Up for reelection in 2026, housing champ Rep. Macri holding town hall as she draws young challenger

State Rep. Nicole Macri will hold a town hall Tuesday night to update her 43rd District constituents on the latest legislative session including passage of the state’s new income tax on high-earning households and her work in Olympia as she sets out her run for reelection.

What: Community Town Hall with Rep. Nicole Macri

When: Tuesday, April 21

• 5:30 PM: Doors open
• 6:00 PM: Doors close / Town Hall begins
• 7:00 PM: Town Hall Q&A concludes

“I’m especially proud that we passed the Millionaires Tax, one of the most significant tax reform policies in our state’s history,” Macri’s announcement for the event reads. “It’s an important step toward a fairer tax system that asks the wealthiest Washingtonians to contribute more so we can invest in schools, health care, housing, and the services our communities rely on.”

Macri’s solo town hall event comes as the 43rd District leader representing areas including Capitol Hill and the University District will navigate a bit of a political minefield this summer. Her fellow state Rep. Shaun Scott is backing the challenger to her sibling 43rd Sen. Jamie Pedersen.

CHS reported here on Hannah Sabio-Howell’s challenge to Pedersen, a district political veteran and the current Majority Leader in the Washington State Senate.

Macri has endorsed Pedersen — as have a phalanx of Democratic stalwarts including Gov. Bob Ferguson.

Scott, her 43rd District counterpart in the House, has joined progressives like Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck in endorsing the upstart Sabio-Howell.

Macri, meanwhile, has also drawn a fresh challenger. Alby Clendennin, a resident director and student affairs practitioner at the University of Washington, will challenge the incumbent who has held her seat since 2017. Clendenin says he will take on issues around affordability, immigration enforcement, and public safety and has criticized Macri over “corporate interests.”

Previously the deputy director of Downtown Emergency Services Center, Macri has been a leading proponent of housing first policies that seek to rapidly house people before starting other interventions. Since joining the House in 2017, Macri has established herself as one of the Legislature’s strongest voices on housing policy including her work with the House Appropriations Committee securing funding for the Housing Trust Fund and championing progressive social policies, including the expansion of reproductive healthcare access and the strengthening of LGBTQ+ rights.

Macri has faced criticism from some for her approach to rent stabilization and prioritizing achievable incremental gains over more progressive housing interventions in the face of Senate opposition.

The 2026 primary is August 4, 2026.

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