Damion Jiles, a resident of Ridgefield and former candidate for school board, has announced that he will run for the House seat currently held by state Rep. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver.
“I’m running because I want to see change in the district,” said Jiles, who is running as a Democrat.
Jiles, 42, said he wants to see more action taken on transportation infrastructure, particularly with the congested Interstate 5 Bridge. Describing the I-5 Bridge as being of vital importance to business, he said he would like to see the bridge replaced. But he added that he’s also supportive of building new bridges across the Columbia River.
“I’m willing to take a commonsense approach to whatever the answer has to be,” he said, adding that there are multiple solutions to the problem.
Last year, the Legislature responded to a court mandate to fund basic education by approving a funding package that relied on a spike in property taxes. Jiles said that the court order should have never been an issue to begin with and that the state should have been upholding its constitutional obligation to fund basic education. However, he said that with the funding mechanism in place, the state is “headed down the right path.”
He also added that he would like to see students offered trade apprenticeships as career pathways.
In a follow-up email about the recently concluded legislative session, Jiles called the passage of the Washington Voting Rights Act, which is intended to improve minority representation in government among other aims, a “great success” that will help boost turnout. He said he was a proponent of the Breakfast After the Bell bill, which seeks to improve access to nutritional programs in schools.
He supported the Legislature’s bill intended to protect net neutrality in the state. He also praised the Washington Fair Chance Act, which will require private-sector employers to delay background checks on prospective employees until they’ve had a chance to present their qualification.
Jiles said the bill will help previously incarcerated people reenter society while lowering recidivism.
A native of Houston, Jiles served 12 years in the U.S. Army, retiring as a sergeant. He said his time in the service brought him to Washington, where he met his current partner.
The couple ended up settling in Ridgefield and have three children.
He works as a manager for an advertising sales company and is finishing up a bachelor’s degree in political science through an online program.
Last year, he unsuccessfully ran for the Ridgefield School District Board of Directors.
He also coaches youth basketball, is working on the city of Ridgefield’s upcoming Multicultural Festival and is involved with the Ridgefield Community Group, a local organizing group.\
