Dennis Ellis

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Dennis Ellis

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Candidate, Washington House of Representatives District 48-Position 1

Elections and appointments
Next election

November 4, 2025

Education

Graduate

Gonzaga University

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Air Force

Personal
Birthplace
Seattle, Wash.
Religion
Christian
Profession
Financial Analyst
Contact

Dennis Ellis (Republican Party) is running in a special election to the Washington House of Representatives to represent District 48-Position 1. He is on the ballot in the special general election on November 4, 2025. He advanced from the special primary on August 5, 2025.

Ellis completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Elections

2025

See also: Washington state legislative special elections, 2025

General election

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

Special general election for Washington House of Representatives District 48-Position 1

Incumbent Osman Salahuddin and Dennis Ellis are running in the special general election for Washington House of Representatives District 48-Position 1 on November 4, 2025.


Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Nonpartisan primary election

Special nonpartisan primary for Washington House of Representatives District 48-Position 1

Incumbent Osman Salahuddin and Dennis Ellis defeated Ranga Bondada in the special primary for Washington House of Representatives District 48-Position 1 on August 5, 2025.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Osman Salahuddin
Osman Salahuddin (D) Candidate Connection
 
60.9
 
9,238
Dennis Ellis (R) Candidate Connection
 
30.6
 
4,649
Image of Ranga Bondada
Ranga Bondada (D)
 
8.5
 
1,287

Total votes: 15,174
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Endorsements

Ellis received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.

  • King County Republican Party
  • Pastor's Picks

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Dennis Ellis completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ellis' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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I am a lifelong Washington resident, born in Seattle and living in Redmond for nearly 34 years with my wife, where we raised two children. I have served my community in many capacities over the years, from Sunday school teacher to coaching my children in basketball and soccer.

My diverse career includes working as an Alaska commercial fisherman, five years of honorable service in the U.S. Air Force, earning my BBA from Gonzaga University, and nearly a decade in construction learning business operations. I've founded or co-founded businesses in construction, manufacturing, and consulting, earned my Master of Science in Finance from Seattle University, and spent 11 years as a financial analyst with The Boeing Company.

This varied experience has equipped me with skills in finance, management, service, and strong work ethic that make me uniquely qualified for public office.

Today, I work full time, serve as chair for LD48 Republicans, and am running for State Representative Position No. 1 in Legislative District 48. I will bring a fresh, conservative perspective to combat failed policies of ever-increasing taxes, bigger government, and more control over our daily lives. Instead, I will focus on protecting individual liberties and serving the people of our district.
  • Stop the Tax-and-Spend Agenda: The Democrat-controlled legislature just passed the largest tax increase in Washington's history, adding $4.3 billion in new taxes on businesses, financial assets, and technology services. Since 2011, Washington has more than doubled tax collection while inflation increased by less than half that rate. These higher taxes on gas, utilities, sales, and property disproportionately hurt working families and drive businesses away. Meanwhile, families struggle with rising costs while receiving declining services. LD48 needs leaders who understand that government should make life better, not harder. I've built businesses, managed budgets, and know what works. Together, we can restore fiscal responsibility.
  • Fix What's Broken: Education, Infrastructure, and Public Safety: Despite spending nearly $20,000 per student, over 50% fail to meet grade-level standards. Washington ranks 35th nationally in graduation rates. Our roads remain in poor condition despite having the nation's third-highest gas tax. Sound Transit has racked up $50 billion in cost overruns in just five years. Policies that limit law enforcement have made communities less safe. Washington has the nation's lowest number of officers per capita at just 1.35 per 1,000 residents. We spend over $1 billion annually on homelessness programs, yet the crisis worsens with a 23% increase from 2020-2023. It's time for accountability and results-driven leadership.
  • Restore Constitutional Rights and Government Accountability: Government overreach during COVID and ongoing attacks on constitutional freedoms threaten the rights our founders guaranteed. Too often, government operates in secrecy with little input from the people it serves. Decisions get made behind closed doors, tax dollars disappear into inefficient programs, and elected officials lose touch with their constituents. This lack of accountability breeds waste, corruption, and policies that don't work for working families. As Republicans, we historically protected individual rights against government tyranny. LD48 deserves transparent, accountable leadership that respects your constitutional rights.
I'm passionate about replacing failed policies with practical solutions that actually improve people's lives, bringing private sector accountability to public service. My focus areas include fiscal responsibility and economic growth, government accountability and transparency, and protecting individual liberty and constitutional rights. My diverse background from military service to business ownership to community leadership has shown me what works: disciplined budgets, transparent operations, and results-driven solutions that strengthen communities rather than expand government control over citizens' lives.
I would recommend "The Revolution" by Ron Paul, which captures the importance of constitutional government and individual liberty. Paul's emphasis on limited government, fiscal responsibility, and personal freedom aligns with my belief that government should serve the people, not control them. His insights about how government overreach threatens our constitutional rights resonate with what I experienced during COVID and what we see in failed policies like Washington's homelessness spending.

