
Chad Magendanz
Republican | Washington
Candidate Profile
Moderate
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Chad Magendanz
Party
Republican
Election Year
2025
Election
Special General
Race
State Senate, District 5
Incumbent
No
EDUCATION
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, BS, 1989
Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA, MA, 2021
WORK & MILITARY
U.S. Navy, LT (O-3), 1985-97
Microsoft, Program Manager, 1994-04
Jetstream Software, Design Lead, 2004-18
Voter Science, Dir. of Product Development, 2017-18
Bellevue School District, CS Teacher, 2019-
AFFILIATIONS
Kiwanis Club of Issaquah, Treasurer, Executive Board, Washington State PTA
Legislative Chair, WA School Director's Association, Legislative Committee
National School Board Association, CD 8 Coordinator, Stand for Children
Team Leader, League of Educaiton Voters, Key Advocate
TEALS, Computer Science Teacher, American Legion
Member, American Legion Post 79, Commander
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
State Representative, 2013-17
Issaquah School Board, 2008-13
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
State Senate, 2016
Superintendent of Public Instruction, 2024
State Senate, 2024
State House, 2022
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (1)
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Washington
OTHER (6)
Association of Washington Business (AWB)
Mainstream Republicans of Washington
Washington Hospitality Association
King County Republican Party
Law Enforcement Administrators of Washington (LAW) associated with WASPC Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (3)
Association of Washington Business
Washington Hospitality Association
Seattle King County Realtors
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (17)
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2025)
Drew Stokesbary (2024)
State Republican Party Organizations (2024)
Cascade PAC (2023)
Reagan Dunn (2022)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (40)
Beth Daranciang (2025)
Carmen Goers (2025)
Dale Fonk (2025)
Debra Blodgett (2025)
Dino Rossi (2025)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (2)
Mark Mullet (2025)
Rodney Tom (2018)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (12)
Retired Firefighters of Washington (2025)
Stand for Children (2025)
Employment for All (2016)
National Association of Elementary School Principals (2016)
Service Employees International Union (2016)
OTHER INFORMATION
Chad Magendanz in an article in The Columbian discussing why he is running for Superintendent of Public Instruction.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Per Initiative 120, elective abortions are allowed up to fetal viability. I believe laws passed by the people through initiatives should only be changed by the people, not overridden by elected officials who may hold different personal views.
Chemical abortion drugs should meet essential safety standards (such as in-person consultation with a medical doctor) and require reporting to gather evidence on reactions and outcomes.
Agree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Agree
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Agree
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
Temporary restrictions may be allowed during public health emergencies but must be neutral and not target religious gatherings unfairly.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Disagree
Businesses work best when both parties enter the contract willingly.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Agree
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Yes. Israel is a key ally in the Middle East that shares our Democratic and Judeo-Christian values.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
Option C.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Mandates have been upheld for public safety since Jacobson v. Massachusetts. Schools and government may enforce them when necessary.
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
What is your position on the minimum wage?
Minimum wages become necessary when government interference distorts the labor market. In a freer system, the market sets wages best. I support removing policies that create those distortions so businesses can pay fairly without artificial mandates.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
EDUCATION
The state should fund education by allowing dollars to follow the child through programs which protect parents' freedom to choose their child's school – public, private, or homeschool.
Strongly Agree
I helped lead the McCleary remedy and sponsored the charter school fix to ensure funding follows the student.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.
Strongly Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Enforce existing laws to prevent access by criminals, minors, and the mentally ill.
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
There should be a path for teachers to qualify to protect their students. Not every teacher needs to be armed, but those who choose to should have that option. As a teacher and expert marksman with 12 years of military service, I would keep a secured firearm in my classroom to protect my students if necessary.
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
To enforce laws, protect liberties, and offer services the free market cannot, often via public-private partnerships.
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Lean Conservative
I’m a strong fiscal conservative with libertarian leanings on social issues.
VALUES
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Strongly Agree
Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.
Strongly Agree
Parents have a constitutional right to direct the upbringing and care of their children.
Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
Strongly Disagree
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Disagree
Civil unions fall under state law and the Equal Protection Clause requires they be recognized regardless of gender.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I was raised in a churchgoing family with strong Judeo-Christian values, which continue to shape my beliefs and guide my decisions today.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant.
Disagree
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
No. DEI and CRT ideologies divide more than unite. We’ve made steady progress and must focus on equal opportunity, not division.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Strongly Agree
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? (Select all that apply) A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost. C) Stricter environmental laws undermine U.S. energy independence and deter development of reliable electricity sources. D) Climate change is real and requires urgent policy action.
Options A and C.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Nuclear. As a former nuclear sub engineer and Legislative Energy Horizon Institute graduate, I believe nuclear is our most reliable energy source.
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