Rep. Nance faces two challengers in 23rd LD, Position 2 primary

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Incumbent Greg Nance is facing off against two challengers for the 23rd Legislative District, Representative Position 2 (two-year term) in the Aug. 4 primary election. The top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

Nance (Democrat) has served in the position since 2023, and he also serves as vice chair of the Maritime Caucus. He was a Truman Scholar at the University of Chicago and a Gates Scholar at Cambridge University, where he earned his Master’s in Management and Innovation. Nance co-founded Moneythink, a nonprofit reducing student debt. Nance also advocates for youth mental health as a longtime Kitsap youth mentor, school speaker, and former board member of Kitsap Mental Health Services.

Lance Byrd (Republican), who lost to Drew Hansen in the race for District 23 State Senator in 2024, is a senior technical program manager with over 26 years of experience in IT. Previously, Byrd spent eight years in the restaurant industry as a cook and kitchen lead. He earned his Associate of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering Technology from North Seattle College and industry certifications from Amazon Web Services and Microsoft. Byrd is a volunteer at Refuge Church in Bremerton.

Kristin Lillegard’s (Democrat) previous elected experience includes serving as a Precinct Committee Officer for the 29th Legislative District. She has also served on the board of Peninsula Community Health. Currently, Lillegard is a client relationship director. She has served as a membership coordinator for West Sound DSA, regional coordinator for Whole Washington and Roadside and Trail Trash Pick Up. Lillegard earned her Associate’s in Humanities from Olympic College.

What would be your top priorities if elected?

Nance: Fixing our ferries, protecting Puget Sound, and reducing the cost of living are my three top priorities.

Washington’s ferry system is a lifeline, not a luxury. We secured $895 million in ferry funding this session for new vessels, better reliability, and a long-term workforce pipeline so we have the mariners to crew them. As co-chair of the Maritime Caucus, I’ll keep fighting to build on our momentum.

For Puget Sound, the Bull Kelp Act I sponsored is now law — restoring the kelp forests that endangered salmon and orca depend on. We protected 680 acres of Kitsap forest from clearcut this year, preserving wildlife corridors and recreation opportunities. There’s much more to do on water quality, salmon recovery, and shoreline protection, and I’ll keep pushing.

For working families, I’m focused on expanding job opportunities and affordable access to childcare, healthcare, and housing right here in Kitsap. I helped secure $42 million to modernize West Sound Tech, creating real pathways — welding, maritime trades, construction, healthcare — and I want to build on that by connecting young people to jobs that pay well and stay local. HB 2492, my wellness-in-the-trades bill, addresses the mental health and substance use challenges that drive people out of the trades before they reach their prime.

These aren’t abstract policy goals. They are critical priorities to keep our Kitsap community thriving.

Byrd: My top priorities will focus on the daily challenges facing Kitsap families: affordability, reliable safety net services, and practical governance that works for everyone, regardless of party.

First, fiscal responsibility and respecting voters on taxes. Washington already raises substantial revenue through sales, property, and business taxes, yet our state operating budget has grown dramatically to nearly $80 billion, while outcomes on homelessness, addiction, and basic services lag. I will oppose new state income taxes and push to align spending with responsible growth based on population and inflation, so we live within our means before asking middle-class families to pay more.

Second, affordable and reliable energy. Many neighbors support environmental progress, and so do I. However, current policies like the Climate Commitment Act are raising electricity and gas bills before the electrical grid is ready. I will work to restore voter-backed natural gas protections as a practical bridge while pursuing reliable carbon-free sources such as nuclear power, so families and small businesses get honest cost-benefit analysis that protects jobs and household budgets.

Third, housing that Kitsap families can actually afford. State mandates under the Growth Management Act limit supply and drive up costs, pricing young people and working families out of communities like Poulsbo, Kingston, and Bremerton. I will advocate for reforms that empower local communities to build more housing without one-size-fits-all Olympia rules.

Fourth, strong parental rights and transparency in education. Parents are the primary decision makers for their children and I support clear rights to review instructional materials, timely notice on significant issues, and meaningful involvement.

