Tanisha Harris, a child advocate and a familiar face on the local political scene, has announced that she’s running for state Legislature.
Harris, a Democrat, will challenge state Rep. Vicki Kraft, a Vancouver Republican who is in her first term representing the 17th Legislative District.
“I just felt that our (legislative district) can have better representation, and we need someone who shares our middle and working-class values,” Harris said on why she’s running.
Harris said she took issue with Kraft’s vote against a recent bill concerning mental health (Harris didn’t have the specifics at the time). She also faulted Kraft for voting against a bill that would have barred landlords from refusing to rent to people who receive federal housing subsidies.
Kraft has offered legislation to look at the possibility of adding a third bridge between Oregon and Southwest Washington. Most of Clark County’s legislative delegation is focused on restarting talks with Oregon to replace the aging Interstate 5 Bridge, which is often congested. Harris said she wants more transportation options for the bridge. She said she’s not opposed to light rail, but she’s not insistent on it either.
“I am in full support of the I-5 Bridge, and I don’t think now is the time to be focusing on a third bridge,” said Harris. “I think it’s a waste of taxpayer time and money to be focused on that when I-5 is our main focus.”
The 41-year-old was born and raised in Vancouver and is a lifelong resident of Clark County. Harris spent a decade working with the Evergreen School District. She now works as a Court Appointed Special Advocate program specialist with the YWCA Clark County, where she advocates for children in the foster care system and dependency court.
In 2016, she narrowly lost her race for Clark County Council by about a thousand votes to Councilor John Blom. She had announced her candidacy for the seat Kraft now holds but then shifted to run for the county position. Last year, she announced plans to run for the Vancouver City Council but later bowed out of the race.
The 17th Legislative District she seeks to represent is similar to the council district where she lost to Blom. The district includes east Vancouver and Brush Prairie, as well as parts of Hockinson, Battle Ground and Ridgefield. This time, she said, she will increase her campaign’s ground game and has a better fund-raising strategy.
James Tolson, an anti-poverty activist, is also running for the position as a Democrat.
Harris has been endorsed by former Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard, Clark County Prosecutor Tony Golik, Battle Ground Mayor Mike Dalesandro, state Rep. Monica Stonier, Vancouver Port Commissioner Don Orange and Evergreen School Board Directors Victoria Bradford, Julie Bocanegra and Ginny Gronwoldt.
