Andy Zahn for Washington’s 20th LD Representative
I grew up in Toutle, working as a farm hand, public lands steward, writer, and photographer. I am running for the legislature not to become a career politician, but to fight for rural SW WA and everything I love about this place.
As your representative, I will work to to make our beautiful corner of this state the wonderful place to live I know it can be; not just for us and our children, but for many generations to come. We need real, tangible, long-term solutions to the chronic problems which have too long gone unaddressed here in the foothills of the South Cascades.
I will accomplish these goals using the three key pillars of my campaign platform: 1. supporting farmers and creating thousands of good union jobs in processing and manufacturing by ramping up production of industrial hemp. 2. Creating large, accessible parks near rural communities, and 3. bolstering the centers of rural communities while defending our fields and forests from further suburban sprawl. My campaign is all about revitalizing rural Washington, while maintaining and enhancing its character and natural splendor.
Kiona Peak is the mighty sentinel which heralds your arrival to the upper Cowlitz Valley. You’ll see towering cliffs and dramatic rock formations, all crowned with meadows clinging to those craggy precipice. From those lofty heights one may gaze down on the green fields and the rolling expanse of the forests, mountains, and ice clad…
The Southern shore of Silver Lake is a rarely visited and surprisingly wild place, home to both elk and numerous other species of wildlife, including the only herd of wild horses west of the Cascade Mountains. These animals have roamed the rain-soaked forests on the lakeshore for over a hundred years, and are a fixture…
In addition to creating brand new parks, we should also look to expand existing parks and protected natural areas. Lewis and Clark State Park is one such park that would benefit from expansion through the purchase of adjacent land.
Back in 2021, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sought to acquire the former Transalta coal mine near Chehalis/Centralia to turn it into a nearly 9800 acre wildlife area. Unfortunately, political interests interfered and got the project paused, seemingly indefinitely. This represents a tragic and frustrating setback for outdoor access to a surprisingly beautiful…
It’s no secret that Washington State is locked in a perpetual cycle of economic instability and government budget crisis. One side says we are spending too much, another says we need higher taxes, but most people commenting on the situation aren’t looking beyond the next few years; in practically all discussions the fundamental, underlying economic…
The cost of living in Washington State is a constant concern to the millions of people living here, and it is imperative that we work to address this multifaceted crisis. Fortunately, there are a few key steps our state government can take to swiftly make this a more affordable place to live.
Data centers pose an existential threat to our communities and our environment on many levels. It is necessary to take decisive action against data centers to the greatest and widest extent possible.
Hopgood Rock Park, named after the most prominent and iconic mountain overlooking the town of Morton, would encompass both dramatic peaks and peaceful creeks and rivers.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently working to raise the spillway of the Sediment Retention Structure on the North Fork of the Toutle River. This will result the vast wetlands which have formed behind the SRS being inundated by mud, and it will significantly delay any future efforts to restore natural fish passage…
Enhancing local and regional economies through expanded outdoor recreation opportunities
An Economic and Environmental Solution as an Alternative Source of Revenue for WADNR.
