Sen. Curtis King to move to run in new 14th District

State Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, will run for reelection in District 14, he announced in a Thursday press release.

King’s decision comes after weeks of redistricting-induced chaos as voting rights lawsuits moved through the courts.

He plans to move his primary residence to the newly redrawn 14th District, the release said.

The new 14th District includes East Yakima, the Yakama Nation, Lower Yakima Valley communities like Toppenish, Wapato, Grandview and Sunnyside, a long stretch of the Columbia River and East Pasco.

“I am honored to serve the residents of the 14th District, and I am excited to announce my campaign for re-election,” King said in a press release. “Even with the progress we have made together during my time in Olympia, there is still more to be done. I remain focused on addressing the needs of our communities and ensuring a bright future for all.”

King has served in the current 14th District for 17 years. Under the newly redrawn maps, King's current home is in the new 15th District.

King’s press release pointed to his focus on infrastructure and economic growth and said he would work on strengthening law enforcement. It added that he has taken a bipartisan and collaborative approach to lawmaking in Olympia.

He will run against Maria Beltran, a Democrat who announced plans to run in February. King has raised over $164,000 for his campaign. Candidate filing takes place from May 6-10. The primary election is in August, with the general election on Nov. 5.

State senators and representatives craft policies for Washington in Olympia. The two state representatives from the 14th District, Rep. Gina Mosbrucker, R-Goldendale, and Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, were also moved into new districts by the new maps.

Corry announced his intentions to run for the state representative seat in the 15th District. 

Sen. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco, encouraged King to run in the 14th District, she said in a news release on Wednesday. She will serve out the remainder of her 15th District term for the next two years. After that, she will be in the new 16th District.