Candidate Profile: Gene Drawhorn For Lakewood City Council

LAKEWOOD, WA — For the Aug. 3 Primary Election, Pierce County's 566,000 registered voters will be asked to weigh in on dozens of high-profile elections, including mayoral races in Tacoma, Eatonville, Buckley, and Bonney Lake. Nearly a dozen cities from Puyallup to Lakewood are holding city council elections, and six school districts will also have candidates on the ballot.

To help readers make informed choices, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Gene Drawhorn is running for Lakewood City Council Position 5.

Age (as of Election Day)

57

Position Sought

Lakewood City Council Position 5

Party Affiliation

Non Affiliated

Family

Julie, wife. Ava, daughter. Jacob, son

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Occupation

Electrical Engineer, 31 years experience.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

None

Why are you seeking elective office?

Help the deteriorating middle class.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Poverty

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I offer a non political, fresh set of ideas.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The current officeholder is brand new to the office.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think the response was well done. No complaints whatsoever.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Youth programs in the community are lacking. I would like to jump in and help.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Team management experience in the private sector. Prior military experience. Army, airborne, Sergeant.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Go fishing!