5th District candidates talk experience

KING COUNTY - When it comes to state politics, Sen. Cheryl Pflug is a seasoned veteran.

But Kathy Huckabay, the mayor of Sammamish and one of the city's founders, believes her experience with city and regional issues make her a better candidate for the senate seat in the 5th Legislative District.

A third candidate, Libertarian Jaime Capili, also is vying for the seat.

The 5th District encompasses East King County, including North Bend, Snoqualmie, Issaquah and portions of unincorporated King County.

Pflug, a Republican who also has served in the state House of Representatives, said she is "proud of my track record of getting things done for the district, particularly in the area of transportation funding."

"I have made a bipartisan approach to government a reality," Pflug said.

Huckabay, a Democrat, disagrees. She said the 5th District legislators are out of touch with their constituents and have not done enough to create coalitions and solutions.

"You can't move the state forward, or the district or the Puget Sound region forward, if you have a major player who doesn't come to the table," Huckabay said.

Huckabay is a certified public accountant and a certified financial planner. She said the skills needed to succeed in her profession will serve her well in Olympia.

"What makes me a better candidate," Huckabay said, "is that I do bring a long-range vision to government. I have experience in creating a vision of what people want to accomplish."

Pflug said her record speaks for itself.

"I have a track record of making the tough decisions," Pflug said.

The senator said she wants to focus on balancing the budget, while maintaining essential services.

"My passion continues to be health care, affordable access for everyone," Pflug said.

Capili, who admittedly has no chance of winning the seat, said lowering taxes is his No. 1 campaign cry.

"Low taxation," he said. "That's pretty much the priority in my book."

Capili is not actively campaigning or seeking endorsements. He said he might run again in the future as an independent.

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