Juan Garcia

Juan Garcia's career experience includes working as a correctional officer.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm Juan Garcia, but everyone calls me Jerry. I'm a working class Corrections Officer from Othello, WA. I'm running for Washington State House Representative of Legislative District 13, Position 1. I was born in this economically overlooked area, so I know its hardships firsthand: the long drive for a medical appointment, the choice between supporting local businesses or paying nearly double what Corporation-Mart charges, a lack of opportunities for a job, a ride, and a fair price. This has lit a fire of passion and fight within me to not just advocate, but to be the change and support our District so desperately needs. My experience within the Agricultural Fields, Wildlife Conservation, Fast Food, Retail, Factory, Landlording, and Corrections have led me to be ready to go from a Blue Collar to a White Collar line of work.

'Born & raised in this area, I have been employed in the fields, factories, and law enforcement. I have also been a landlord, a local customer, community volunteer and organizer. We have all watched how Olympia treats symptoms instead of causes. I am running to work on cures, not band-aids. How does one gauge integrity? I will accept no corporate PAC money. I intend to prioritize health for Washingtonians, union rights, farmworker protections, water rights, and fix our regressive tax system. Families deserve homes they can not just afford, but also maintain and improve.' -2026 Voter's Pamphlet

Thank you for your time!

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Affordability. I like to think of this key message as "Who are we?" to highlight our current situation, which is that we are the second most tax regressive State. Of the many ways to tackle this broad concept of Affordability I will touch upon dynamic pricing, amend RCW 35 regarding rent control for cities and towns, & advocate for Universal Healthcare, among many other paths for Washington residents. I've seen and experienced the disparities of earnings, Leave, and Scheduling from different work environments. Respectfully, at this point in time, money buys freedom, and people deserve to afford the decency of financial freedom.People over Party! This key message is a question! "What are we doing?" towards the Democratic "Establishment," the comfortable people who count on you in November, and forget by January.

"Vote blue, but it matters who." Democrats are not always the solution. Sometimes we are the problem, and pretending otherwise is how we got here. If we want to find the answer, we cannot walk with blind party loyalty, let alone anyone who accepts Corporate PAC money. Recently, I was 1 of 75 who pushed an Urgent Resolution to condemn the DNC for disregarding Ranked Choice Voting. I'm not here to fight the party, I'm here to fight the "Establishment" that led us to this point.Smart Public Investments is my way of asking "Where do we want to go?" The US Constitution outlines the purpose of government in 6 ways. Form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide common defense, promote general welfare, & secure the blessings of liberty. I want our State to go towards long term infrastructure that pays off for decades. To invest into water projects our farmers were promised generations ago, protecting our power and water from data centers that drain both without paying their due, investing in wildfire prevention before our towns burn, and amending the funding of our schools to help local School Boards not need Levies, which directly affect the most vulnerable.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I treat health care as a cost problem, not a slogan, which is why I back a Whole Washington style universal plan that covers everybody and stops rationing care by paycheck. As a Corrections Officer, I want to amend our firearm sentence enhancements, the mandatory extra years that stack on top and leave judges no room to judge, because I've walked next to what that does and what it costs us. I'm passionate about Ranked Choice Voting, so your vote is never wasted , and big money doesn't decide everything for you. I also want to ensure our state is a sanctuary state; that workers are protected.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

To be honest, I started this journey because of Bernie Sanders.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Grant County Democrats