Gabe Galbraith

I think AI is going to be a huge part of our future, and Washington should absolutely be a place where innovation can happen. But that doesn’t mean communities should be expected to write a blank check for it.

My biggest concern with data centers is their impact on the people who already live here. What happens to our power rates? How much water will they use? What infrastructure will be needed? Who pays for it? Those questions need honest answers before projects move forward.

I support local control and full transparency. Local residents should have a meaningful voice, and there shouldn’t be backroom deals between government and large corporations.

We also need to increase reliable energy production, including looking seriously at advanced nuclear technology, if we’re going to meet growing demand without driving up costs for families.

My position comes from looking at resource demands, infrastructure needs, utility impacts, security concerns, and listening to the communities that will actually live with these decisions.

KEYWORDS: Local Control • Transparency • Innovation

I believe we can protect our environment without making it harder for families, farmers, and businesses to survive.

For me, environmental stewardship means taking care of what we have and actually getting results. I’d prioritize clean and reliable water, healthier forests, wildfire prevention, responsible wildlife management, and projects that protect our agricultural and natural resources.

I also think we need to listen to the people closest to these issues. Farmers, ranchers, foresters, tribes, sportsmen, conservation groups, and local communities often understand what’s happening on the ground better than someone sitting behind a desk in Olympia.

When we’re spending taxpayer dollars, there should be measurable goals. Did the project improve water quality? Reduce wildfire risk? Restore habitat? Solve an actual problem?

Protecting Washington’s natural resources matters to me. I just believe we should do it through good science, local input, common sense, and accountability—not one-size-fits-all mandates.

KEYWORDS: Stewardship • Local Input • Accountability

Serving on a school board has reinforced something I believe strongly: our job is to teach kids how to think, not what to think.

Science education should give students a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering, technology, and the scientific method. Just as importantly, students should learn how to ask questions, evaluate evidence, challenge assumptions, and come to their own conclusions.

I’d also like to see much more hands-on learning. Science doesn’t have to live in a textbook. Agriculture, engineering, computer science, manufacturing, health sciences, and other career and technical programs can connect what students learn in the classroom with real jobs in their community.

Parents should also know what their children are being taught, and local school boards should have a meaningful role in education.

If we want better science literacy, let’s get kids excited about discovering how the world works rather than turning science classrooms into political classrooms.

KEYWORDS: Critical Thinking • Hands-On Learning • Local Control

Living in Eastern Washington, wildfire isn’t an abstract issue. We see the smoke, evacuations, property damage, and devastation that fires can bring.

I believe we need to spend more time preventing catastrophic fires instead of simply spending more money fighting them after they’ve started.

That means actively managing our forests: thinning overcrowded areas, removing dead and diseased material, maintaining firebreaks and access roads, and responsibly using prescribed burns when appropriate.

We also need better cooperation between state, federal, tribal, county, and private landowners. A fire doesn’t care which government agency owns the land.

Healthy forests require active management. Allowing dangerous fuel loads to build year after year isn’t good for our communities, wildlife, watersheds, or air quality.

I’d rather invest taxpayer dollars in prevention and forest health today than spend far more responding to another catastrophic fire tomorrow.

KEYWORDS: Prevention • Forest Health • Cooperation

Agriculture isn’t just another industry in our part of Washington. It’s part of who we are, and I think Olympia sometimes forgets that.

I have serious concerns with the Climate Commitment Act because families, farmers, and businesses ultimately feel those increased costs. Farmers already operate on tight margins, and increasing fuel, transportation, and operating costs eventually affects everybody at the grocery store.

I believe we can protect our environment without putting Washington agriculture at a competitive disadvantage.

I’d protect legitimate agricultural fuel exemptions, invest in water and irrigation infrastructure, support voluntary conservation programs and new technology, and reduce unnecessary regulations that increase costs without producing meaningful environmental benefits.

Most importantly, I’d actually bring farmers into the conversation before policies affecting them are written.

Farmers depend on healthy soil, clean water, and productive land for their livelihoods. They aren’t the enemy of environmental stewardship—they’re some of our most important partners.

KEYWORDS: Farmers • Affordability • Stewardship