Rep. Alica Rule in 42nd draws two challengers in Pelletti and Melman
Only one race in Legislative Districts 40 and 42 involves a contest in the Aug. 6 primary election, as 42nd District 1 Rep. Alicia Rule faces two challengers. Read on to learn more about the candidates who are contending for the one Senate and four House positions that will be decided in the November general election.
42nd Legislative District
Legislative District 42 covers most of Whatcom County, which is along the Washington/Canada border. The district includes much of Bellingham, Point Roberts, Lynden, Ferndale and Blaine. (CascadePBS)
• State Representative Position 1
Janet Melman (D) has worked as an animation studio executive, authored the Washington Safe Haven Lifeline grant proposal, and is a 20-year union member. In addition, she has worked on policy issues with the governor’s LGBTQ Commission. Melman hopes to make publicly informed decisions and create more transparency. If elected, she would be the first trans woman in the Washington state legislature. She is dedicated to making diverse voices heard in Olympia. Melman is an advocate for expanding health care, lowering the cost of living, prioritizing the needs of special-interest groups, protecting citizen’s bodily autonomy and creating an informed electorate. [Janet Melman PDC link]
Raymond Pelletti (R) has worked as a managing real estate broker, senior residential appraiser and in mortgage lending operations. He has been a past president of the Puget Sound Mortgage Lenders and the County Association of Realtors. He is a U.S. Air Force and Vietnam war veteran. He has also served on the board of directors for both the Whatcom dispute resolution center and Make-A-Wish of Washington and Alaska. Pelletti is an advocate for conservative American values, creating fair environments for women, creating opportunities for working-wage jobs, and creating a strong and prosperous community. [Raymond Pelletti PDC link]
Rep. Alicia Rule (D) was elected to the Legislature in 2020. She has worked as a social worker, mental health professional and small business owner. She is the vice chair of the Human Services, Youth and Early Learning Committee, and serves on the Capital Budget and Innovation, Community and Economic Development, and Veterans committees. She has sponsored legislation supporting children experiencing homelessness and outdoor education. Rule is an advocate for reducing taxes for small businesses, creating access to affordable housing, women’s reproductive rights, and IVF protection. [Alicia Rule PDC link]
• State Representative Position 2
Kamal Bhachu (R) has previously worked as a certified nursing assistant, a nursing assistant at Whatcom County Hospice, a senior engineer at PeaceHealth and at Lynden Sheet Metal. Bhachu immigrated from Punjab, India, in his teens. He is a Sikh youth mentor and language tutor and volunteers for the Punjabi Selfless Service Outreach Organization. Bhachu has also helped to bring the sport of cricket to Bellingham. Bhachu advocates for reducing gas taxes, the safety of communities and restoring authority to law enforcement. He hopes to help reduce crime and create a better school system that promotes better reading, writing, scientific understanding and the ability to manage personal finances. [Kamal Bhachu PDC link]
Rep. Joe Timmons (D) was elected to the Legislature in 2022. Previously, he worked as a special projects manager in the Mayor of Bellingham’s office, Northwest Regional Representative in the office of Gov. Jay Inslee and Assistant Director of Government Relations at Western Washington University. Timmons has also served as a board member for the Washington State Leadership Board and Bellingham’s food bank. Timmons advocates for lowering the cost of living, supporting behavioral health services and childcare, and supporting students and educators. He has passed legislation that strengthens the state’s emergency preparedness, increasing affordability for seniors, and improving Whatcom County’s court system. [Joe Timmons PDC link]
40th Legislative District
The 40th Legislative District encompasses the San Juan Islands, including San Juan County, as well as portions of Skagit County and Whatcom County. District 40 includes San Juan Island, Orcas Island, Lopez Island, Guemes Island, Decatur Island and Samish Island. On the mainland, it stretches from Anacortes to Burlington and east of Mount Vernon. Running along the I-5 corridor and Chuckanut Drive, the district includes portions of southern Bellingham, Fairhaven, Sudden Valley and Acme. (CascadePBS)
• Senate
Charles Carell (R) is a Burlington resident and a retired Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office corrections deputy where he served as a union president for nine years. He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and has served as a Boy Scout leader. Carrell is an advocate for parents’ rights, safer schools, improving the Washington state ferry system and reducing crime and homelessness caused by the fentanyl crisis. Carrell previously ran against Lovelett in 2020 for the Senate position but lost. [Charles Carrell PDC link]
Sen. Elizabeth (Liz) Lovelett (D) is a fifth-generation Fidalgo Island resident and the current senator of District 40. Before being appointed to the Washington State Senate in 2019 she served on the Anacortes city council for five years. She advocates for affordable housing, public safety, environmental justice and the connection of both local and larger governments. She has helped to pass legislation establishing guidelines for boaters to protect Washington’s Southern Resident killer whales, to increase opportunities for safe and affordable housing for agricultural workers, and to increase access to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. [Liz Lovelett PDC link]
• State Representative Position 1
Debra Lekanoff (D), a Skagit Valley resident for 20 years, has represented the 40th legislative district since 2019 and works for the Swinomish Tribal Community as its governmental affairs director. Lekanoff sits on the House Environment and Energy Committee, the Rules Committee, the Appropriations Committee, and co-chairs the Joint Legislative Taskforce on Water Supply and the Native American Caucus. She is an advocate for a strong workforce, unions, saving salmon, the right to choose, increasing school safety, and addressing the housing and homelessness crisis. [Debra Lekanoff PDC link]
• State Representative Position 2
Alex Ramel (D) has served in the legislature since 2020. He previously worked for Sustainable Connections as its Energy and Policy Director and has served as on the board of the Kulshan Community Land Trust. He founded the Community Energy Challenge and has served on the Whatcom Climate Impacts advisory committee. Ramel has worked to reduce Washington’s pollution and energy costs and to prevent gun violence. He is an advocate for healthcare, affordable housing and improving the economy by putting people first. He is pro-choice. [Alex Ramel PDC link]
— By Peyton Perdue