Legislative District 7 - State Senator
August 4, 2026 · Legislative (Senate) District 7; Washington · State senate district · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 14 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 162,961 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(164,798 ÷ 162,961) ÷ ln(164,798 ÷ 152,644) = 14.63, comparing state senate districts in WA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
State Senator is responsible for:
- Voting on state laws and the state budget
- Representing their district in the state senate
- Confirming certain governor appointments in many states
- Helping district residents deal with state agencies
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Reduce Wealth Gap, Anti-Corruption, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Public Education Quality, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights, Election Integrity, Personal Income Tax Reduction, Data Privacy, Civil Rights, Corporate Accountability, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Brandon Ray Medina
Republican · declared
Brandon Ray Medina is a Republican candidate for Washington State Senator in Legislative District 7. A Brewster High School graduate and certified personal trainer, he works as a stand-up comedian and personal trainer and previously coached wrestling at Central Washington University. This is his first run for office.
David Swoap
Republican · declared
David Swoap is a Republican candidate for Washington State Senator in Legislative District 7. Public campaign records confirm his 2026 filing from Tonasket. Focused research did not identify an official campaign website, current governmental office, or additional verifiable professional background.
Ronald L McCoy
Independent · declared
Ronald L McCoy is an independent candidate for Washington State Senator in Legislative District 7. Local election coverage identifies him as a former mayor and city councilmember of Chewelah; he also ran for State Representative Position 2 in the district's 2024 primary. Focused research did not identify a current governmental office or official campaign website.
Shelly Short
Republican · Incumbent · declared
Shelly Short is Washington's state senator for Legislative District 7 and Republican Floor Leader. She previously served in the Washington House from 2008 to 2017 and worked in congressional district offices before elected office. Her current Senate assignments include ranking member of Agriculture & Natural Resources and membership on Rules and Environment, Energy & Technology.
Election sources
Source: sos.wa.gov
Source: sos.wa.gov
Source: www2.sos.wa.gov