Todd Buckley

Todd Buckley (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Washington's 10th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on August 4, 2020.

Buckley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Buckley was born in Wenatchee, Washington. He earned a bachelor's degree from Pacific Lutheran University in 1995. His career experience includes working for Kitsap County. He is also certified as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and is Prosci Certified in Change Management.

Elections

2020

See also: Washington's 10th Congressional District election, 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House Washington District 10

Marilyn Strickland defeated Beth Doglio in the general election for U.S. House Washington District 10 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Marilyn Strickland (D)	49.3	167,937
		Beth Doglio (D)	35.6	121,040
		Other/Write-in votes	15.1	51,430

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 340,407
= 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

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House Washington District 10

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House Washington District 10 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Marilyn Strickland (D)	20.3	45,988
✔		Beth Doglio (D)	15.2	34,254
		Kristine Reeves (D)	12.9	29,236
		Rian Ingrim (R)	11.4	25,688
		Jackson Maynard (R)	8.2	18,526
		Dean Johnson (R)	7.4	16,700
		Nancy Slotnick (R)	6.7	15,201
		Don Hewett (R)	4.8	10,750
		Phil Gardner (D)	2.3	5,292
		Ryan Tate (R)	1.9	4,196
		Mary Bacon (D)	1.8	3,992
		Todd Buckley (Independent)	1.6	3,552
		Eric LeMay (D)	1.4	3,072
		Joshua Collins (Essential Workers Party)	1.2	2,667
		Richard Boyce (Congress Sucks Party)	1.0	2,302
	Submit photo	Ralph Johnson (R)	0.6	1,441
	Submit photo	Gordon Allen Pross (R)	0.5	1,186
	Submit photo	Sam Wright (D)	0.5	1,129
	Submit photo	Randy Bell (D)	0.2	563
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	267

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 226,002
= 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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Dan Gordon (R)

Candidate profile

Todd Buckley

Party: Independent

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "Ask yourself, at the end of this election, what kind of representation can you expect from a candidate who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from special interests? Will it be corporate dollars, or you? I am running to represent people like YOU and me in OUR 10th District as I'm more like you; Independent in thought and independent in spirit. Todd graduated from Pacific Lutheran University and was an All-American Swimmer. He has worked at Intel, Microsoft, the craft distillery industry, and county government. He has a LEAN Six Sigma Black Belt from the University of Washington and is Prosci-Certified in Change Management. He enjoys the culinary arts, data visualization, and discovering new music. Todd Buckley will represent you using the ideals of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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At this point in time we need a representative that is independent from the two-party system.

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We need a representative that is focused on a post-COVID-19 economy.

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We need a representative that will listen and act on the hopes, dreams, and desires of the people in the 10th District.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Washington District 10 in 2020.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Todd Buckley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Buckley's responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Ask yourself, at the end of this election, what kind of representation can you expect from a candidate who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from special interests?

Will it be corporate dollars, or you? I am running to represent people like YOU and me in OUR 10th District as I'm more like you; Independent in thought and independent in spirit.

Todd graduated from Pacific Lutheran University and was an All-American Swimmer. He has worked at Intel, Microsoft, the craft distillery industry, and county government. He has a LEAN Six Sigma Black Belt from the University of Washington and is Prosci-Certified in Change Management. He enjoys the culinary arts, data visualization, and discovering new music.

Todd Buckley will represent you using the ideals of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• At this point in time we need a representative that is independent from the two-party system.

• We need a representative that is focused on a post-COVID-19 economy.

• We need a representative that will listen and act on the hopes, dreams, and desires of the people in the 10th District.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Post COVID-19 Economy: To make our system better, we will need independent thinking that transcends bipartisan politics. We will need mutually agreed goals followed by principled compromise.

Our Environment: The Pacific Northwest is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. We are blessed and fortunate to live in a place rich in natural resources and beauty. As an independent, I am not taking corporate money and will not be pressured to support policies that hurt the environment chasing short-term profits.

Healthcare: Few other things touch us all. At some point, we will all get sick, or see a loved one suffer from illness. The American healthcare system is our greatest opportunity to make life better for all Americans. As a practitioner in Change Management and a Six Sigma Black Belt, I am best suited to get positive results.

