Hilary Franz announces she will run for Congress after dropping out of 2024 governor’s race
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Washington state Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz announced Friday that she is dropping out of the 2024 governor’s race and will instead run for Congress.
The announcement came one day after U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer said that he would not run for re-election for the seat he has held in Congress for over a decade. His 6th District covers part of Tacoma and all of the Olympic Peninsula.
“Over the last few months, I’ve talked to voters in every corner of Washington and heard the same concerns — rising prices for necessities like housing pushing families out of the middle class, protecting reproductive freedom and women’s rights, safeguarding our democracy, supporting our veterans and military families, and the climate crisis bearing down on us,” Franz said in a news release Friday.
“The challenges we face extend beyond the borders of Washington, and so must our solutions. I am running for Congress to bring my vision for bold, transformative action to our nation’s capital and keep fighting for families across our region.”
Kilmer has already endorsed Franz for the position.
“As lands and wildfire chief, Hilary Franz has proven herself to be a bold, strategic leader with a track record of bringing people together from across the state and from different backgrounds to find solutions to our shared problems,” Kilmer said. “She’s been a leader in the fight against climate change and a champion for Washington’s working families, including throughout the 6th Congressional District. In a time when catastrophic climate events are happening with more frequency, our nation needs Hilary’s experience in Congress, and Washington needs her leadership.”
Franz was first elected Public Lands Commissioner in 2016. She has endorsed Makah Tribal Member Patrick DePoe to succeed her.
In May, Franz announced her bid for governor, challenging Attorney General Bob Ferguson, former U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert and state Sen. Mark Mullet, D-Issaquah.
Sen. Emily Randall, D-Bremerton, told McClatchy in an interview Thursday that she is considering running for the seat in the 6th Congressional District.
On Friday, Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, announced that he is forming an “exploratory committee” as he considers a run for the district.
