Skagit County

Sen. Patty Murray has been a consistent and strong progressive voice in the U.S. Senate. She's seeking re-election to continue fighting for our basic rights and a better quality of life in Washington and beyond.

Murray was first elected in 1992 and has been a champion for veterans, working families, women, and economic opportunities for all. Before her tenure in the Senate, Murray worked as a preschool teacher, on the Shoreline School Board, and in the Washington state Senate.

During her time in Congress, Sen. Murray has worked hard to keep our communities safe from gun violence, protect abortion access at the federal level so that everyone has reproductive freedom, and expand access to affordable childcare. This year, she voted in support of the Women’s Health Protection Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and a slate of other progressive bills that invest in working communities so that our country is a place where everyone can thrive. Murray has earned an impressive and diverse coalition of endorsements from local and national organizations, elected leaders, and unions.

Sen. Murray faces Tiffany Smiley, a triage nurse running on a MAGA Republican platform. Smiley has never held public office but she previously worked on Capitol Hill. Her Trump-inspired agenda aims to divide us while she seeks to cut funding from our most essential services and repurpose it for a needless border wall and more militarized police forces. Working Washingtonians need real solutions so that we can access the basics like gas, groceries, rent, and prescription medicine – not MAGA rhetoric and tax breaks for the wealthy.

Sen. Patty Murray is a national leader on many of the most important issues facing our country. She has earned your vote for re-election.

Rep. Rick Larsen is a moderate Democrat who is seeking his eleventh term representing Washington's 2nd Congressional District. Before serving in Congress, he served on the Snohomish County Council and worked on economic development for the City of Everett.

Larsen has been a reliable vote on House Democrats' priorities. Since his last election, he voted for both the bipartisan infrastructure bill and Build Back Better, President Biden's more ambitious effort to fund clean energy, child tax credits, and other progressive priorities. In past years, Larsen supported the Lower Drug Costs Now Act to give Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies and pass on the lower drug prices to all Americans. He also voted for the Voting Rights Advancement Act, supported the coronavirus pandemic relief packages, and sought to reform student loans.

Republican Dan Matthews, a veteran and retired commercial airline pilot, is challenging incumbent Larsen in this race. Matthews lists dozens of "areas of concern" on his website with an invitation to "let the dialogue begin" but does not list any actual policy positions. However, some of the topics he lists are consistent with the MAGA Republican agenda we see across the country this year including dangerous rhetoric about voter fraud and border policies that echo Trump's 2016 talking points.

Larsen is the clear choice for Congress from Washington's 2nd Congressional District.

Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson is running as an independent to bring a non-partisan voice to the secretary of state's office. Anderson served on the Tacoma City Council before running for county auditor in 2009 and winning re-election three times. As Pierce County auditor, which is a nonpartisan position, she has administered dozens of elections while also overseeing licensing and public record-keeping.

Anderson is running because she believes political parties shouldn't be involved in running elections they are simultaneously trying to win. Her campaign priorities include supporting more local races becoming non-partisan, increasing access to voting and election information, and improving election security. She wants to translate the voters' pamphlet into 10 languages, going beyond what is mandated by the Voting Rights Act. She also wants to conduct risk-limiting audits in all 39 Washington counties and "pre-bunk" rumors to increase confidence in our state's election systems.

During our interview, Anderson expressed support for ranked choice voting because she believes it will allow candidates to break through our two-party political system. This is one of the biggest points of difference between Anderson and Hobbs.

Anderson offers voters an experienced option if they are looking for a nonpartisan administrator to manage our state's elections and support ranked choice voting.

Clyde Shavers is a first-time candidate running for the 10th Legislative District, Position 1. He is a U.S. Navy veteran who previously served as a public affairs officer and now works as a reserve officer.

Shavers’ top campaign issues are addressing the housing crisis and prioritizing environmental sustainability. He has been a leader in helping people in his community access stable housing options, both at law school where he founded the Yale Coalition to End Homelessness, and in Mount Vernon where he volunteered with the Skagit Friendship House. Additionally, he has focused his legal advocacy on finding climate solutions so that all American communities have access to clean drinking water, healthy forests, and safe air, now and for generations to come. If elected, Shavers also wants to work towards quality education, affordable health care, reproductive freedom, and support for veterans.

