Kauffman vs. Soltys showdown tops local legislative races

Published 1:42 pm Monday, May 11, 2026

A November general ballot election showdown for the 47th Legislative District Senate seat between incumbent Claudia Kauffman, D-Kent, and challenger Kristina Soltys, R-Covington, looms as one of top state races this year in the Kent area.

Candidate filing week wrapped up May 8 for the 47th and 33rd legislative districts. The 47th District includes parts of Kent, Auburn and all of Covington. The 33rd District includes parts of Kent, Renton, Burien and Tukwila and all of Des Moines, SeaTac and Normandy Park.

Kauffman seeks reeelection to a second consecutive four-year term. She defeated Kent Republican Bill Boyce in 2022.

“Serving the people of the 47th District has been the honor of my life,” Kauffman said in announcing her campaign. “We have accomplished so much together, but there is more work to do. I am running for reelection to keep fighting for families, improve safety on our roads, make housing more affordable, and invest in the future of South King County.”

Soltys, a Covington City Council member, decided to pursue state office.

“This filing is the formal start of a fight I have been having every single day at the council table for six years,” Soltys said in a press release. “Families across the 47th have been patient long enough. They deserve a senator who knows their roads, their schools, and their neighborhoods, and who has actually been doing the work.”

State Sen. Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, is running unopposed in the 33rd District. Orwall ran unopposed in a special general election in 2025 after the King County Council appointed her in December 2024 to replace longtime Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, who retired. Orwall served 15 years as a state representative prior to replacing Keiser.

Races with more than two candidates will be on the Aug. 4 primary ballot. The two candidates with the most votes will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

Other legislative races

33rd District, Position No. 1

Incumbent Edwin Obras, D-SeaTac, will be challenged by Des Moines Republican Chris Martinez and Kent Republican Darryl Jones.

Voters elected Obras over Kevin Schilling, D-Burien, in a special election in November 2025 to finish out the term of Orwall, who moved to state senator from state representative. Jones ran in the August 2025 special primary to replace Orwall but finished third to Obras and Schilling and didn’t advance to the general election. Martinez is a political newcomer.

33rd District, Position No. 2

Incumbent Mia Su-Ling Gregerson, D-SeaTac, faces challenges from SeaTac Republican Yuri Marinchik and Burien Democrat Alex Andrade.

Gregerson has held the position for 13 years. She defeated Casey Esmond, who had no preferred party, with 71% of the vote in 2024. Marinchik is a political newcomer. Andrade is a Burien City Council member.

47th District, Position No. 1

Incumbent Debra Entenman, D-Kent, faces three challengers in Logan Evans and Jasnoor Kaur Hans and Libertarian Cobi Clark.

Voters first elected Entenman in 2018 when she defeated incumbent Mark Hargrove, R-Covington. She defeated Republican Kyle Lyebyedyev in 2024 with 56% of the vote. Evans lost in a Kent City Council primary in August 2025. He is a member of the Cascade Democrat Party. Clark lost a Auburn City Council race against Lisa Stirgus in November 2025. Hans is a political newcomer and a Democrat.

47th District, Position No. 2

Incumbent Chris Stearns, D-Auburn, has one challenger in Covington Republican Ted Cooke, a rematch of the 2024 election.

Voters elected Stearns in 2022 over fellow Demcrat Shukri Olow. Voters reelected Stearns in 2024 over Cooke with 55% of the vote. Cooke lost to Stearns and Olow in the 2022 primary. Cooke also lost to incumbent Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, in 2020 and 2018 for the same 47th District seat.