Fresh political winds are blowing

Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham) has decided not to run for a third term in the Washington State Senate, setting the stage for a possibly heated campaign to represent the 42nd Legislative District.

Shewmake, who made her decision public on December 1, wrote in a social media post that she was “genuinely excited to spend more time with family and all the wonderful friends I have made while running for office.”

Shewmake served two terms in the state House of Representatives from 2019 to 2022 before being elected to the state Senate. She’s a professor of economics and energy policy at Western Washington University.

Since the announcement, Port of Bellingham commissioner Michael Alvarez Shepard, a Democrat, has announced his bid for the seat. He recently ran unopposed for another four-year port term in November’s general election. Should he win election, he would be able to hold both offices under an attorney-general opinion termed AGO 1962 No. 177 which deems that holding both positions is not incompatible. Both offices hold elections in different years which avoids the prohibition against appearing twice on the same ballot. Shepard has not indicated whether he intends to resign as port commissioner should he win the senate job.

Prospective candidates may throw their hat into the ring during the candidate filing week in May. The 2026 primary is August 4, followed by the general election on November 3. Candidates must file before May 8, 2026, according to the Washington Secretary of State’s office.