Ira McBee

Artificial intelligence is one of the most significant technologies of our time, and Washington has a real opportunity to lead in both innovation and responsible governance. I support policies that encourage AI research, entrepreneurship, and high-paying jobs while protecting privacy, intellectual property, public safety, and critical infrastructure.

Data centers are an important part of that future, but growth should pay its own way. Utilities in Grant, Douglas, and Chelan counties have already flagged rising demand from server farms, and ratepayers deserve to know how those costs are allocated before bills rise further. I support transparent, publicly disclosed agreements between utilities and data center operators so communities can understand the costs, benefits, and tradeoffs before approving new capacity. Infrastructure costs should be borne by those creating the demand, not shifted onto residential ratepayers.

Evidence should guide these decisions, but evidence alone doesn’t determine public policy. Legislators must also weigh constitutional rights, economic tradeoffs, and the long-term interests of Washington families. My approach is simple: welcome innovation, protect taxpayers, and insist that accountability keeps pace with technological change.

My views are informed by reporting on Washington’s data center growth, utility filings, and conversations with business leaders and constituents, along with a commitment to evidence-based policymaking.

KEYWORDS: innovation, accountability, evidence

Washington has a responsibility to be a good steward of its natural resources, and stewardship requires accountability. My priority is funding projects that address clear environmental needs, produce measurable results, and make responsible use of taxpayer dollars.

I would prioritize research and projects that improve water quality, reduce wildfire risk through better forest management, strengthen salmon habitat where outcomes can be measured, improve the resilience of critical infrastructure to natural hazards, and encourage clean technology innovation that can compete on its merits while creating long-term economic opportunities for Washington.

Good stewardship means listening to the best available evidence, wherever it comes from—scientific research, independent performance data, local land managers, and tribal nations, whose generations of experience with practices such as cultural burning have helped shape healthy landscapes in the Pacific Northwest.

Evidence should guide these decisions, but it isn’t the only consideration. Legislators must also weigh constitutional rights, economic impacts, and the long-term interests of Washington families. I’d rather fund fewer projects well and prove they work than fund many and hope.

KEYWORDS: stewardship, accountability, evidence

Science literacy is about more than memorizing facts. It’s about learning how to ask good questions, evaluate evidence, understand uncertainty, and change your mind when better evidence emerges. Those skills matter whether a student becomes a scientist, an electrician, a nurse, an entrepreneur, or simply an informed citizen.

My approach starts with the same principle I bring to every issue: evidence over assumption. Before adding new standards, I’d want to know what’s actually working in our classrooms today. Are students able to evaluate a claim, understand a data set, and recognize the difference between correlation and causation? I’d rather strengthen those foundational skills than simply add more material to cover.

I’d also like to see science education connect more directly to the real world through hands-on learning and partnerships with universities, research institutions, and local industries. If we’re investing in science education, we should measure whether students are gaining real understanding, not simply checking boxes. The goal is to help students learn how to think critically, not just what to think.

KEYWORDS: critical thinking, evidence

Washington cannot treat wildfire primarily as an emergency-response problem. By the time a major fire is burning, many of the most important decisions should already have been made.

I support sustained investment in forest thinning, hazardous fuel removal, prescribed burning, defensible-space programs around vulnerable communities, and reliable staffing for early detection and rapid response.

I also believe Washington should partner more closely with tribal nations. Indigenous communities have stewarded these landscapes for generations through practices such as cultural burning to reduce fuel loads and lower the risk of catastrophic wildfire. That knowledge belongs in the conversation alongside foresters, firefighters, researchers, and local land managers—not apart from it. Good stewardship means listening to the best available evidence, wherever it comes from.

Finally, I’d expect real accountability for wildfire funding by tracking whether prevention dollars are producing measurable results, not just appropriations that sound good on paper. My goal is to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk before disaster strikes rather than simply become better at responding afterward.

KEYWORDS: prevention, stewardship, accountability

Washington’s fisheries are both an environmental resource and a way of life for many communities. Protecting them requires good science, long-term stewardship, and a willingness to adapt as conditions change.

I support sustained funding for scientific monitoring of water temperature, ocean acidification, fish populations, and habitat conditions because good policy requires current evidence, not outdated assumptions. We should also measure whether existing monitoring and habitat restoration investments are producing measurable improvements before committing additional funding.

I believe tribal nations should be central partners in fisheries management. They hold treaty fishing rights and bring generations of knowledge about these waters. That expertise belongs alongside state scientists, commercial and recreational fishermen, conservation organizations, and local communities. The best decisions come from bringing practical experience and scientific research together.

Communities that depend on Washington’s fisheries should also have practical support as they adapt to changing conditions. Good stewardship means listening to the best available evidence, measuring results, and making adjustments when the evidence supports it.

KEYWORDS: stewardship, evidence, partnership