Biography
Ben Christly is the Democratic candidate for the Washington House of Representatives, District 17-Position 1, in the November 3, 2026 general election, and is a Navy veteran and registered nurse.[1][3] In a Ballotpedia survey, he said he is an elected Clark County Charter Review Commissioner and listed education, small business, healthcare, housing, affordability and accountable government as his priorities.[2]
Ben Christly served in the U.S. Navy and earned a bachelor's degree from Missouri State University.[1] In his survey answers, he said he enlisted at 17 and served as a hospital corpsman, then became a registered nurse and has worked in healthcare for more than two decades, including emergency care, care management and his current work as a flight nurse.[2] He also said he is a former small business owner and an endurance coach.[2]
Christly said Washington has a constitutional responsibility to fully fund K-12 education and that the current funding formula should be reviewed.[2] He also said healthcare should be more affordable and accessible, and that the state should do more to support small businesses, including by reducing unnecessary red tape and improving permitting.[2]
- 1.Ben Christly · Ballotpedia Reference
- 2.Ben Christly — Candidate Connection survey responses · Ballotpedia Candidate's own words
- 3.Washington House of Representatives elections, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.
Washington House District 17
Ben Christly is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Washington House District 17 as D. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.
