Paul Harris
Paul Harris (Republican Party) is a member of the Washington State Senate, representing District 17. He assumed office on January 13, 2025. His current term ends on January 8, 2029.
Harris (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the Washington State Senate to represent District 17. He declared candidacy for the 2028 election.[source]
Biography
Harris earned an A.A. from Ricks College and a B.S. in business administration and accounting from Brigham Young University.
Harris has worked since 2010 as a sales representative for Quick Collect, a Vancouver-based company. He owns QuickMeds, LLC, and previously owned Cascade and Supply, Inc. He served on the Board of Directors of the Evergreen School District from 1993-1994.
Committee assignments
2023-2024
Harris was assigned to the following committees:
- Appropriations Committee
- Education Committee
- Health Care and Wellness Committee
- House Rules Committee
- Joint Planning for Aging and Disability Issues Committee, Chair
- Joint Oregon-Washington Legislative Action Committee
2021-2022
Harris was assigned to the following committees:
- Appropriations Committee
- Health Care and Wellness Committee
- Labor and Workplace Standards Committee
- House Rules Committee
- Joint Oregon-Washington Legislative Action Committee
- Joint Planning for Aging and Disability Issues Committee
2019-2020
Harris was assigned to the following committees:
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Washington committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Appropriations |
| • Education |
| • Health Care and Wellness |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Harris served on the following committees:
| Washington committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Environment |
| • Health Care and Wellness, Assistant Ranking Minority Member |
| • Rules |
2013-2014
In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Harris served on the following committees:
| Washington committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Appropriations |
| • Health Care and Wellness |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Harris served on the following committees:
| Washington committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Environment |
| • Health Care and Wellness |
| • Health and Human Services Appropriations and Oversight |
| • Technology, Energy and Communications |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2028
See also: Washington State Senate elections, 2028
General election
The general election will occur on November 7, 2028.
General election for Washington State Senate District 17
Incumbent Paul Harris is running in the general election for Washington State Senate District 17 on November 7, 2028.
Candidate | ||
| Paul Harris (R) | ||
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Endorsements
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2024
See also: Washington State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for Washington State Senate District 17
Paul Harris defeated Marla Keethler in the general election for Washington State Senate District 17 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Paul Harris (R) | 51.1 | 44,034 | |
Marla Keethler (D) ![]() | 48.8 | 42,019 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 135 | ||
| Total votes: 86,188 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Washington State Senate District 17
Paul Harris and Marla Keethler advanced from the primary for Washington State Senate District 17 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Paul Harris (R) | 50.6 | 22,930 | |
| ✔ | Marla Keethler (D) ![]() | 49.2 | 22,287 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 84 | ||
| Total votes: 45,301 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Harris in this election.
2022
See also: Washington House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2
Incumbent Paul Harris defeated Joe Kear in the general election for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Paul Harris (R) | 54.6 | 37,860 | |
Joe Kear (D) ![]() | 45.3 | 31,407 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 125 | ||
| Total votes: 69,392 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2
Joe Kear and incumbent Paul Harris defeated Earl Bowerman and Justin Forsman in the primary for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2 on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Joe Kear (D) ![]() | 44.5 | 20,737 | |
| ✔ | Paul Harris (R) | 30.2 | 14,074 | |
| Earl Bowerman (R) | 12.9 | 6,012 | ||
| Justin Forsman (Independent Republican Party) | 12.2 | 5,699 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 78 | ||
| Total votes: 46,600 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2020
See also: Washington House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2
Incumbent Paul Harris defeated Bryan White in the general election for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Paul Harris (R) | 68.0 | 48,392 | |
| Bryan White (R) | 28.1 | 20,020 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 3.9 | 2,773 | ||
| Total votes: 71,185 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2
Incumbent Paul Harris and Bryan White advanced from the primary for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Paul Harris (R) | 65.6 | 25,213 | |
| ✔ | Bryan White (R) | 28.9 | 11,119 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 5.5 | 2,103 | ||
| Total votes: 38,435 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2018
See also: Washington House of Representatives elections, 2018
General election
General election for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2
Incumbent Paul Harris defeated Damion Jiles Sr. in the general election for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Paul Harris (R) | 57.6 | 33,580 | |
| Damion Jiles Sr. (D) | 42.4 | 24,686 | ||
| Total votes: 58,266 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2
Incumbent Paul Harris and Damion Jiles Sr. advanced from the primary for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2 on August 7, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Paul Harris (R) | 54.9 | 15,907 | |
| ✔ | Damion Jiles Sr. (D) | 45.1 | 13,059 | |
| Total votes: 28,966 | ||||
= 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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2016
Elections for the Washington House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 2, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was May 20, 2016.
