Timmons leads in race to remain state representative

State rep. Joe Timmons (center), who's running for the reelection to the 42nd District Position 2 seat, celebrates with his wife (left) and his campaign manager Alex Woodall (right) as election results come in Tuesday night at Hotel Leo in Bellingham.

Photo by Milo Whitman

Democratic state Rep. Joe Timmons led in early election results Tuesday night with 34,022 votes, or 56%, against Republican Justin Pike with 26,253 votes (44%) for 42nd District Position 2. 

Timmons, who was first elected to the Legislature in 2022, is seeking a third consecutive term against Pike, a small business owner and veteran with a background in law enforcement. 

“I’m really proud of my record in the Legislature and I’m proud that voters, to this point, have responded positively,” Timmons said. “It’s a deep honor to represent the 42nd District in the House of Representatives, and I sure hope that the results hold and that I can continue to do that work.” 

Timmons has campaigned on affordable housing, health care, public education and securing state resources for the county, including securing $13 million to improve Nooksack River flood protections. 

He supports a more progressive tax system, and was one of a few Democrats that didn’t support the Millionaires tax in the Legislature, arguing that it did not provide adequate tax relief. 

“Our budget has been ballooning in recent years, and while I am very supportive of the services that our budget is delivering, I also think that we can’t rely on revenue increases every year to meet the needs of Washingtonians,” Timmons said.

Some of Pike’s main priorities include lower living costs, responsible spending and government transparency. As a first-time candidate, Pike has emphasized his experience in law enforcement throughout his campaign, which has emphasized public safety and government accountability.

Pike could not be reached for comment by press time. 

The winner will serve a two-year term, facing several issues, such as public safety, housing affordability, healthcare costs, government spending and state taxes. 

The Whatcom County Auditor reported a turnout of 53% on election night, with 90,027 ballots received of 170,523 registered voters. The count was not final and the next update was expected Wednesday night.