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Portrait of Tom DentPhoto: leg.wa.gov

WA · Officeholder

Tom Dent

RState Representative · District 13

On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: Washington House District 13

Biography

Tom Dent is a Republican member of the Washington House of Representatives for District 13-Position 1, in office since January 12, 2015, and he is running for re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election against Juan Garcia.[1] A pilot and the founder of Tom Dent Aviation, he ranches bison and grows hay near Moses Lake.[2]

Dent has been a Columbia Basin resident most of his life, according to his House Republican biography, and became a professional pilot in 1976.[2] He soon founded Tom Dent Aviation, which offered aerial application, pilot service and flight instruction to area agriculture and industry, and he lives on the Flying T Ranch northeast of Moses Lake, where he raises bison and produces hay.[2] Wikipedia adds that he is a former chairman of the Grant County Republican Party.[3]

Dent was elected in 2014 to the seat vacated by Judy Warnick, who left to run for the state Senate, and he was sworn in in 2015.[3][2] His biography says he serves on the Early Learning and Human Services and Transportation committees and is ranking member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.[2] It lists his priorities as wildfire prevention and forest health, agriculture issues including trade and water resource management, aviation infrastructure and workforce training, and mental health reform.[2]

  1. 1.Tom Dent · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.About Rep. Tom Dent · Washington State House Republicans · 2026-10-21 Official record
  3. 3.Tom Dent · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.

Washington House District 13

Tom Dent is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Washington House District 13 as R. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.

Ballotpedia ↗

Other candidates for this seat

Deanna MartinezCandidateRWashington House District 13WashingtonJoshua ThompsonCandidateRWashington House District 13WashingtonJuan GarciaCandidateDWashington House District 13Washington

Votes by issue

Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Republicans voted. How topics are assigned

Where they stood out

Voted against most of their party on 40 of 470 party-divided votes on file.

Most often on: Transportation (13), Jobs & cost of living (8), Rights & public safety (8)

  • AI companion chatbots

    What it does: Concerning regulation of artificial intelligence companion chatbots.

    Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 58–1, Republicans 16–20

    Mar 11, 2026Official record ↗

  • Child care workforce board

    What it does: Establishing a child care workforce standards board.

    Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 57–0, Republicans 11–27

    Mar 9, 2026Official record ↗

  • Child care providers

    What it does: Enhancing the operational efficiency of child care providers.

    Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 57–0, Republicans 10–28

    Mar 9, 2026Official record ↗

  • Public employ. eligibility

    What it does: Concerning agencies, firefighters, prosecutors, and general or limited authority law enforcement, extending eligibility for employment to all United States citizens or persons legally authorized to work in the United…

    Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 58–0, Republicans 4–33

    Mar 6, 2026Official record ↗

  • Wrongly convicted persons

    What it does: Concerning the wrongly convicted persons act.

    Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 54–4, Republicans 18–19

    Mar 6, 2026Official record ↗

How this is counted

Their votes on the most contested roll calls

The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank

See all their split votes

Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.

HB 1526 · WA HOUSE

Snack bar liquor licenses

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Modifying the snack bar liquor license.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 87–9·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 1701 · WA HOUSE

Liquor licensee premises

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Authorizing multiple liquor licensees to have licensed premises within a facility owned and leased out by another liquor licensee or person.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 89–7·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 1795 · WA HOUSE

Student restraint, isolation

NoVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Addressing restraint or isolation of students in public schools and educational programs.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 58–37·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 1941 · WA HOUSE

Agricultural coops/cannabis

NoVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Authorizing agricultural cooperatives for cannabis producers.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 69–26·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 2034 · WA HOUSE

LEOFF 1 restatement

NoVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Concerning termination and restatement of plan 1 of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 50–46·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 2215 · WA HOUSE

Fuels/climate commitment act

NoVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Concerning climate commitment act compliance obligations for fuels supplied or otherwise sold into Washington.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 57–38·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 5998 · WA HOUSE

Operating budget, supp.

NoVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Recommended by the Conference Committee

Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 54–43·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 6005 · WA HOUSE

Transportation budget, supp.

NoVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Recommended by the Conference Committee

Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 69–26·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 6231 · WA HOUSE

Data center equipment/taxes

YesVOTED

Motion: 2663 Orcutt Pg 2 Ln 25

Removing a tax exemption for the replacement of equipment for data centers.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Failed 47–50·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 6231 · WA HOUSE

Data center equipment/taxes

NoVOTED

Motion: 3rd Reading & Final Passage

Removing a tax exemption for the replacement of equipment for data centers.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 51–46·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗

Showing 10 of 857 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.