Community Government
Krishnadasan picked as new 26th District state senator
The Pierce County Council and Kitsap County commissioners voted 7-3 on Wednesday to appoint Deb Krishnadasan, a former Peninsula School Board member from Gig Harbor, as the successor to Emily Randall in the state Senate.
Krishnadasan will take office before legislators reconvene in Olympia in January. She represents the 26th District, spanning Gig Harbor, the Key Peninsula, South Kitsap and part of Bremerton.
Three finalists for job
Randall, D-Bremerton, held that seat since 2019, but resigned after being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives last month, promoting the search for a replacement.
About 30 Democratic precinct committee officers from the 26th District gathered Sunday, Dec. 8, to determine three finalists for the position. They settled on Krishnadasan, Laurel Kingsbury and Renee Hernandez Greenfield. Kingsbury, a PenMet Parks commissioner, withdrew her name from consideration before Tuesday’s vote.
Krishnadasan and Hernandez Greenfield each spent about 20 minutes answering questions from county officials about their aspirations and priorities during a meeting at the Red Barn Youth Center on the Key Peninsula on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Deborah Krishnadasan, right, speaks to the Pierce County Council and Kitsap County commissioners on Wednesday, Dec. 11. Photo by Conor Wilson
Renee Hernandez Greenfield
Hernandez Greenfield vowed to stand up for working-class families, promote fair wages and champion improvements to public education. She drew on her working-class background and experiences in early childhood education across the 26th District, saying she understood the challenges of the area.
She previously worked for Kitsap Community Resources, the Suquamish Tribe and as director of the Early Learning Center at Tacoma Community College, where she is an adjunct professor.
“I stand with working families. Working families are the heart of our district,” Hernandez Greenfield said. “I understand the work it takes to make ends meet. I will work and fight to support these families.”
Deb Krishnadasan
Krishnadasan said she grew up in Puyallup and moved her family to Gig Harbor in 2008. She has been active in the Gig Harbor community, serving two terms on the Peninsula School Board. Krishnadasan was a Gig Harbor Now board member in 2021 and 2022.
“I jumped into volunteering, devoting 16 years to our community and working to bring the community together to get things done,” she said of her time in Gig Harbor.
Krishnadasan said her top priorities would be supporting public education, improving transportation infrastructure and addressing the cost of housing and childcare.
Pierce County Councilmember Robyn Denson, who represents Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula, said the two candidates presented a tough decision. She landed on Krishnadasan, describing her as a coalition-builder who would foster relationships and work across the aisle in Olympia.
“I’ve personally experienced and seen how Deb Krishnadasan has been working for years in the community and really delivered for our community,” Denson said. “I think she’s going to really deliver for us in the 26th.”
Deb Krishnadasan
PCOs ranked Hernandez Greenfield No. 1
Pierce County Councilmember Paul Herrera voted for Hernandez Greenfield, citing her status as the top choice of 26th District Democratic precinct committee officers.
“I respect the PCOs, who are elected in their community. I respect that they’re the boots on the ground and they made a decision a couple days ago and ranked Renee number one,” he said.
Krishnadasan will serve for a year. To retain the job, she would need to run again in a 2025 special election. The winner would hold office until the end of Randall’s original term, which expires the following year.
Krishnadasan has already filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission, which tracks political donations and spending, as a 2025 state Senate candidate. PDC records show Krishnadasan raised a little over $23,500 for the 2025 campaign.
Hernandez Greenfield also filed with the PDC, reporting $15,200 raised.
Caldier already in race
Krishnadasan will face a tough path to retaining the job in one of the state’s only swing districts. Randall was the lone Democrat in the 26th District’s Olympia delegation in recent years. State Rep. Michelle Caldier, R-Gig Harbor, has already announced plans to run for the Senate seat.
“It is not easy,” Luellen Lucid, vice chair of the 26th District Democrats, said during public comment. Lucid backed Krishnadasan as the most electable candidate. “It takes a lot to be elected in the 26th LD. It’s a true swing district.”