Lynnwood City Councilmember Josh Binda said Tuesday that he is running for the 2nd District Congressional seat now held by longtime incumbent Rep. Rick Larsen.
Binda — who will officially announce his bid during a noon Wednesday press conference in front of Edmonds College — will join two others so far challenging Larsen, a Democrat who has been in Congress since 2001. They are Jason Call, a member of the Green Party, who also ran against Larsen in 2020 and 2022, and Leif Johnson, an engineer who is running as a Republican. Johnson also ran for the seat in 2022.
The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 6.
Binda is halfway through his first term on the Lynnwood City Council, having been elected in 2022. Binda said in a press release that he “would make history as the youngest African American ever elected to Congress in the United States.” Binda also said he “aims to bring fresh ideas, youthful energy, and a unique perspective to Washington State’s congressional delegation.”
Binda has faced controversy during his time on the Lynnwood City Council. He was fined $500 by the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) for spending $2,913.09 of his campaign funds on personal items. The PDC also fined Binda for two instances where he failed to submit his financial disclosure paperwork as required by state law. In addition, Binda received backlash when he filmed a video in the Lynnwood council chambers about a paid school speaking tour, and was accused of using his status as a councilmember and city property for personal gain. While he initially denied the accusation, Binda later signed a settlement agreement with the City of Lynnwood that confirmed the transgression with the stipulation that it was a result of ignorance instead of malice.
Binda and his supporters pushed back against these accusations. The NAACP of Snohomish County began an investigation of Binda’s treatment in May 2023. Preliminary results indicated that City of Lynnwood officials and the news media treated Binda differently from other city councilmembers and he was unfairly targeted because of his race and age.
An effort to recall Binda failed to garner enough signatures to move forward.
Personally we should hold all elected leaders to a higher level it does seem we don’t and forgiving his transgressions/mistakes only enables more and greater abuse of power by our elected leaders. That doesn’t preclude him from running but keeps me from ever voting for him. Best of luck.
Isn’t this the same Lynnwood councilman, named Josh Binda, who admitted he has no ethics? No thanks, when a politician starts his career lacking ethics, it should give everyone pause.! Try paying some dues, doing some real work, instead of working a gimmick.
Running to make history or running to make money? He should be running for us, not himself.
Actually, because of redistricting, Rep. Rick Larsen was definitely an upgrade from Pramila Jayapal. Rick Larsen has a good record of representing his district and should have the job as long as he wants it.
Narcissistic personality, whom the public has already tried to remove from office. I am happy he is leaving his position in Lynnwood, to open it up to someone that wants to represent the people of Lynnwood.
Is he leaving his current position or just running for a new position while still occupying his city council seat?
Here is how Rick Larson politics to his constituents : “ Just tell me what you want that you don’t have and I will have the government take care of you” He is a tax & spend leftist liberal pure and simple. Pramila Jayapal, on the other hand, is an outright socialist and a danger to the republic. Vote for the R this time. What do you have to lose ? and after all is has not happened for decades, so you don’t even know what it is like to have rational thought in Olympia. The Lynnwood councilman running ? What a joke.