Incumbent Paul Harris defeated Martin Hash in the Washington House of Representatives, District 17-Position 2 general election.[1]
| Washington House of Representatives, District 17-Position 2 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | 63.10% | 36,936 | ||
| Democratic | Martin Hash | 36.90% | 21,602 | |
| Total Votes | 58,538 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
Martin Hash and incumbent Paul Harris defeated Richard Colwell in the Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2 top two primary.[2][3]
| Washington House of Representatives, District 17-Position 2 Top Two Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | 39.27% | 8,820 | ||
| Republican | 47.35% | 10,633 | ||
| Republican | Richard Colwell | 13.38% | 3,005 | |
| Total Votes | 22,458 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
2014
Elections for the Washington House of Representatives took place in 2014. A blanket primary election took place on August 5, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 17, 2014. Incumbent Paul Harris (R) and Richard McCluskey (D) defeated Chris Rockhold (L) in the primary. McCluskey was defeated by Harris in the general election.[4][5][6]
2012
Harris won re-election in the 2012 election for Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2. Harris was unopposed in the blanket primary on August 7, 2012, and defeated Jim Gizzi (D) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[7][8]
2010
Paul Harris was elected to the Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2. He defeated Martin Hash in the August 17, 2010, primary. He defeated Democrat Monica Stonier in the November 2, 2010, general election.
| Washington House of Representatives, District 17-Position 2 General Election (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| 25,342 | ||||
| Monica Stonier (D) | 21,924 | |||
| Washington House of Representatives, District 17-Position 2 Primary (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| 14,384 | 55.73% | |||
| 8,473 | 32.83% | |||
| Martin Hash (D) | 2,952 | 11.44% | ||
Campaign themes
2028
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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2024
Paul Harris did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Paul Harris did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Paul Harris did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2016
Harris' campaign website highlighted the following issues:
| “ |
Jobs/Economy A strong economy is the foundation for prosperous families and communities. Too many people in Clark County are out of work, underemployed, or afraid they could lose their jobs. The Legislature can and must increase our focus on economic turnaround and job creation. Education This is not just my top priority; it’s the top priority of the Washington State Constitution, and I believe that clarity in this area needs to be re-established. Educating our children is a concern and a hope of each family in Washington and you have an advocate in Paul Harris. Healthcare All Americans deserve a world class healthcare system that is affordable. Over the past few years we have seen healthcare costs skyrocket when we have been told they will fall. The Affordable Healthcare Act has been anything but affordable. Our state, led by a Governor and Insurance Commissioner who are Democrats, has fully invested in Obamacare and Washingtonians have felt the frustrations and broken promises. You deserve better.[9] |
” |
| —Paul Harris[10] | ||
2014
Harris' website highlighted the following campaign themes:[11]
Jobs & The Economy
- Excerpt: "Certainty and stability for employers is one of the most effective solutions to improving the state budget and prosperity of Clark County workers. A stable regulatory and business climate attracts investment and a higher standard of living for our families. I fought hard to keep temporary taxes temporary, and protected vital tax incentives for business and agriculture."
Education
- Excerpt: "Our children deserve a world class education which MUST be prioritized in the state budget. The state constitution is clear, that education is the “paramount duty” of the state and should be treated as such in the state budget."
Healthcare
- Excerpt: "We must have step-by step, common sense approaches that will fix what is broken. You should be in charge of your health insurance and health care decisions. Our state needs consumer driven health insurance plans that provide access to affordable health care."
- Excerpt: "First, we need our Insurance Commissioner to allow people to keep their cancelled health insurance plans. The Obama administration has reversed its course and gave states this option."
- Excerpt: "The biggest step we can take is to allow Washingtonians to buy health insurance plans in other states, similar to the way car insurance is purchased."
2012
Harris' website highlighted the following campaign themes:[12]
Jobs
- Excerpt: "Let’s Get Washington Working is a plan that unshackles businesses from excessive regulations. Private employers in many sectors of Washington State are bound with exorbitant taxes and fees that hinder economic growth and progress. Let’s Get Washington Working would promote a free market economy, allowing employers to prosper and create jobs."
Education
- Excerpt: "Funding education first would take the politics out of the classroom and would deliver financial assurance and peace of mind to concerned parents, teachers and students. The courts have ruled that programs and offerings falling within the legislative definition of basic education are considered non discretionary and must be funded regardless of budgetary constraints."
Energy
- Excerpt: "Recognizing a portion of hydro as renewable would solve this next step of I-937, save jobs and protect the environment."
