Jamie Keenan-deVargas, a Democrat, is running for Washington House of Representatives District 22, Position 2, in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election.
Keenan-deVargas faces Lisa Parshley, also a Democrat, according to BallotReady. He is certified for the ballot.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Office sought: Washington House of Representatives, District 22, Position 2
- Education: Bachelor's degree from the University of Washington, according to his campaign website. Keenan-deVargas said he plans to pursue a master's degree in public administration.
- Occupation: Horticultural retail worker, according to his campaign website
- Personal: Keenan-deVargas describes himself as a renter and an artist. He said he was raised in a single-parent household with four children and has worked to support his family since middle school. He said he got into acting in high school and has performed in local theater and musical productions.
Experience and public service
Keenan-deVargas said on his campaign website that he is the founder of the Immigrant Defense Coalition, which he listed as a civic and nonprofit organization.
No other public service experience was provided.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Keenan-deVargas' campaign website responses.
Taxes and budget
Keenan-deVargas said he would fight for a state wealth tax on "ultra-millionaires and billionaires." He said the tax would target 2,939 individuals in Washington.
It would not apply to paychecks, small businesses, homes, gas or groceries, he said. "A tax on wealth cannot be escaped by sending funds to an island in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, and it cannot be escaped by moving away from the state," he said on his campaign website.
Healthcare
Keenan-deVargas said he supports free medical, dental and childcare for all Washington residents. He said the programs would be funded by making "the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share."
He called these "basic amenities" and said the issue would "have to be solved locally" because it has not been addressed at the federal level.
Housing
Keenan-deVargas said the state legislature's only action on the cost-of-living crisis was passing a law that allows landlords to raise rent by 9.7% per year.
He said he would fight for rent control caps of 3% or less and would seek to limit the purchasing power of private equity firms in the housing market. He said 49% of renter households are cost-burdened and that rent has outpaced wage growth nearly every month for 15 years, according to his campaign website.
Energy and gas prices
Keenan-deVargas said gas prices are "a huge financial stressor for Washingtonians," according to his campaign website. He said he supports long-term investment in expanded public transit, including trains.
In the short term, he said the state could modify antitrust enforcement to address what he called "tacit collusion between the refineries." He also supports a tax on price-gouging profits. He said he rejects corporate PACs and lobbying money.
This profile will be updated if additional candidate responses are received. Voters can find more information at jamiekeenandevargas.com.
The Capitol Record candidate questionnaire was sent to Jamie Keenan-deVargas's campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 12, 2026. The policy positions below are drawn from his public campaign website and public records.
