Republican, Independent candidates vie for open seat in 6th district

OLYMPIA – So far, a Republican and an independent have stepped up in hopes or replacing state Rep. Jenny Graham next year.

Voters in the 6th Legislative District, which includes the West Plains and areas north of central Spokane, will send two new lawmakers to the state House of Representatives.

Both incumbents, Reps. Mike Volz and Jenny Graham have indicated they will not seek re-election this year. In a statement in February announcing her decision opting against running for a new term, Graham said it was the “honor of my lifetime” to represent the 6th District.

Monday starts candidate filing week at county election offices across the state, but many already have begun campaigns, including two who want to replace Graham and have filed paperwork with the state Public Disclosure Commission.

Only Republicans have won seats in the 6th District since 2010.

Shortly after she announced her decision, former Spokane City Councilman Jonathan Bingle announced he would run for the office. Graham has endorsed Bingle’s campaign.

Aaron Croft, an independent, has also filed to run in the 6th District.

Although there is still more time for candidates to file before the May 8 deadline, The Spokesman-Review has spoken to both candidates about why they want the position and what they hope to accomplish if elected.

Jonathan Bingle

Bingle said he had not initially planned to run for the Legislature, but after losing his seat on the Spokane City Council by a 156-vote margin last year, he received a call from Graham, who told him she wanted to retire and have Bingle succeed her.

After a narrow loss in the 2025 general election, Bingle said he wants to serve because he believes the state is headed “in the wrong direction” on business policy, taxation and public safety.

“I just think there’s a lot of room for improvement,” Bingle said in an interview. “I think Washington deserves legislators who are going to fight for the issues that most people care about.”

A business owner, Bingle said he would bring a “lived experience” to Olympia that few other lawmakers have.

“Being able to go over there and share ‘No, this is the practical effect of what you’re doing,’ I think is going to be a really, really important,” Bingle said.

Bingle said he would work to overturn the recently-passed income tax on millionaires and “all of the new taxation” that has been passed by the Legislature in the last four or five years.

“It’s just really hurting families and businesses here,” Bingle said. “Those are things that I’m going to be really focused on.”

Bingle also said earlier that a bill to impose new standards for county sheriffs was “pretty terrible.” The legislation was partially blocked by a Thurston County judge on Wednesday.

Bingle said the Climate Commitment Act, and other climate-related policies, may be well-intentioned, but have some “serious negative effects on people.”

“And that’s the kind of stuff that I’m looking to address,” Bingle said.

Although Democrats are likely to retain control of both chambers of the Legislature, Bingle said he believes he can work across the aisle.

“Even on the Spokane City Council, I was in the super minority. And Republicans aren’t in a super minority on the state level yet,” Bingle said. “But even in a super minority here, I was able to get a number of pretty big pieces of legislation passed.”

Aaron Croft

A political newcomer and a U.S. military veteran, Croft initially considered a run for Congress before turning his attention to the state House. If elected, Croft said he would make serving in the state Legislature his “full-time focus.”

“This will be my full-time job,” Croft said. “As a result of that, I plan on being one of the most engaged representatives that we’ve ever seen. I plan on being somebody who is constantly in communication with the people that I represent.”

Politically, Croft identifies as an independent and says his lack of party affiliation would be a “huge benefit” in the role.

“At times, they’re going to need that independent, that one independent’s vote,” Croft said. “So they’re going to come after me, to try and win my approval of whatever that is.”

If elected, Croft supports automatic enrollment in a basic state health plan with the ability to opt out, and more transparency and disclosure of healthcare costs.

“Healthcare is a massive, massive problem in this state, in this country,” Croft said.

Croft said he supported the income tax on millionaires, and added that progressive tax structures must be accompanied by tax cuts “that alleviate the pain of people at the registers, and at the pumps.”

Croft said he supported the tax relief included in the legislation, including expanded universal free school meals, which he said was “future proofing our state.” Likewise, he said eliminating the sales tax on hygiene products will put “actual money in people’s pockets.” He also praised the expansion of the Working Families Tax Credit and cuts to small business taxes included in the legislation.

“I think any time you have a progressive tax, like the millionaires tax, it’s a nonstarter if it’s not accompanied with things that make life better for working-class families, and working-class people,” Croft said.

The Working Families Tax Credit is a rebate for low-income families of $50 to $1,330 a year meant to reimburse them for sales taxes.

Croft said he would support lowering the state’s gas tax, particularly to reduce the number of people who drive to Idaho in search of lower prices. Croft said he supports a gas tax holiday.

“Especially with things right now, where you have this irresponsible war in Iran that is artificially driving the cost of gasoline up,” Croft said. “I’m all for something like that.”