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Endorsements
Presidential preference
2012
Paul Harris endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.[13]
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Washington scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Washington State Legislature was in session from January 8 to March 7.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Washington State Legislature was in session from January 9 to April 23.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Washington State Legislature was in session from January 10 to March 10.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Washington State Legislature was in session from January 11 to April 25.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Washington State Legislature was in session from January 13 to March 12.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Washington State Legislature was in session from January 14 through April 28.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Washington State Legislature, second session, was in session from January 8 through March 8.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Washington State Legislature, first session, was in session from January 9 through April 23. There were also special sessions. The first special session was April 24 through May 23. The second special session was May 23 through June 21. The third special session was June 21 through July 20.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the 64th Washington State Legislature, second session, was in session from January 11 through March 10. The legislature held a special session from March 11 to March 29 to pass a supplemental budget.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the 64th Washington State Legislature, first session, was in session from January 12 through April 24. The legislature was in special session from April 29 to May 28, May 29 to June 27 and June 28 to July 10.[14]
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the 63rd Washington State Legislature, second session, was in session from January 13 to March 14.[15]
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the 63rd Washington State Legislature, first session, was in session from January 14 to April 29.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the 62nd Washington State Legislature, second session, was in session from January 9 to March 8.[16]
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2011
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show]. |
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In 2011, the 62nd Washington State Legislature, first session, was in session from January 10 through April 24.
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Missed Votes Report
- See also: Washington House of Representatives and Washington State Senate
In March 2014, Washington Votes, a legislative information website, released its annual Missed Votes Report, which provides detailed missed roll call votes on bills for every state legislator during the 2014 legislative session.[17] The 2014 regular session included a total of 515 votes in the State House and 396 in the State Senate, as well as 1,372 bills introduced total in the legislature and 237 bills passed. Out of all roll call votes, 90 individual legislators did not miss any votes. Three individual legislators missed more than 50 votes.[17] Harris missed 15 votes in a total of 1211 roll calls.
Freedom Foundation
The Freedom Foundation releases its Big Spender List annually. The Institute ranks all Washington legislators based on their total proposed tax and fee increases. To find each legislator’s total, the Institute adds up the 10-year tax increases or decreases, as estimated by Washington’s Office of Financial Management, of all bills sponsored or co-sponsored by that legislator.[18]
2012
Harris proposed a 10-year increase in state taxes and fees of $189.1 million, the 49th highest amount of proposed new taxes and fees of the 93 Washington state representatives on the Freedom Foundation’s 2012 Big Spender List.
- See also: Washington Freedom Foundation Legislative Scorecard (2012)
The Freedom Foundation also issued its 2012 Informed Voter Guide for Washington State voters, including a legislative score card documenting how Washington State legislators voted upon bills the Foundation deemed important legislation. The legislation analyzed covered budget, taxation, and pension issues.[19] A
sign indicates a bill more in line with the Foundation's stated goals, and a
sign indicates a bill out of step with the Foundation's values. Here's how Harris voted on the specific pieces of legislation:
| 2012 House Scorecard - Paul Harris | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill #6636 (Balanced budget requirement) |
Bill #5967 (House Democrats budget) |
Bill #6582 (Local transportation tax increases) |
Bill #6378 (Pension reforms) | ||||||||
| Y | N | N | N | ||||||||
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Harris has lived in District 17 for more than 30 years. He and his wife, Lori, have five children and six grandchildren.
See also
2028 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Washington State Senate District 17 |
Officeholder Washington State Senate District 17 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "General Election Results 2016," accessed December 2, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2016 Candidates Who Have Filed," accessed May 23, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "August 2, 2016 Primary Results," accessed August 25, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2014 Candidates Who Have Filed," accessed May 20, 2014
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "August 5, 2014, Official Primary Results," accessed August 5, 2014
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Official general election results, 2014," accessed December 2, 2014
- ↑ C-SPAN, "AP Election Results - Washington State House of Representatives," accessed August 7, 2012
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2012 Primary Candidates," accessed July 16, 2012
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Elect Harris, "Issues," accessed October 4, 2016
- ↑ Elect Harris, "Issues," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ electharris, "Official Campaign Website," accessed April 16, 2014
- ↑ Mitt Romney for President, "Mitt Romney Announces Support of Washington State Elected Officials and Leaders," February 13, 2012
- ↑ Multi State, "2015 State Legislative Session Dates," accessed July 13, 2015
- ↑ StateScape, "Session schedules," accessed July 23, 2014
- ↑ StateScape, "Session schedules," accessed July 23, 2014
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Washington Policy Center, "2014 Missed Votes Report for Legislators Released," March 18, 2014
- ↑ Freedom Foundation, "2012 Big Spender List," accessed April 16, 2014
- ↑ My Freedom Foundation, "Home," accessed June 18, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lynda Wilson (R) |
Washington State Senate District 17 2025-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Washington House of Representatives District 17-Position 2 2011-2025 |
Succeeded by David Stuebe (R) |
= candidate completed the 