Michelle Bennett

Michelle Bennett earned a bachelor's degree from Central Washington University in 1996, an M.S. from Central Washington University in 1999, and an Ed.D. from Seattle Pacific University in 2008. Bennett's career experience includes working in law enforcement.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a veteran law enforcement leader, educator, and mother of four, I am running for State Representative in Washington’s

5th Legislative District, House Position 1.

I bring 36 years of public service experience, including a long career with the King County Sheriff’s Office, where I served from 1990 to 2021 in patrol, investigations, school safety, community policing, administration, operations, and strategic planning roles. I retired as a Major in charge of Strategic Planning and Coordination, and later in my career served as police chief for multiple Washington communities, including Maple Valley, Sammamish, Edmonds, and currently Mercer Island, with 18 years serving as a police chief in total. I have also been on the Washington State Police Chief and the Sheriff's Executive Board as a legislative committee member. I am a longtime educator and trainer, and have taught anti-bullying and cyber-bullying classes for workplaces, colleges, government organizations, schools, and parents. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Law and Justice, a master’s degree in Psychology, Organizational Development and Behavior, and a doctorate in Education with

an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction. I am a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and the FBI National Academy. I want to restore fiscal responsibility, protect public safety, support families and small businesses, strengthen schools, and bring common sense back to Olympia.

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?

Public Safety:

I am a practical conservative focused on safer communities, lower costs, strong schools, fiscalresponsibility, and restoring balance in Olympia. My background is in public safety, so I look at policy through a practical lens: does it make families safer,

does it support law enforcement, and does it protect victims? Public safety should not be a partisan issue.

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood, at school, at work, and in their community.Affordability and Taxes: The cost of living is overwhelming families right now. Property taxes, energy costs, groceries, gas, insurance -

people are getting squeezed from every direction. Olympia needs someone who will ask whether another tax, fee, or mandate is actually affordable for working families. I am not anti-government. I am anti-waste, anti-overreach, and anti-making life more expensive for families who are already stretched thin.Balance in Olympia:

You do not have to agree with me on every issue to agree that one-party control in Olympia needs more

balance. I will bring a practical voice, ask tough questions, and make sure the 5th District is represented - not

just the party line. This race is about balance, not party labels. Healthy government needs checks and balances. Right now, too many decisions are made without enough scrutiny over cost, consequences, or local impact.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about public safety, having spent 36 years so far in law enforcement. I want my children to feel safe walking down any street, at any location, and at any time. Public safety is a core function of government. I am also passionate about our education system: Every child deserves a strong education, safe classrooms, high expectations, and pathways that prepare them for real life - whether that means college, trades, apprenticeships, military service, or going straight into the workforce. Parents should be treated as partners, not obstacles.

Parents deserve transparency, students deserve high standards, and teachers deserve support in the

classroom.

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

My father: Dr. Thomas J. Bennett

He embraced his life and children, he found the good in everybody, and found a way to take any situation and make it fun.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Leadership, Courage, Integrity

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Serving my district,

Ensuring public safety and public confidence.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Serving with Honor, Courage, and Integrity

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Working at a Fast Food Restaurant for two years.

Working with my Uncle at an auto trader magazine over the summer.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Taking on too much!

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

A relationship devoid of ego and political theater. A relationship focused on accountability and transparency. A relationship focused on what is best for the population, not a singular party or political ideation.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Budget

Taxes

Spending

Partisan Politics

Political Theater

Polarization of Red and Blue coupled with biased journalism on both sides.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

I would call it negotiation, and yes, we will all need to work together and sometimes cross the aisle to have deep and meaningful discussions about important policy matters.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

King County GOP

King County Police Officers Guild

Hon. Dave Reichert

Hon. Sam Reed

KC Councilman Reagan Dunn

Former State Rep. Chad Magandangez

Current State Legislator Brian Burnett

Enumclaw Mayor Anthony Wright

Black Diamond Mayor John Adler

Maple Valley Council members

-Diedem Pierson

-Les Burberry

-Syd Dawson

Sammamish Council member Michael Boyer

and several other individuals in L.D..5

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

Mt. St. Helens Eruption,

The attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan.