Adrian Cortes will be the first Democrat to hold the 18th legislative district’s senate seat in nearly three decades.
Final election results showed Cortes defeated Republican Brad Benton as of Tuesday, Nov. 26. Cortes said last week that his campaign was intense and raised over $500,000 in campaign donations from more than 1,000 contributors.
Cortes has served three terms on the Battle Ground City Council, including a term as mayor in 2020-21, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking back at the race, Cortes believes his prior elected experience gave him an advantage in the close contest.
“My candidacy and my experience was the right experience that voters were looking for, meaning my experience in being a local elected official, being a mayor of a medium size city that engaged with a broad range of different elected officials to get things done,” Cortes said. “Whether it’s putting forth historic tax breaks or tax cuts when we reduced our utility taxes, or passing a no income tax ban in our city, or just passing very fiscally responsible budgets that focused on priorities like public safety, like transportation, like making sure that the government got out of the way of small businesses and support of those small businesses. That was the overarching message of our campaign.”
Cortes has been assigned to three senate committees — the Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee, the Transportation Committee and the Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee, where he will serve as vice chair. Cortes said these three positions highlight his legislative priorities going into the 2025 legislative session.
In regard to transportation improvements, Cortes said a major issue for Clark County cities is securing federal and state funding for road repairs. He said his focus is to put greater attention on the infrastructure needs of Clark County residents. Cortes hopes to advance the Interstate 5 bridge project’s construction.
“The big elephant in the room is the new I-5 bridge,” Cortes said. “It’s my goal, my plan to be a part of the solution to that. Let’s bring the new I-5 bridge across the finish line. Let’s get it built.”
Additionally, Cortes emphasized the need to support school districts in balancing their budgets, particularly as inflation has made it difficult for schools to cover utilities and supplies. Cortes said he will evaluate solutions that help stabilize their finances, ensuring they can continue providing quality education. Cortes said he also seeks to find long-term solutions by reassessing state mandates that may impose financial burdens on schools, prioritizing a sustainable approach to public education.
Cortes also wants to ensure small businesses can thrive, stating today’s economy and regulations present special challenges for business owners. Cortes pointed out that his time on the City Council has shaped his perspective on how small businesses should be taxed and regulated.
“I would drive up to Olympia to lobby on behalf of our local community businesses, and so, that’s something I have prior knowledge on and something that I will be keenly aware of as a state senator of these unique committees,” Cortes said.
Cortes plans to resign from his position on the Battle Ground City Council in January ahead of his term as state senator. He said the feeling is bittersweet, though he looks forward to continuing to work for constituents.
“I’ve grown up in this community since I was 6 years old and … It never crossed my mind that I’d have the opportunity to be a part of the local leadership of this community, let alone the mayor of the community at one point,” Cortes said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to do all of that, and time in and time out, the voters consistently reelect me because they feel that I’m representing their best interest and that’s been a great honor.”
Cortes stated he would like to set up an office in the City Hall building to continue working in the same place when he assumes his new position.
