by Conor Wilson, Washington State Standard
March 4, 2026
Gary Parker, a restaurant owner and philanthropist, confirmed in a phone interview Tuesday he plans to run as a Republican for the 26th Legislative District state Senate position currently held by Deb Krishnadasan, D-Gig Harbor.
Parker, a retired engineer at Intel, owns BBQ2U, a popular restaurant in Gig Harbor. He has no previous elected experience, though he made an unsuccessful bid for the nonpartisan Pierce County Charter Commission last year, losing to Brenda Lykins.
The 26th – covering Gig Harbor, the Key Peninsula, Port Orchard and part of Bremerton – is one of only two legislative districts in the state represented by members of both parties.
Only two candidates so far
Democrats have held the Senate seat since voters elected Emily Randall in 2018. Krishnadasan was appointed to the seat in 2024, filling a vacancy created by Randall’s election to Congress. In last year’s election, Krishnadasan defeated Republican Rep. Michelle Valdez, formerly Caldier, to hang onto the seat.
Parker and Krishnadasan are the only candidates to file with the Washington Public Disclosure Commission, a requirement to start fundraising. May 8 is the deadline for candidates to enter races in the 2026 general election. The primary is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 4.
In an interview, Parker discussed his community involvement through the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Gig Harbor and his philanthropic efforts. He also founded a nonprofit, Olympic Civic Services, focused on providing social services to seniors and veterans.
Parker said community members approached him about running for the office.
“Enough people kept asking me that and I said ‘Well, why don’t I run?’ ” he said. “It’s really as simple as that. I’m a man of the people.”
Other 26th District races
A handful of candidates already have indicated they will seek 26th District seats this fall.
David Olson, a Republican and Peninsula School Board member, will challenge freshman Rep. Adison Richards, D-Gig Harbor, for one House of Representatives seat.
Katy Cornell, a Republican nonprofit leader and pastor from Gig Harbor, will campaign for the other House seat, which Rep. Michelle Valdez, R-Gig Harbor, is vacating. Renee Hernandez Greenfield, who works at the Holly Ridge Center in Bremerton, is running for the same position as a Democrat.
Conor Wilson, covering health for Gig Harbor Now, is with the Washington State Murrow Fellowships, a local news program supported by state legislators.
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