Greg Nance (D)

Greg Nance grew up in Kitsap, the son of a social worker and a public defender, and worked as a landscaper, house painter, and firewood splitter to make ends meet. He earned scholarships to the University of Chicago and Cambridge, then spent fifteen years building nonprofits, including Moneythink, which President Obama recognized at the White House as a “Champion of Change.” Drawing on his own recovery from addiction, he founded the Run Far Foundation to help young people facing mental-health and substance-abuse struggles, once running 3,156 miles across the country to make the point.

In Olympia, Nance has made the ferries his signature fight. He helps lead the Maritime Caucus and helped secure $895 million this session for new vessels, better reliability, and a mariner workforce pipeline, a lifeline issue for a district that rides the boats to work. He’s also focused on youth mental health, more affordable childcare, and support for small businesses, and the Children’s Campaign Fund named him Freshman Legislator of the Year.

Nance shows up: for the district, for Kitsap kids, and for the unglamorous work of making the system function. He’s earned another term in the 23rd.

Endorsements include Governor Bob Ferguson, Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, Attorney General Nick Brown, Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove, State Senator Drew Hansen, Speaker Laurie Jinkins, and former opponent Dr. John Gibbons.