Willoughby pitches 'progress that fits our pace' at districtwide campaign kickoff

WENATCHEE — Democratic candidate Stacy Willoughby used her campaign kickoff Wednesday to introduce herself to voters across the 12th Legislative District, emphasizing affordability, bipartisan cooperation and a commitment to representing rural communities on both sides of the Cascade Mountains.

The event at Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery drew supporters from across the sprawling 12th Legislative District, including attendees from across the mountains as well as North Central Washington. Throughout the evening, questions reflected concerns from both sides of Stevens Pass, underscoring Willoughby's message that the district's diverse communities deserve equal attention in Olympia.

"My goal is to take these rural issues that we are all dealing with to Olympia, where I can sit at the same table with the people who are in the majority," Willoughby said.

A commercial lender with 25 years of financial experience, Willoughby said rising housing costs, insurance premiums, taxes and state budget challenges motivated her to seek office.

"It seemed like a good time for somebody with 25 years of financial experience to enter into the race," she said.

Supporters introduced Willoughby as someone whose professional experience spans banking, nonprofit leadership and community development, highlighting her service as president of the board for Chelan Valley Hope and on the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce board.

The evening also reflected Willoughby's personal ties to her Filipino heritage. Guests were served food prepared by Chateau Faire Le Pont chef Lloyd using her late mother's lumpia recipe, a detail Willoughby shared while thanking attendees for coming.

During a question-and-answer session, audience members raised issues ranging from affordable housing and wildfire mitigation to environmental policy and Highway 2 safety.

One attendee from Monroe described continuing safety concerns along Highway 2 through the Skykomish Valley, a route long known locally for dangerous conditions between Stevens Pass and Everett.

Willoughby said campaigning throughout the district has given her firsthand experience traveling the corridor.

"I've been door-knocking over there just as much as I have been over here," she said, noting that she frequently crosses Stevens Pass to visit voters as well as her grandchildren, who live in Monroe. "I care about what's happening over there. It matters to me."

Asked how serving on the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce prepares her to represent communities with different priorities, Willoughby said the experience has exposed her to the needs of business owners while her work as a commercial lender has helped her understand the challenges they face in expanding and investing.

"I want Washington state to be more business friendly," she said. "In an area like the 12th Legislative District, small business is really going to be a big opportunity and engine for growth."

Willoughby said that same Chamber experience has also shaped her approach to bipartisanship.

"I am very confident that my experience with the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce will help with bipartisanship efforts," she said. "Several issues that are important to me and our community cross party lines — housing, taxes, insurance costs and fiscal responsibility."

She said her work with the Chamber has reinforced her belief that small businesses form the backbone of rural communities by supporting school athletics, nonprofit fundraisers and other local organizations.

"These are the kinds of things that weave a community together, and it isn't about partisanship," she said.

Chelan real estate broker Guy Evans, the son of former Republican state Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, encouraged attendees to support Willoughby's campaign, describing her slogan, "progress that fits our pace," as a reflection of the difference between Eastern and Western Washington communities.

Willoughby said that difference is central to why she is running as a Democrat from Eastern Washington.

"Most of Eastern Washington is represented in the Legislature by Republicans, and unless they are good at working in a bipartisan way, they will have a difficult time passing bills while there is a Democratic majority in Olympia," she said. "As a Democrat from Eastern Washington, I can bring those rural concerns to the majority."

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media