Rep. Jessica Bateman announces bid for state Senate seat

Washington state House Rep. Jessica Bateman, D-Olympia, will run for state Senate this fall, the lawmaker announced publicly Wednesday morning.

Bateman will run for the 22nd Legislative District seat being vacated by longtime Sen. Sam Hunt, D-Olympia, who announced Tuesday that he will retire from the state Legislature when his term expires in January.

In a phone interview with McClatchy, Bateman said she is “excited about the opportunity” to work with colleagues in the other chamber, some of whom she worked with in the House before they were elected to the Senate.

If she is elected to the Senate, she said her focus would remain on housing, behavioral health, equitable access to healthcare and reproductive rights, she said.

During her time as a state representative, Bateman has sponsored several key housing bills aimed at increasing housing supply, including legislation passed in 2023 to allow “middle housing” — units that fall between single-family homes and apartments — in areas traditionally zoned for single-family homes. Bateman sponsored the bill with Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia, and the legislation passed with broad bipartisan support.

Bateman told McClatchy that passing the legislation was one of her proudest accomplishments as a legislator, and that she thinks a large part of the success of major housing policies in 2023 was “due to the fact that it was bipartisan work.”

“I would definitely like to keep working on bipartisan solutions to some of our most challenging problems, including affordable housing and the supply of affordable housing,” Bateman said. “I’d like to continue building upon that work when I hopefully am able to serve in the Senate with my colleagues.”

The lawmaker is currently the vice chair of the House Health Care and Wellness Committee, and said the interest of the committee is to create the best policy they can, “and that means bipartisan legislation.” Bateman said she would like to continue working in a bipartisan fashion regarding healthcare policy in the Senate.

In addition to the middle housing legislation, Bateman said she is proud of the bill she sponsored in 2023 to secure access to the abortion medication Mifepristone in Washington, and a bill she sponsored to eliminate co-pays for abortions in the state. Although Bateman’s House versions of the bills did not pass, the companion bills passed in the Senate.

“Access to equitable healthcare is a priority and ensuring that Washington continues to be a place where reproductive health is protected, and that a person’s bodily autonomy is their own choice, is a high priority for me,” Bateman said.

The Olympia lawmaker was first elected to the statehouse in 2020. Prior to that, Bateman served as an Olympia City Council member.

Hunt has already endorsed Bateman for his position.

“As an Olympia Council member, 22nd District representative and community leader, Jessica has demonstrated a keen awareness of the needs of our communities and been effective at getting results that move us all forward,” Hunt said in a news release. “She has my full support to represent the district as our next State Senator.”

Bateman has already earned endorsements from other politicians as well.

“In the Legislature, Rep. Bateman has spent years making real progress on housing affordability, urgent action on climate, and opportunity for every Washingtonian,” Lt. Gov Denny Heck said. “Her leadership and policy expertise will be an asset in the State Senate for the 22nd District and neighbors across our state.”

Democratic U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland, who represents the Olympia area in Congress, also has endorsed Bateman.

“From day one, Jessica Bateman became a leader to address our housing crisis,” Strickland said. “She has worked tirelessly for healthy communities, and I know she will continue to advocate for great public schools, family wage jobs, healthcare access including reproductive care, and investments in infrastructure and small businesses.”

The general election is Nov. 5.