WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Shavers, Gilday face off in hard-fought race

Kira Erickson reports on one of the two legislative races on this year’s ballot:

On election day, Whidbey Island voters will have a choice between an attorney from Camano Island or an attorney from Oak Harbor for a seat in the Washington State legislature.

Republican Greg Gilday is running for his second term as a member of the Washington State House of Representatives for District 10, facing off against Democrat Clyde Shavers, a newcomer to the political arena.

In the primary election in August, Shavers earned almost 52% of the vote, compared to the nearly 48% that Gilday received. The two candidates have been evenly matched in fundraising efforts for their campaigns.

They Said It

“I’m hoping to express to people across this district that this run for public office is simply a continuation of my lifelong dedication to public service,” Shavers said. “The moment I left high school, I dedicated my entire life to protecting our country, protecting our communities.”

“This is one of those jobs that it takes you a little while to get your feet under you. I’m kind of just hitting the ground,” he said. “Especially with COVID, the first term, I wasn’t allowed down in Olympia. I spent the first session behind four computer screens in a windowless cubicle in Stanwood.”

On affordable housing:

“How I look at it is we can get creative, we can institute a number of different policies that will help a little bit,” [Gilday] said, pointing to different types of housing, such as mixed use developments, infill projects, townhomes, condominiums and ADUs.

“Affordable housing is really important in a time when young people can’t afford to rent, when older folks are potentially being removed or kicked out of their homes,” Shavers said. “I think this issue really resonates across all age groups, all types of people.”

On health care:

“As a veteran myself, I want to ensure that every veteran, every active duty military person is taken care of,” [Shavers] said.

On public safety:

“In 2021, the majority party passed a number of police reform bills that went way too far,” [Gilday] said. “It essentially went from defunding the police to disarming the police.”

Read the full article at this link.