Republican Brad Benton and Democrat Adrián Cortés defend the attacks in the race for District 18

Two candidates with strongly opposing views are fighting for the District 18 state Senate seat long held by Republican Ann Rivers after new boundaries made the district a wild card in this election.

Republican Brad Benton, son of former state Sen. Don Benton who was later appointed by Donald Trump, faces Democrat Adrian Cortés, a Camas High School special education teacher, Battle Ground City Council member and former Battle Mayor Ground.

The campaigns have been plagued by attack ads, some paid for by the campaigns and others by political action committees.

Both candidates have previously run unsuccessful campaigns in the district, which now includes parts of Vancouver, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, La Center and unincorporated Clark County.

Although they disagree on many issues (including reproductive rights, transportation, and taxes), they are both concerned about the rising cost of living.

Adrian Cortes

Cortes, 48, grew up in a conservative Hispanic household in Battle Ground, which inspired him to run for the District 18 House seat as a Republican in 2012.

Cortes said he reconsidered his political alliances after a high-ranking Republican told him during his race that the 18th District was not ready for “someone with a weird last name.”

“I will never forget it. “I was completely shocked,” he said. “I thought, ‘This is not the party for me.’”

Cortes became a Battle Ground councilman in 2012 and served as mayor from 2020 to 2021, during which time he passed an income tax ban, cut taxes on public services and managed a budget during the pandemic.

He was also the subject of protests outside his home and at his daughter’s soccer game for resisting a “medical freedom” ordinance that would have banned vaccination mandates for city employees, he said.

“That prepared me for the very vile and harsh smear campaigns they run when you run for a state seat,” he said.

Cortés wants to serve on the Senate’s Local Government, Land Use and Tribal Affairs committees if elected.

He said he would prioritize education and hopes to propose a constitutional amendment that would allow communities to approve school bonds by a simple majority instead of a 60 percent supermajority.

Access to affordable child care, reducing the cost of living by reducing taxes and protecting reproductive health care are also priorities, she said.

Although housing affordability is one of the priorities listed on his website, Cortés said he would not support a statewide rent stabilization bill if elected. Last session, efforts to pass bills limiting rent increases in Washington to 15 percent or less made national headlines. However, those efforts failed in the Senate.

Cortes said the state should allow reasonable rent increases if landlords can demonstrate they have been affected by rising costs. But he is aware that excessive rent increases are a problem.

“I think we need to put the brakes on and pass smart rent stabilization and targeted rent stabilization, not just blanket rent stabilization,” he said.

Cortés supports the project to replace the Interstate 5 bridge, but believes tolls should be the last consideration and the least contributor to the financing of the new span. There should be a program to subsidize tolls for low-income households, he said.

Cortes, former C-Tran board chairman, supports a bus rapid transit system on the new bridge instead of light rail, which would be more expensive, he said.

As of Friday, Cortés had raised $423,272 and spent $320,284, according to the Public Disclosure Commission.

Cortés is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, the Washington State Building Trades Council, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, and eight former and current Washington legislators .

Brad Benton

Benton, 29, grew up in Brush Prairie, also in a conservative home. His Republican father represented the 17th Legislative District in the Washington Senate from 1997 to 2017 before Trump appointed him director of the Selective Service System.

Brad Benton’s opponents criticize his lack of political experience, although he previously worked as an intern for U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican from Washington’s 5th Congressional District.

“Everyone has to start somewhere,” he said.

He began his career as an auditor for Moss Adams, a public accounting firm, and now works in sales at UniFirst in Portland, which supplies uniforms, workwear and facilities services.

Benton ran for state representative in District 18 in 2022, but lost to Republican Greg Cheney, whom Benton edged out in the current Senate race in the August primary.

Benton criticizes unnecessary government spending. His campaign has focused on his promise to never vote for a new tax or raise taxes.

Washington’s budget has nearly doubled in the last decade, leading Benton to believe there is room for cuts. He pointed to the $3.98 billion project to electrify Washington State Ferries’ fleet by 2040.

“I don’t think it’s a good or effective use of taxpayer money,” he said.

In Washington, passing a budget requires only a simple majority vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate, both currently controlled by Democrats.

Benton said he supports adequate funding for law enforcement while holding officers accountable.

If elected, he wants to serve on the Senate Transportation Committee. He is against replacing the I-5 bridge, which would be detrimental to Southwest Washington for the next 10 to 15 years because it would limit the bridge’s capacity, he said. He advocates the construction of a third bridge.

Benton is also against tolls and light rail, which he says would become a “one-way superhighway for the homeless” and would be too expensive.

Benton’s father, who is He is credited with helping to kill the I-5 bridge replacement project in 2013, largely shares the same views. Benton said the attack ads against his campaign referenced his father’s voting record.

“My dad has been out of Washington state politics,” he said. “He hasn’t been in the Legislature for eight years, so there’s no reason to drag him into this and put him in nasty TV commercials. “This is about me.”

Benton has saying One of the main differences between him and Cortés is that he is “100 percent pro-life.” He is undecided whether he would support a statewide abortion ban, he said.

As of Friday, Benton had raised $154,626 and spent $64,117.

Benton is endorsed by the Vancouver Police Officers Guild, the Washington Police and Sheriffs Council, the Clark County Deputy Sheriff’s Guild, four Battle Ground city councilors and Stephanie McClintock, state representative for District 18 .

Election day is November 5. For information about the ballot drop box, visit clark.wa.gov/elections.