Opinion: Mendoza and Ruiz Kennedy enter 14th | Opinion

As with several other races we’ve looked at, the contest for two House Legislative District 14 positions features candidates with solid credentials and an optimistic vision for the future of the Yakima Valley.

But we can only leave one candidate for each position.

In position 1it’s Sunnyside Democrat Chelsea Dimas against former Grandview Mayor and Councilwoman Gloria Mendoza, a Republican.

For position 2, Wapato Republican Deb Manjarres will face Ana Ruiz Kennedy, a Pasco Democrat.

This is the first election for the legislature in the new district, which was redrawn twice after the 2020 Census and a federal Voting Rights Act lawsuit. The extensive district now covers Yakima, Sunnyside, Granger, Mabton, Grandview and most of the Yakama Reservation. It also extends west to Lisle and east to Pasco.

Who should represent the new 14th when the Legislative Assembly meets next year? Here’s our option:

District 14, building, position 1Redistricting forced current state Rep. Chris Corry to leave the district. He is now running in the 15th District, leaving Dimas and Mendoza to fight for his soon-to-be vacant seat.

Dimas, a communications major, uses a refreshingly optimistic and energetic tone, emphasizing inclusion and prioritizing affordable housing, lower costs of living, economic growth, affordable health care and child care, and support for schools.

This is a wonderful but ambitious list.

Mendoza, who owns a vocational school, promises to represent the district’s stakeholders and work with people of all political stripes if she is elected.

“Anyone who tells you they will go to the Legislature and make changes doesn’t understand how things work,” she told us in a recent email.

Dimas’ energy and encouraging message is a welcome change from what we’ve heard for far too long. We hope to hear much more from her in the future.

But Mendoza’s selective experience and pragmatism, as well as her simple knowledge of the challenges facing many Yakima Valley families, give her an advantage at this point.

We support Mendoza.

District 14, building, position 2The redistricting also resulted in longtime state Rep. Gina Mosbrucker of Goldendale being removed from the district and barred from running for any office. Now that she is in the 17th District, she has decided not to seek a sixth term.

So apple orchardist and CPA Manjarrez and Ruiz Kennedy, who is a representative of a community development nonprofit, stepped up to fill the void.

Both emphasize their understanding of regional issues and their commitment to keeping taxes as low as possible. And both believe their experience gives them insight that will be useful to voters.

We think both are right.

Manjarres led the Wapato Chamber of Commerce, the Wapato Tamale Festival and the Republican Party Central Committee, spending years seeing and hearing first-hand the issues facing the people she would represent. With her skills and background, she will undoubtedly bring practical and valuable knowledge to Olympia.

Ruiz Kennedy too. Having worked her way from seasonal agricultural work to professional level positions, she has gained a wide range of knowledge that covers a large area.

Frankly, we think that any candidate will represent the district well. But if you’re looking for tiebreakers, we’ll be especially impressed by Ruiz Kennedy’s collaborative, open-minded style.

While her commitment to the interests of the Yakima Valley is clear, she will not go to the Capitol with ideological disdain for the western part of the state. It makes sense that a more unified Washington would make it easier to solve problems at the state and local level.

Looking to the future, we support Ruiz Kennedy.

Yakima Herald-Republic editorials reflect the collective opinions of the local newspaper editorial team.