Sullivan faces three challengers in District 47 House race

Three Republican candidates are taking on Democratic incumbent Pat Sullivan for a District 47 House seat in the Legislature.

King County Elections mailed ballots July 15 for the Aug. 4 primary election. The two candidates with the most votes advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

The Republican candidates for District 47, Position 1, are Ted Cooke, of Covington; Peter Thompson Jr., of Kent; and Joseph Cimaomo Jr., of Covington. Sullivan also lives in Covington. The 47th Legislative District covers parts of Kent, Covington and Auburn.

Sullivan defeated Cooke in the 2018 election with 63 percent of the vote. Sullivan announced in May he was back in his race for reelection after saying in March he planned to retire after 16 years in office when his term expires in January.

But when Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, asked Sullivan to run again because of the budget problems caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, Sullivan said he decided to jump back in. Sullivan has been the House Majority leader since 2010.

Cooke ran in 2018 against Sullivan, who won with 63 percent of the vote. Cimaomo has been a member of the Covington City Council since 2013. Thompson is making his first run for public office.

In the other District 47 race, House incumbent Debra Entenman, D-Kent, faces challenger Kyle Lyebyedyev, a Republican, of Covington. Entenman beat Republican incumbent Mark Hargrove, of Covington, in the 2018 election. Lyebyedyev is a King County Republican Party Region 8 executive board member. Each will advance to the general election.

In District 33, House incumbent Mia Su-Ling Gregerson, D-SeaTac, faces challenger Marliza Melzer, a Libertarian, of Seattle. House incumbent Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, is running unopposed. The 33rd Legislative District includes parts of Kent, Renton, Des Moines, SeaTac and Burien.