"Red Handed" by Peter Schweizer exposes how foreign influence and corruption have compromised American institutions. Schweizer's meticulous research demonstrates the importance of transparency and accountability in government, showing what happens when officials operate without proper oversight. This directly relates to my platform on government accountability and the need for competitive bidding instead of no-bid contracts.

"Lies My Government Told Me" by Dr. Robert Malone reveals how government agencies can mislead citizens when they operate without transparency. Citizens deserve honest, transparent government that respects their intelligence and their freedoms.

These works explain why I believe the best government is limited government that protects individual rights. My military service taught me to defend the Constitution, and my business experience showed me that accountability and competition drive results while bureaucratic monopolies create waste and dependency.
<p>The first job I had was as a janitor for an apartment complex in Seattle. I swept the entry ways, changed light bulbs, picked up garbage, and cleaned the pool. I kept that job for about a year.</p>
Washington faces several critical challenges over the next decade that require immediate attention and bold leadership to reverse failed policies.

The greatest challenge is unwinding the massive tax burden imposed on hardworking citizens and businesses. The Democrat-controlled legislature just passed the largest tax increase in Washington's history, driving businesses away and making life unaffordable for working families.

We must also remove the fear that government instilled in citizens during COVID, including the overreach and mandates imposed by the governor and unelected bureaucrats. Government overreach during this period revealed how quickly constitutional rights can be trampled when officials operate without accountability or transparency. Restoring trust requires respecting individual liberty and constitutional limits on government power.

The homelessness industrial complex represents another major challenge. Despite spending over $1 billion annually, homelessness increased 23% from 2020-2023. The "Housing First" model has created an entire industry whose funding depends on maintaining the problem, not solving it, while enabling addiction rather than addressing root causes.

Our education system is failing students despite massive spending. We spend nearly $20,000 per student with only half reaching the classroom, yet over 50% fail to meet grade-level standards and Washington ranks 35th nationally in graduation rates.

Infrastructure remains broken despite having the nation's third-highest gas tax. Sound Transit alone has racked up $50 billion in cost overruns in just five years, while our roads deteriorate and projects run years behind schedule.

Public safety continues declining with Washington having the nation's lowest number of law enforcement officers per capita at just 1.35 per 1,000 residents. Policies that prioritize criminals over victims have made communities less safe.

Washington deserves better solutions.
The current political class has created the problems we see today through decades of failed policies, excessive taxation, and government overreach. What we need are citizen legislators who bring real-world experience, serve for a limited time, and then go back to living under the laws they helped create. My diverse background from military service to business ownership gives me the tools to address these challenges, and my commitment is to this district and this moment in our state's history.

I have no desire to be a career politician. Like George Washington, who voluntarily stepped down after two terms and returned to Mount Vernon, I believe in the principle of citizen service. Washington established the precedent of peaceful transfer of power and embodied the ideal of the citizen-servant who serves the republic then returns to private life. My military oath to defend the Constitution is for life, and I will continue to uphold that sacred commitment as a private citizen long after my legislative service ends. I am running because Washington is at a crossroads and I am worried for the future of our children and grandchildren. My goal is to serve LD48 effectively, implement real solutions to the problems we face, and then return to private life where I can continue contributing to my community through business and service.
The legislature must have meaningful oversight of emergency powers to protect constitutional rights and prevent government overreach. The governor was granted an overabundance of authority ironically right before the pandemic when the legislature passed Senate Bill 5260 in 2019, expanding the governor's "catchall power" to suspend laws during emergencies. This timing proved devastating for individual liberty.

