Republican Nirav Sheth, a Marine Corps veteran and Pierce County business owner, is challenging Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat, for Washington's 7th Congressional District seat on Nov. 3. The district covers Queen Anne, Magnolia, Ballard and much of Seattle.
Sheth says on his campaign website he was born and raised in Ahmedabad, India, in a lower middle-class family. He came to the United States in 2008, he says, as a student of computer and electrical engineering. English became his fourth language. He says he worked his way from being homeless into becoming a successful business owner in Pierce County, where he resides. He is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives, Washington 7th Congressional District
- Residence: Pierce County, Washington, according to his campaign website
- Education: Associate's degree in electrical and electronics engineering, Arizona Western College, 2013; bachelor's degree in computer engineering, University of Massachusetts, 2015, according to BallotReady
- Endorsement: King County Republicans, according to BallotReady
Experience and public service
Sheth's BallotReady profile lists the following experience:
- U.S. Marine Corps, airframer and military police, 2011–2014
- Lakewood Police Department, police officer, 2017
- Aanya Services, general and operations manager, 2008–2011
- Sheth Group LLC, CEO, 2017–present
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Sheth's campaign website and his BallotReady candidate responses. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.
Public safety: Sheth says Washington needs leaders who enforce existing laws rather than what he calls experimental policing. He points to Initiative 2113, passed in 2024, which he says restored "reasonable suspicion" for police pursuits and reversed 2021 restrictions he says triggered record car thefts statewide. He says he would strengthen safety by supporting officers, removing bad ones when necessary and coordinating with federal efforts to remove violent illegal offenders.
Economy and small business: Sheth says he would encourage direct investment in small businesses and reduce government regulations he says disproportionately burden smaller companies. He says he would work with federal programs to bring funding to Washington and support technology and AI innovation to stimulate job growth.
Taxes and budget: Sheth says he would investigate fraud, waste and abuse in government spending. He also says he would fix senior property-tax relief by raising qualifying income and simplifying access. He says he supports auditing the Climate Commitment tax to measure its impact on consumer prices.
Immigration: Sheth, himself an immigrant, says his stance is rooted in love for his adopted country. He says he would propose reforms to streamline the immigration process for individuals who wish to work and contribute. He says he would advocate for securing borders while recognizing the role of immigrants in the U.S. workforce.
Education: Sheth says he supports HB 2444, which would require the governor to opt in to a Federal Scholarship Tax Credit of $1,700 per student. He says the program uses privately donated funds to add school choice without cutting public school funding. He also says he would subsidize trade-school and apprenticeship training for graduates and displaced tech and other workers.
