KIRO NEWSRADIO

‘Stop the worst of the worst’: Chad Magendanz makes case for District 5 Senate seat

Nov 4, 2025, 9:14 AM

Republican candidate Chad Magendanz is facing off against Democrat Victoria Hunt for Washington’s District 5 Senate seat. In the primary election, Hunt led Magendanz by nearly 3,300 votes, positioning herself to command the district covering the region between Issaquah and Enumclaw.

Ahead of the election on Tuesday, Magendanz joined “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio to discuss how pivotal the election is for the district, particularly regarding the supermajority held by the Democrats, and the need for an additional Republican seat to maintain checks and balances.

“Both chambers of the House and the Senate have three-fifths democratic supermajorities, so they don’t even need a single republican vote to pass the budget with all the bonds, because bonds require a three-fifths supermajority by the Constitution,” Magendanz said. “Being able to break the three-fifths supermajority means that they have to work with us a little bit, and we can stop the worst of the worst.”

Magendanz further explained the potential plans the Democrats may have if they can gain another seat in the Senate, allowing them to continue voting party line and pass bills without any pushback.

“They’re going to go after an income tax, graduated income tax, they might pull back the three-fifths majority required to pass bonds, which would affect both the state and all of your local property taxes,” Magendanz said. “There’s a lot of protections inside the constitution that they’re anxious to get their hands into. They’ve even said outright that they’d love to further disable the initiative system, which is our only checks and balances on their power right now.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to John Curley weekday afternoons from 3 – 7 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

John Curley on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to tom and curleyTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 3pm for The John Curley Show.

John Curley

KIRO Newsradio

Photo: With nine days until the election, Washington ballot returns are coming in at a slower pace ...

Jake Skorheim and Spike O'Neill Show

‘Nobody can throw a person in a dumpster’: Jake and Spike clash over ballots found at Golden Gardens

The discovery of 92 ballots in a dumpster at Seattle’s Golden Gardens Park divided KIRO hosts Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill.

9 hours ago

California...

John Curley Show

‘They’re not dumb’: Curley says California billionaire tax will drive the wealthy out

KIRO host John Curley is warning that a proposed one-time tax on California billionaires could drive the wealthiest residents out of the state.

18 hours ago

Beecher’s founder’s new Redmond steakhouse...

Manda Factor

Five tables, no chairs: Inside Beecher’s founder’s new Redmond steakhouse

A new steak restaurant from Beecher’s Handmade Cheese founder Kurt Dammeier offers customers a place to eat, but nowhere to sit.

18 hours ago

aurora avenue seattle viral video pimp war trafficking...

Charlie Harger

Harger: A porch light stopped an alleged rape off Aurora Avenue. Olympia gets its turn in January

At 2:47 a.m. last Saturday, someone living four blocks away from Aurora Avenue called 911. A woman was screaming inside a car in the alley.

19 hours ago

Ramaswamy...

John Curley Show

‘What does it say about the character of the person?’: Curley questions Ramaswamy ad featuring opponent’s mother

KIRO host John Curley is questioning what a recent campaign ad said about Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

1 day ago

school zone cameras...

Jake Skorheim and Spike O'Neill Show

‘It’s 100% about money’: Jake and Spike clash over Federal Way’s 24/7 school zone cameras

Federal Way will start running four school zone speed cameras 24/7 in November.

1 day ago

‘Stop the worst of the worst’: Chad Magendanz makes case for District 5 Senate seat