Join Team Barran in Thurston County.

From Yelm and Rainier to Tenino, Bucoda, Rochester, Grand Mound, Maytown, and the Nisqually Valley, neighbors are building a grassroots movement for WA-03.

Why Thurston County Matters

South and east Thurston are growing fast — with military families, commuters, and small businesses that anchor our towns. But families here face traffic bottlenecks (SR-507/SR-510, I-5 at Grand Mound & Nisqually), public-safety and fentanyl concerns, rising costs, and spotty rural broadband. Our campaign is focused on cutting red tape, backing law enforcement, strengthening trades & CTE, and improving the roads and infrastructure these communities rely on.

Thurston County Priorities (Local Issues)

  • Transportation & Commuting

    • Improve flow and safety on SR-507 (Yelm–Rainier–Tenino) and SR-510 (Yelm corridor).

    • Tackle choke points at I-5/Grand Mound (US-12) and Nisqually that snarl daily commutes and freight.

  • Public Safety & Fentanyl

    • Back law enforcement and prosecutors; target repeat offenders; expand treatment + accountability that reduces street-level crime.

  • Small Business & Permitting

    • Faster, predictable permitting for shops and contractors in Yelm, Tenino, Rainier; keep fees and delays from crushing expansions and start-ups.

  • Workforce, Trades & Veterans

    • Strengthen CTE and apprenticeship pathways with local high schools; support veterans and military families who commute from Yelm/Rainier.

  • Rural Broadband & Cell Coverage

    • Fix dead zones in Bucoda, Maytown, Rochester, rural Yelm/Rainier to support small business, school, telehealth, and public safety.

  • Housing Attainability

    • Encourage starter homes and infill near existing infrastructure; cut red tape that prices out first-time buyers and seniors.

  • Flood & Resilience

    • Support practical mitigation along Chehalis and Nisqually-area flood-prone corridors to protect neighborhoods, farms, and road access.

  • Parks, Trails & Small-Town Main Streets

    • Keep town centers safe and vibrant; support recreation that drives foot traffic to local businesses.

Ways You Can Help in Thurston County

  • Knock doors in Yelm, Rainier, Tenino, Bucoda, Rochester, Grand Mound, Maytown

  • Phone bank & text friends and neighbors across south/east Thurston

  • Visibility teams at high-impact corridors (SR-507, SR-510, I-5/Grand Mound)

  • Small-biz outreach on Main Streets in Yelm and Tenino

  • Host a coffee or house meeting for neighbors and veterans

You’ll find Team Barran at Yelm and Tenino events, along the SR-507/510 corridors, in Grand Mound/Rochester, and across the Nisqually Valley — showing up for small businesses, families, and veterans who keep Thurston strong

Meet the other Counties in the WA-03

Clark | Cowlitz | Lewis | Pacific | Skamania | Thurston | Wahkiakum