A Republican who wants smaller government will face off with a Democratic incumbent this November in the race for Washington's lieutenant governor.
The main job of Washington's lieutenant governor is to preside over the state Senate and mediate floor arguments and operations in that legislative body. The lieutenant governor doesn't cast votes on proposed laws except for the very rare occasion that a vote is tied, in which case the vote acts as the tiebreaker.
Whenever the governor leaves the state or is otherwise unable to do the job, the lieutenant governor takes over as acting governor for that period.
The lieutenant governor presides over one of the four corner offices on the main floor of the state capitol building, a powerful institution that moves billions of taxpayer dollars every year, often following "caucus" talks that are held behind closed doors, secret from the public and the media.
Annually, the lieutenant governor is paid a roughly $120,000 salary.
Dan Matthews, of Mukilteo, says he's running for office in the hopes that he and other Republicans can unseat the longstanding Democratic majority that has amassed power for decades in the state. Matthews wants to put a stop to what he called the government's "attacks on the family" and give more power back to parents and local school boards.
"From what I've seen, the Democrat tent has morphed into a very narrow, focused tent," Matthews said. "They want to exclude, even in debates, the other party from commenting. But the Republican tent keeps getting wider and wider."
Matthews added that he believes workers unions in the state are getting too powerful and veering in a "socialist, almost Marxist" direction, noting that he is a union member himself but sees unions becoming "tyrannical."
Incumbent Denny Heck said he's running for another four-year term to continue work he's done to address the state's housing shortage and affordability crisis. If re-elected, Heck, of Olympia, said he will continue to push for a law that would allow residential property owners to split their lots into smaller parcels to make for higher-density housing.
Public records show that more than 90% of 49 current elected members of the state Senate own at least one house in the state. Many also own rental properties and businesses on top of that.
Heck said he has encountered elected leaders in Olympia "trying to avoid" bringing specific housing crisis solutions to the table — something he says is a problem.
"The problem is so big that that's what we have to do," Heck said.
On top of supporting the lot-splitting bill, Heck said he wants to see more upzoning, which is a word used to describe changes to city zoning laws that allow for new capacity for development. Heck also pointed to eliminating parking requirements for new housing developments and other roadblocks that get in the way of construction.
Heck, 71, was elected to his post as lieutenant governor in 2020 after spending eight years serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. He also previously served as a Washington state representative.
In his role as lieutenant governor, Heck serves on the Advisory Committee of the Export Import Bank of the United States and is a member of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors. He said all he's learned the past four years make him fit to continue in his post.
Matthews, 74, is a decorated U.S. Air Force veteran who flew planes in both the Vietnam and Gulf wars. After he left the Air Force, he went on to work as a pilot at Boeing. He said his experience directing teams of people makes him a strong contender for lieutenant governor.
In 1970, Matthews served as a legislative intern under Sen. Francis Holman — an experience that had a marked influence on his life. Matthews also served on the Shoreline School Board in the 1980s.
General election ballots will be mailed in mid-October for the Nov. 5 election. Along with lieutenant governor, a number of local, statewide and national races will appear on Washington residents' ballots, along with proposed city ordinances and statewide initiatives.
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