run to replace Democrat Timm Ormsby in 3rd House District race

After more than 20 years, Spokane voters will choose a new state representative to replace retiring legislator Timm Ormsby.

Three Democrats have joined the race to replace the influential politician in the heavily Democratic district that includes almost all of Spokane. One Republican who previously lost to Ormsby is throwing her hat in the ring again to flip the seat that has long been in Democratic hands.

Luc Jasmin

For the past four years, Luc Jasmin has been the Eastern Washington liaison under governors Jay Inslee and Bob Ferguson. The insider role has given him knowledge to hit the ground running in Olympia and use his influence for the benefit of Eastern Washington, he said.

Elected Democrats across the state seem to agree. They have largely coalesced behind Jasmin. He has been endorsed by the two governors he worked under, state Sen. Marcus Riccelli, Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown, all progressive members of the Spokane City Council and others.

Eastern Washington can often be overlooked by a state Legislature dominated by West Side Democrats, Jasmin said. The 3rd District is the only house seat east of the Cascades that reliably elects a Democratic legislator. As chair of the House Appropriations Committee, Ormsby advocated for funding to Spokane. Without that influence, Jasmin believes he is the only candidate who can keep Spokane’s agenda on the table.

“I know our state government inside and out by nature of what I’ve been doing for the past four years. We need that influence, especially after losing Rep. Ormsby and Senate Majority leader Andy Billig,” he said. “I will be ready day one to go to Olympia and start working for Spokane.”

Outside of his job in state government, Jasmin is a small business owner of a childcare facility in north Spokane and an accounting and bookkeeping firm. He was an early childhood educator before running his businesses and unsuccessfully ran for Spokane school board in 2019. Improving the state’s educational system will be his top priority if elected, he said.

“I plan to invest in education from early learning to college. There have been massive federal cuts that have affected our early learning. And to me, that is not smart. Because we need well-trained folks that are in good-paying jobs,” Jasmin said.

Asked how he would fund increased investment amid a state budget crunch, Jasmin said he understands how to manage money as a small business owner.

“We’re losing a lot of money because we are not prioritizing the workforce. We need more protections in place, we need good healthcare and paid sick leave. That is what is going to help our workforce produce more and generate the revenue,” he said.

Jasmin will not support further tax increases in his first term.

“I think we’ve done enough right now,” he said.

Pam Kohlmeier

Two years ago, former emergency room physician and lawyer Pam Kohlmeier received just 35.9% of the vote in a challenge in a different state House seat against Republican Rep. Joe Schmick. Since that race, Kohlmeier moved 2 miles across the South Hill from the ruby red district to the heavily Democratic 3rd District.

Why Kohlmeier is running has not changed, she said. Three years ago, her transgender, nonbinary child died of suicide. Kohlmeier wants to bring her medical background to support mental health services throughout the state.

“Youth suicide is a real thing. The reality is that many people who are transgender don’t go out for sports at all because of the stigma of playing and being judged for using the changing room or the bathroom. Supporting them can save lives,” she said.

Kohlmeier’s child “carried that scar for years” before their death that they may not be accepted.

“They told me the summer before they died that when they were in high school, they would limit their water intake all day to not have to use the bathroom at all at school,” she said.

A supporter of a state-based public option for health insurance, Kohlmeier thinks the state needs to “absolutely move the way of universal healthcare.”

“It wouldn’t be perfect, but that is where we really need to go,” she said. “When there is a public option that anyone in Washington is eligible, the private companies will have to compete, which will drive down costs for everyone.”

Asked how the state would finance public health insurance, Kohlmeier said costs of such a system would be lowered by an increase in preventive care and fewer uninsured emergency room visits throughout the state.

“It really is about prioritizing health and then taking a hard look at our state budget and cutting things that don’t go towards that. We have to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to make sure people have access to food, access to housing, access to healthcare,” she said.

Donovan DeLeon

Donovan DeLeon is a Democrat who thinks the Democrats in charge of Washington have taken the state in the wrong direction.

“I think we’ve all lost confidence in them. I am in touch with everyday people in Spokane, and I see a lot of suffering. And I haven’t seen it improve at all in the past decade,” he said.

Donovan is currently a paratransit operator in Spokane and has previously worked as a home healthcare aide and certified nursing assistant. As a working-class Spokanite, DeLeon thinks he can best represent the average person in the city.

“I know how the government impacts people directly because I see it every day. My opponents in this race are good people. But I am going to be more representative of the community,” he said.

While he agrees with the goals of the state’s Democratic leadership, they have too often pursued those goals in the wrong way, he said. There is too much regulation that has made Washington too expensive to live in.

“Red tape has caused housing costs to balloon. Owning a house is just not attainable for most people. And that comes down to the bureaucracy the state has caused.”

Natalie Poulson

An early childhood educator, Poulson gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic when she was fired by Spokane Public Schools for refusing to wear a mask. Poulson believes that experience shows she can make tough decisions.

“I’m running because I stood for students. I lost my career for that integrity, that courage, and I’m running for the families who deserve better. After 30 years of the same representation, making Spokane unaffordable and unsafe, I want to bring a different perspective and a new voice,” she said.

If elected, Poulson wants to repeal or lower the state’s business excise tax, which she says hurts small businesses and passes along costs to consumers.

“The red tape in this state is one of the worst in the country. We need to cut the bureaucracy on housing and small businesses so supplies meet demand,” she said.

Downtown businesses struggle because of public safety issues and homelessness. The state needs to ensure safety in its larger cities, including Spokane, she said.

“Spokane families tell me all the time they feel very unsafe. We always call it a homeless issue, but we need to call it what it is. It’s an addiction and mental health crisis, and that’s a huge driver, and we need to have accountability, support law enforcement, and prioritize prevention,” she said. “That way kids can actually play outside and not worry about touching fentanyl, and businesses can operate without fear.”

Despite her previous loss, Poulson said she needs to “continue that message” from her first campaign to win.

“I did a lot of great things in the last race. It was very much supported by the people. We need to hope we stop voting for the same thing that has not been working. I am definitely that person that can meet you in the middle to try something new,” she said.