About Adrian
Adrian Cortes (D-Battle Ground) was elected in 2024 to represent the 18th Legislative District in the Washington State Senate. Cortes previously served as chair on the Battle Ground Planning Commission and was later elected to the Battle Ground City Council for three terms. Cortes’ experience spans from having served as Chair of the regional transit authority in Clark County, C-Tran. During his tenure, C-Tran was awarded the best medium sized transit agency in North America by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). He also served as mayor of Battle Ground from 2020 to 2021, where he focused on improving the lives of Battle Ground residents by cutting utility taxes, making investments in public safety and roads, and passing a fiscally responsible budget.
Cortes moved to the 18th Legislative District when he was 6 years old and has lived there ever since. Cortes is a second career teacher and has worked for the Camas School District, teaching special education for 12 years. Currently, he is a field supervisor for ESD 112 overseeing pre-service teachers who are looking to become newly certified classroom teachers. Mentoring and supporting new teachers as they enter the classroom is a passion for him and a focus of his doctoral research. Cortes resides in Battle Ground, where he is co-parenting his youngest daughter. He also recently celebrated the birth of his first grandchild, who was born in 2026 to his oldest daughter, who also resides in Washington.
Cortes serves as vice chair of the Business, Financial Services & Trade Committee and a member of the Early Learning & K-12 Education and the Transportation committees.
Cortes brings years of experience as an educator, father, and public servant to the Washington State Senate, and he is dedicated to helping working-class families, retirees on fixed incomes, and Main Street small business owners of the 18th Legislative District.