by David Mendez

Of the 32nd District Democrats in the race for Cindy Ryu’s State House seat, Chris Bloomquist is the only one coming in without any experience working in government.

But on the other hand, he’s the only one who was asked to join the race by the incumbents and possible 32nd District colleagues in Sen. Jesse Salomon and Rep. Lauren Davis.

“I see everything for what it is right now with our democracy, and I wanted to get involved,” Bloomquist told The Osprey. “And when your sitting state representative asks you to serve — someone you respect — you do it.”

Bloomquist’s career has taken him from software engineering to tech recruiting; in 2021, he co-founded The Talent Mine, a climate tech recruitment firm, seeking to bolster an industry that he believes can pull Washington “out of this funk.”

“People don’t talk about it, but we are in a four and a half year depression locally, economically, and we really need to put people to work,” Bloomquist said.

He believes that his experience as an engineer and as a small business owner gives him an edge that other candidates lack.

“Olympia is full of lawyers and former city council people and all that, and that’s great. But…they’re all about the same. All these things look like the other, right? You don’t get a lot of unique perspectives that way, and the legislation that comes out kind of reflects that,” he said.

Bloomquist is the son of a Chilean immigrant who grew up on an Iowa farm before making his way west.

“I know what it is to struggle, I know what it is to work, I’ve walked beans in the field, I’ve thrown hay, I’ve milked cows, I’ve started companies. I’ve done really hard things,” he said.

Climate is key to his platform, and he strongly aligns with Democratic party ideals. “But when it’s time to vote, it’s not about me,” Bloomquist said, adding that he’s been taking in comments from voters of all perspectives and party affiliations.

Affordability has been issue number one for most voters, he said, and he said he believes the state needs to fix its broken budget by starting with economic development.

“We still need to be a business-friendly state. That doesn’t mean we drop regulation, that doesn’t mean we kill the EPA like the federal government does, quite the opposite,” Bloomquist said. Instead, he sees opportunity in publicly developing infrastructure — and, to tackle two issues with one solution, offering work and housing to unhoused and underemployed Washingtonians on those projects.

“We need to put people to work in equitable, long-term, meaningful work, and I think it starts with infrastructure,” he said. Solar infrastructure is incredibly valuable and efficient, roads and bridges need updates and internet must be more accessible, Bloomquist said. “You put people to work, you generate tax revenue, you start lowering costs long-term.”

As for tax code, Bloomquist believes that the millionaire’s tax is a test case — “a way to start balancing the tax code” — but he’s not yet landed on a solution.

Tax funds, he said, should go directly from what’s being taxed, like data center development or from housing development impacts, to civic improvements. “Better sewage, better sidewalks — balance the ledger with the other side of what people need to have more of in the area.”