What transpired during COVID exposed the dangers of unchecked executive power. Governor Inslee maintained emergency declarations for 975 days, exercising unprecedented control over citizens' lives through lockdowns, mask mandates, vaccine requirements, school closures, and business shutdowns. All far-reaching policies were made behind closed doors by the executive branch without meaningful legislative oversight, public input, or democratic debate.

Washington is one of only a handful of states with no reasonable limit on emergency powers. While other states require legislative approval after 60 or 90 days, Washington allows the governor alone to determine when emergencies end. Current law gives the governor two types of emergency powers: prohibitions that last indefinitely until the governor chooses to end them, and law suspensions requiring legislative extension after 30 days.

Republican legislators introduced bills in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 to restore balance by requiring legislative approval for extended emergencies, but Democrat leadership repeatedly blocked these reforms. They were comfortable giving the executive branch a blank check to make policy during declared emergencies.

Power resides in citizens, not politicians, and certainly not unelected bureaucrats. Emergency powers are meant to be temporary delegations for true emergencies, not tools for long-term policy making. As one state judge wrote, "at some point, over the long term, an emergency grows less emergent" and requires legislative review.
I am pleased to have received an endorsement from our King County Republican Party. Their commitment to transparency, accountability, and constitutional principles reflects the same values I will bring to LD48 as your State Representative. Their leadership embodies conservative principles and grassroots empowerment. The new bylaws empower elected PCOs with a stronger voice to elect their own Legislative District chairs instead of appointments by the Executive King County GOP chair, restoring power to the grassroots level. This aligns perfectly with my belief that power resides in citizens, not politicians or unelected bureaucrats. For more specifics about their vision and accomplishments, visit kcgop.org.
Financial transparency and government accountability are fundamental to protecting individual liberty and constitutional rights. Too often, government operates in secrecy with little input from the people it serves. Decisions get made behind closed doors, tax dollars disappear into inefficient programs, and elected officials lose touch with their constituents. This lack of accountability breeds waste, corruption, and policies that don't work for working families.

The homelessness crisis exemplifies this problem. Washington spends over $1 billion annually on programs, yet homelessness increased 23% from 2020-2023. The "Housing First" model has spawned an entire industry of nonprofit organizations, consultants, and service providers whose funding depends on maintaining the problem, not solving it. This approach enables addiction rather than addressing root causes, while taxpayers see no meaningful results despite massive spending.

We must fundamentally change how government operates. I support mandatory audits of nonprofits and contractors to ensure funds reach people, not administrative overhead. We need competitive bidding instead of no-bid contracts to the same organizations. Government should track outcomes, not just dollars spent, measuring how many people achieve independence rather than simply maintaining programs.

Citizens have a constitutional right to know how their tax dollars are spent. Every budget line item, every contract, every program result should be publicly accessible. My business and finance background taught me that transparency drives efficiency and accountability, while secrecy enables waste and corruption that ultimately restricts our freedoms. Real accountability means government serves the people, not special interests or bureaucratic empires that profit from perpetuating problems.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Other survey responses

Ballotpedia identified the following surveys, interviews, and questionnaires Ellis completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.

Campaign finance summary

Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.

See also


External links

Footnotes


Leadership
Speaker of the House:Laurie Jinkins
Majority Leader:Joe Fitzgibbon
Minority Leader:Drew Stokesbary
Representatives
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Rob Chase (R)
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Zach Hall (D)
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Mike Volz (R)
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Mary Dye (R)
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Dave Paul (D)
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Tom Dent (R)
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John Ley (R)
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Jim Walsh (R)
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Ed Orcutt (R)
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Jake Fey (D)
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Cindy Ryu (D)
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Liz Berry (D)
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Sam Low (R)
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District 48-Position 1
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Amy Walen (D)
District 49-Position 1
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Democratic Party (59)
Republican Party (39)