Two candidates with backgrounds in health care are running to succeed Rep. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver, for the 17th Legislative District House Position 2 seat.
Harris is running to succeed Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, who is retiring. Democrat Terri Niles of Vancouver and Republican David Stuebe of Washougal are vying to fill his seat. The 17th District encompasses east Vancouver, Camas, Washougal and Carson.
Niles, 66, is a familiar name in Clark County politics. She regularly speaks at Clark County Council meetings, and she served on the county Charter Review Commission in 2021. Niles, a nurse, has 20 years of experience in intensive care units and five years in nursing administration. She is also a past vice president of AURN, the Oregon Nurses Association bargaining unit at Oregon Health & Science University. Niles lost a 2022 bid for House Position 1 to Rep. Kevin Waters, R-Stevenson.
Stuebe, 63, is the current mayor of Washougal. He was appointed to the Washougal City Council in March 2021 and then elected and named mayor pro tem in November 2021. He was appointed mayor by the city council in September 2022. A retired colonel, Stuebe served in the U.S. Marine Corps — active duty and reserves — for 30 years. He has also worked in the pharmaceutical and health care industries for 20 years, holding leadership and management positions.
The candidates shared their views on the biggest issues facing Southwest Washington during a recent League of Women Voters candidate forum.
Stuebe cited public safety as one of the most crucial issues facing the 17th Legislative District.
“I want to provide a community that’s safe, that’s proud, that takes care of their neighbor, that respects their police officers, that feels comfortable leaving their car in their own driveway at night,” he said. “I just want to make sure that we come together and that those problems are solved.”
He added that he wants to consult with subject matter experts and bring common-sense solutions to Olympia.
Niles, an abortion-rights advocate, named health care as the most crucial issue.
“I’m committed to driving down the cost of prescription drugs so that no one has to make impossible choices about whether to pay their rent or take their medications,” she said. “I also am running to make sure that health care is more accessible and affordable.”
Climate change
Stuebe supports Initiative 2117, which would repeal the Climate Commitment Act. He said he believes that climate change is impacting the district, noting an increase in wildfires.
“We’ve got issues going on, but we’ve got to be smart about it,” he said.
Funding alone won’t fix the problem, he added, if there is no accountability or transparency.
Niles does not support the initiative. She noted that many transportation projects are funded through the Climate Commitment Act, and that infrastructure projects and the environment will suffer if it is repealed.
Regarding transportation, Stuebe noted that he sits on the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council as a voting member.
“There needs to be funding,” he said. “We’re collecting money, but it’s not going to those causes. They’re going to other areas that aren’t providing more solutions. And again, I want to bring people together to say, ‘How do we fix our stuff?’”
Both candidates expressed support for the current effort to replace the Interstate 5 Bridge.
Education
The candidates also addressed child care, education and youth homelessness.
Niles said she wants to increase housing subsidies for low-income families and create an inclusive child care framework.
“We need to offer tax incentives for businesses that provide on-site child care and subsidies for employees’ child care costs,” she said. “The lack of child care is not just a personal struggle. It has a significant effect on our economy with people leaving the workforce.”
Stuebe noted that many child care services are exorbitantly expensive and have excessively long waitlists.
“We need to get rid of all the red tape that’s out there,” he said.
Niles supports enacting a simple majority for passing bonds and levies, and she wants to increase funding for safety resources in schools, such as secure entry points and emergency response plans. She wants mental health support and counseling available at all schools. She also wants to implement policies that let homeless students remain in their schools of origin and ensure that all students have access to reliable transportation.
Stuebe said taking care of schools is “the most important thing” for communities.
“We have to do whatever we can to make sure that our kids are not threatened, that they’re not bullied, that they feel like they can go there, and the parents are feeling comfortable,” he said. “We used to have officers in the school, and we got away from that because of funding. I think we need to bring them back to make sure that students feel safe.”
He said the state needs to provide counselors for homeless youth to “make sure that they get the education they deserve.”
Both candidates expressed a desire to combat hyper-partisanship and a need for more collaboration. However, Niles criticized Stuebe for endorsing 3rd Congressional District candidate Joe Kent, a Republican.
“My opponent publicly endorsed one of the most divisive and extreme candidates in the country,” she said. “We need a leader that can stand up to extremism and bring us together.”
Stuebe held firm that he is committed to just that.
“I want to bring people together and make solutions,” he said. “I don’t care which side you’re on.”
If elected, Stuebe intends to remain mayor of Washougal.
