Edmonds City Councilmember Will Chen on Friday, January 16, formally announced his campaign for State Representative in Washington’s 32nd Legislative District, entering the race with a focus on affordability, opportunity, public safety, and practical, fiscally responsible leadership at a time when families and small businesses across the district are feeling increasingly squeezed.
Spanning communities in both Snohomish and King counties, the 32nd Legislative District is facing rising housing and healthcare costs, mounting pressure on small businesses, and growing concern about whether working families and seniors can continue to afford to live in the communities they call home. Chen’s campaign is centered on addressing these challenges with data-driven solutions and accountable governance.
At the same time, Chen believes state leadership matters more than ever as immigrant families and communities face renewed attacks and uncertainty driven by rhetoric and policies coming from the Trump administration. Chen has been clear that targeting immigrants does real harm—creating fear, destabilizing families, and weakening local economies. As a state legislator, he will stand up for immigrant communities, defend opportunity, and ensure Washington continues to be a place where people who work hard and contribute are treated with dignity and respect, even when federal leadership falls short.
Chen enters the race with early support from a broad coalition of both current and former elected leaders across the region, reflecting confidence in his ability to represent the full geographic and economic diversity of the district. Early endorsers include Snohomish County Councilmember and former State Representative Jared Mead; Lynnwood Mayor George Hurst; Edmonds City Councilmembers Erika Barnett and Vivian Olson; Student Representative to Edmonds City Council Vivian Liao; Lynnwood City Councilmember David Parshall; Mukilteo City Councilmembers Mike Dixon and Jason Moon; Port of Edmonds Commissioners Selena Killin and Jay Grant; SeaTac City Councilmember Peter Kwon; former U.S. Congressman Brian Baird; former Seattle City Councilmember Tanya Woo; and former Edmonds City Councilmembers Diane Buckshnis, Dave Teitzel and Mauri Moor Shuler among others…