Mary Silva

Silva graduated from Richland High School, earned a bachelor's degree from Western Washington University in 2003 and a graduate degree from Washington State University in 2006, and received a Doctor of Audiology from Salus University in 2009.[1] She has worked as an audiologist and has been affiliated with the Washington State Academy of Audiology; in a 2024 survey response she said she had practiced in Washington State for 19 years.[1] HeraldNet reported in July 2026 that she was 46 and lives in Everett.[4] In that 2024 response she described herself as a wife, mother and Christian who volunteers as a board member of her professional state organization and at her child's school.[1]

Silva says her path to public service began when she sent research on offshored chip and software manufacturing and foreign espionage risk to her congresswoman and to state lawmakers, and did not get meetings with them (2026 survey response).[1] She ran as a Republican in the August 6, 2024 top-two primary for Washington's 1st District and did not advance, receiving 6.5% of the vote (11,339 votes).[1] In the August 4, 2026 top-two primary she advanced with 27.2% of the vote, behind incumbent Democrat Suzan DelBene.[1] In her Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey, she said her campaign focused on national security and technology supply chains, taxes and housing costs, and government transparency.[1] She received 32.9% of the vote to Suzan DelBene's 66.8%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[2]