Can Washington’s governor carry a gun on the state Capitol campus?

So, we were curious if Reichert, who was a beat cop and then King County sheriff from 1997 to 2005, and who now carries a gun in his daily activities, will be able to carry if he is elected governor?

Quite simply, the answer seems to be no, at least when it comes to openly carrying a gun on Washington’s Capitol campus in Olympia.

Asked if politicians are allowed to carry guns, even if they have a concealed pistol license, on Olympia’s campus including the governor’s mansion and legislative buildings, Chris Loftis, communications director for the Washington State Patrol, told Cascade PBS “There are no special exceptions for politicians related to the carrying of weapons” that he was aware of. 

But, he noted, concealed pistol licenses are “concealed by nature,” therefore the agency does “not have or keep information related to who is or is not carrying.”

Loftis added, in an email, that the State Patrol has “no way or directive to monitor concealed carries.”

So the answer to the question about whether the governor could carry a concealed weapon on the Capitol campus is maybe yes, as long as he or she has a concealed permit and the gun remained concealed at all times, Loftis said.

“Firearms on campus is a regular topic of contention for both politicians and citizens,” he added.

In 2021, lawmakers in Washington banned the open carry of guns and other weapons on the Capitol campus, including the governor’s mansion and all campus buildings. The law also prohibits guns from being brought within 250 feet of public demonstrations and rallies. The bill was signed into law months after pro-Trump supporters carrying guns and other weapons breached the gates of the governor’s mansion on Jan. 6. 

In Washington, guns and other weapons are also prohibited in other areas such as jails, airports, schools, child-care facilities and bars. Zoos and libraries were recently added to the list. 

In an email to Cascade PBS, Reichert spokesperson Ryika Hooshangi told our reporter that the candidate “abides by all laws and would not carry where he is not legally allowed to.” 

Hooshangi further explained that Reichert brought a weapon inside Cascade PBS’ office because “He did not feel it was safe to leave his gun in his vehicle given the crime issues in downtown Seattle.”

Governors have WSP protection in their statewide role, however.

“Incoming governors will be provided with a WSP Executive Protection Unit,” Loftis said. “This unit will work closely with the incoming governor to determine what that protection looks like for them. Security services will continue to be provided by the Department of Enterprise Services.”  

While Reichert doesn’t explicitly campaign on his gun ownership, it is not unheard of for gubernatorial candidates in other states to do so. 

In Nevada, for example, Gov. Joe Lombardo, a lifetime National Rifle Association member and former sheriff, proudly boasted on his campaign website that he was the only candidate running in the 2022 election for governor “who has carried a gun every day for the past three decades.”

Cascade PBS attempted to reach Gov. Lombardo’s office to ask if he still carries his gun regularly in his day-to-day duties, but did not get a response. 

Reichert is running for governor against current Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson. 

In contrast to Reichert, Ferguson has used his time as Attorney General to lead the call for stronger gun safety laws in Washington. Ferguson’s office has requested two major gun bills over the past few years, including a ban on the sale or import of high-capacity magazines and a ban on the sale and import of assault weapons in Washington.

Ferguson is also campaigning on combating gun violence and mass shootings as part of his approach to public safety – a stark difference from Reichert, who during his time as a Congressman voted against background checks and gun-violence prevention research.

The last day to turn in ballots for the 2024 election is Nov. 5. 

This story has been updated to clarify the State Patrol’s guidance on concealed carry of weapons on the Capitol campus.