Quality of Life: My focus is on legislation that will deliver us all a chance to be better; As your representative, I will focus on the things that make our lives better; Physical health, family, education, employment, wealth, safety, security, freedom, religious beliefs, and the environment.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

There are so many inspirational figures throughout history that have inspired me. It would be difficult to pick just a few, but I would say, Marcus Aurelius, Buckminster Fuller, W. E. B. Du Bois, Jimi Hendrix, my swim coaches, and my mother and Great Uncle.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The books, movies, films, etc... Viewing almost anything with a political lens could inspire insight from George Lucas' Star Wars to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. Overall, my political philosophy is based upon The United States Declaration of Independence; Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. If our government and public servants don't have that in mind when they are making laws and policies for their constituents then they are not doing the best job possible, in my opinion.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity. Integrity. Integrity.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am pragmatic, data-driven, and yet compassionate and flexible. I have two ears and one mouth. I use them in that ratio; Listening twice as much as speaking. I have friends from different ideological viewpoints and I always have the goal of focusing on what we can agree on and reaching a consensus that benefits us both. We need that in politics more than ever.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; be faithful to my oath; listen to the people of the 10th and then work for their hopes, dreams, and desires.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Making the world a better place than it was when I arrived here.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Some may find this hard to believe, but the first event I remember was the 1974 Burlington Northern tank-car explosion. I was only two when it happened but the loudness and feeling and seeing everything shake around me was an ingrained memory. After that, I would say watching the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. I was around 14-years-old. That was probably the first time I began to process what tragedy truly was.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I grew up on an Apple Orchard in East Wenatchee, Washington. My first job was tending to our family orchard. My Great Uncle and I would get up at 4:30 AM to set out the irrigation lines for the day. I did that as a child until I went to college at the age of 18. At the time, I resented that work, but now I look back at it as one of the most powerful character-building experiences in my life. Taking care of the land and watching something grow is incredibly insightful and applicable to everything we do in life; from relationships to careers.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Autobiography of Malcolm X. It is a tale of how society's expectations impact us and how one man transcended that. It is a story of a man gaining the self-realization that he could be so much more than what was expected of him. Also, Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach illustrates many of the same sentiments.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Peter Parker. I always had a natural affinity for him.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Jason Isbell - Children of Children

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have had a blessed life. Any struggle, ultimately, has been a gift that challenged me to rise to my potential.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

We must have a scientific-based methodology that ensures fairness and will not allow Gerrymandering. The public should have a direct say in how the district is mapped as well.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The Constitution focuses on Congress because it is such a powerful part of our system. As a representative, I can make laws, vote to go to war, raise public money and ensure it is prudently spent, impeach and try federal officers, approve presidential appointments, approve treaties negotiated by the executive branch, and finally oversight and investigations to root out corruption. That is a pretty unique set of attributes that I would honorably carry.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe we always need good people, whether they be from inside the system or outside the system. What is most important is having people with an honest character, that have empathy and listen, and have decision-making skills that can be utilized for the people they represent.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Manufactured controversy is the great threat to our Democracy. Since the advent of opinion shows, Americans no longer get news in a fashion that they can determine and interpret for themselves, but instead are delivered with an opinionated filter that frames current issues. As technology advances with Deepfakes and data is manipulated more and more conspiracy theories can flourish. It will be required that people are trained to understand and know the difference and have tools and techniques to combat nefarious actions.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Having grown up on an apple orchard I would say Agriculture is near and dear to me. I also believe Small Business is the lifeblood of our economy. And the House Education and Labor Committee would be a place that could tie agriculture and small business together. As a freshman, I would be honored to serve on any of those three committees.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes. That gives me 104 weeks to execute the people's business. If I perform well then I have the hope of being re-elected for another 104 weeks.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Mark Twain might have said it best, "Politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often, and for the same reasons."

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

I am uncertain how partisanship would affect me. I will report back once I am elected and have experienced what it is like being a representative.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

John Adams.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I have not had the honor to read any stories, but I know if I am elected, I will always approach my constituents from a place of humility, empathy, and an action-based solution.

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.

See also

2020 Elections

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Government

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Footnotes

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Washington's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Maria Cantwell (D)

Patty Murray (D)

Representatives

District 1

Suzan DelBene (D)

District 2

Rick Larsen (D)

District 3

Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez (D)

District 4

Dan Newhouse (R)

District 5

Michael Baumgartner (R)

District 6

Emily Randall (D)

District 7

Pramila Jayapal (D)

District 8

Kim Schrier (D)

District 9

D. Adam Smith (D)

District 10

Marilyn Strickland (D)

Democratic Party (10)

Republican Party (2)