Throughout, I will reach across the aisle. Moderate Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who want lower costs and better results deserve representation that puts Kitsap families first.

Lillegard: My top priority is passing the Washington Health Trust. Statewide universal healthcare would give true medical care to thousands in our state. Significantly lowering the cost of care for all and expanding access to uninsured and the under-insured populations with no cost at the time of care. All of this for less per person annually than for-profit insurance. My employer would save $7,000 per person in premiums each year.

Second, working-class families deserve quality education that leads to a career. We need to expand access to early learning and post-high school career training, including trade school and apprenticeships. We have an obligation under the McCleary ruling to fix our inequitable funding and we should de-link school funding with property taxes and create a dedicated fund statewide.

Third, we need to work towards ending our car dependence by improving bus service and adding more foot ferry service with a progressive funding source. For environmental and health reasons, we need to build protected bike and pedestrian lanes and connect our cities. It shouldn’t take two hours, two buses and two miles of walking to get from McWilliams (Road in Bremerton) to downtown Poulsbo. We need more frequent routes that efficiently connect cities.

Lastly, we need to build affordable housing through infill building of multi-units and allowing co-housing, cottage housing, ADUs and trailers on lots. We can streamline the permitting process through a state standard. We can fund projects by establishing a public bank like North Dakota’s that uses the state’s deposits to keep the money internal to the state and not with a national bank. This bank would issue loans to small businesses and developers, prop up credit unions and issue bonds for the benefit of Washingtonians.

Why should voters choose you over your opponents?

Nance: I show up — and I have the track record to prove it.

Before Olympia, I spent 15 years building nonprofits to empower youth. I co-founded Moneythink — recognized by former President Barack Obama as a “Champion of Change” — and led Dyad Mentorship, where students earned more than $27 million in scholarships. As a Gates Scholar, I studied management and innovation at Cambridge University — and I bring that same problem-solving mindset to Olympia. That’s how I’ve worked across the aisle to turn priorities into impactful investments.

I’m a third-generation Washingtonian with deep Kitsap roots. My Grandpa Charlie — a Marine who fought at Iwo Jima — helped raise me. My dad vended beer at Seahawks games to make ends meet and was a long-time public defender. My mom ensured seniors had good care in Kitsap nursing homes. Public service and showing up for others are in my bones. Kitsap public schools shaped me, and it’s where I’m raising my family. This is home — and that shapes every vote I take.

Energy and determination define how I approach everything — including running 3,156 miles from the Atlantic to the Pacific to mobilize champions for youth mental health. Showing up for the hardest problems is what leadership looks like.

Voters deserve a representative who is experienced, deeply rooted in this community, and delivers for Kitsap — and that’s exactly what I’ll keep doing.

My mantra is “Keep Showing Up.” It’s not a campaign slogan. It guides my life and my leadership — and it’s the standard I hold myself to as your representative.

Byrd: I offer a practical, balanced alternative to the status quo of near-total one-party control that has contributed to rising costs and frustration across our district. As a longtime Kitsap resident and senior technical program manager with over 26 years of experience solving complex technical, process, and people problems, I bring a proven ability to bring stakeholders together for real results.

The current incumbent has voted for new income taxes despite repeated voter rejections, supported energy mandates that increase household utility bills, and backed changes that weakened parental rights after strong public demand for transparency. I believe we can do better.

My approach centers on what unites us: making life more affordable, improving services, and restoring accountability. I will fight for responsible budgeting, energy policies that keep costs down while progressing responsibly, housing reforms that allow local communities to meet real needs, and education policies that respect parents’ voices.

Moderate Democrats and Independents who are tired of extremes and want thoughtful representation have a home with this campaign. You do not need to be a Republican to vote for balance. If you value fiscal prudence, practical solutions on housing and energy, I respectfully ask for your vote.

Lillegard: I have a vision for a better world. I have big ideas to end the status quo. Politics as usual has given us five decades of wage stagnation and a shrinking middle class. The cost of living has left people out in the cold and with dwindling options. This crisis cannot wait, as it is hurting people here and now. We need representatives who understand everyday financial struggles.

A better world is possible and I will fight for one.