Dr. Erika Creydt announces her campaign for State Senate

Blaine School Board member Dr. Erika Creydt has filed to run for the State Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Sharon Shewmake in Whatcom County's 42nd District.

"I was raised here in Blaine, Whatcom County," said Creydt. "This border town, these neighborhoods, schools, and these people shaped who I am. This isn’t just where I’m from, it’s who I fight for."

Creydt said her work in mental health has led her to run for office.

"I hear the quiet struggles that many families carry," said Creydt. "I’ve sat with children who are hurting long before anyone notices, and with parents trying to navigate systems that weren’t built to support them. When a child’s mental health is ignored, their education suffers, and so does their future."

Creydt said she believes the people of Whatcom County deserve a Senator who personally understands the struggles they face, and who cares to confront a system that isn't working for them.

"Care that confronts means loving my community enough to tell the truth, even when it's uncomfortable," said Creydt. "It means not looking the other way when there is corruption or incompetence. It means demanding good stewardship of our tax dollars, not out of anger, but out of a heart of genuine concern that our dollars are being spent on what Whatcom County voters were told it would be spent on."

Creydt said her campaign will be about listening, showing up, and being an effective advocate for Whatcom families.

"We live in one of the highest taxed states in the nation," said Creydt. "When the system fails the people in our community, it hurts twice. First because so many families who have paid those taxes are themselves struggling to afford groceries, gas, and housing. Second, because the people that are supposed to be helped with those funds end up going without."

Dr. Creydt is a clinical psychologist has worked in youth mental health for more than 20 years. She serves on the Blaine School Board. She and her husband, Jesse, have three children.