Shavers is challenging Republican Rep. Greg Gilday, an attorney and realtor who has pushed a very conservative agenda since joining the Legislature in 2021. This year, Gilday voted against legislation to protect Washington’s environment for future generations and opposed a bill to keep our communities safe from gun violence. He fought against comprehensive sexual health education for students and he wants to redirect funding away from community services that help Washingtonians afford the basics in order to further militarize and expand police forces.

Shavers is facing allegations late in the cycle that he exaggerated some of the details of his military service. Although we do not condone such actions if true, we still believe that he would be a better representative based on Gilday’s track record.

Clyde Shavers is the best choice in this race for House Position 1 in the 10th Legislative District.

Democratic Rep. Dave Paul is running for re-election in the 10th Legislative District for Position 2. The incumbent first joined the Legislature in 2019 after working for Skagit Valley College for more than a decade.

Paul has been an advocate for working families and improving our transportation system in office. He was a co-sponsor of last year’s Working Families Tax Credit which puts cash directly into the hands of working Washingtonians. This session, he supported the Move Ahead Washington package to improve public transportation infrastructure and access. Looking forward, Paul wants to invest in giving Washington’s youth the educational and mental health resources they need to succeed.

Republican Karen Lesetmoe is challenging Paul for state House. She is a real estate broker and Navy veteran. Lesetmoe does not have a detailed agenda but she pits her campaign against the state's economic recovery programs that help keep working families afloat. Lesetmoe has echoed Republican talking points about crime while ignoring the investments our communities need to be safe.

Paul has been one of the most thoughtful leaders in Olympia during his first two terms, reaching across the aisle to get things done for the district. We enthusiastically recommend Paul to continue representing the 10th Legislative District with strong community-centered leadership in the House.

There are two Republicans in the race for Position 1 in the 39th Legislative District. Though both are conservative, there are significant differences between them that lead us to recommend Low. 

Snohomish County Councilmember Sam Low has served on the county council since 2016 and is a former Lake Stevens city council member. Low's views on creating family-wage jobs and preserving farmland and open space have earned him the support of several unions and some Democrats. Unfortunately, if elected, Low would also join his Republican colleagues in cutting funding for community investments that provide schools with essential resources, expand affordable housing, and upgrade public infrastructure. 

Low is challenging MAGA Republican Rep. Robert Sutherland, who worked as a biochemist for pharmaceutical companies and a distillery before joining the Legislature. Sutherland has been one of the most outspoken proponents of far-right conspiracy theories in the legislature, including seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election. In addition, he opposed bills this session to prevent homelessness for those with mental health concerns and to keep our communities safe from high-capacity firearms. Sutherland was officially reprimanded for misconduct this March when he yelled expletives at a law enforcement officer while at a far-right rally dedicated to Trump’s election conspiracy theories.

While we disagree with Low on many important issues, he is the more responsible choice in this race. Vote Low for Position 1 representing the 39th Legislative District.

Jessica Wadhams is challenging Republican incumbent Caroline Eslick for the 39th Legislative District, House Position 2. Wadhams is a community leader who has worked professionally in retail management. She co-founded the Lake Stevens BIPOC & Allies group and serves on the board of the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington.

Wadhams is running on a commonsense platform to improve public infrastructure, community services, and access to essential resources so all Washingtonians can achieve economic security. One of her top priorities is ensuring that everyone in our state can afford the prescriptions and health care services they need. For Wadhams, this means guaranteeing first and foremost that community members have the freedom to choose if and when to grow their family. If elected, Wadhams also wants to focus on bringing more living-wage jobs to the district, making corporations and the wealthy pay their share, and investing in quality education.

Wadhams is challenging Rep. Caroline Eslick, who is seeking her fifth term in the House. Eslick is the former mayor of Sultan and previously worked as a restaurant owner and in business development. In office, she has fought policies that invest in our communities so that we can all lead safe, healthy lives. Now, Eslick is running in opposition to efforts to make our school curriculums more accurate and reflective of our diverse Washington communities. If re-elected, she will continue pursuing a conservative social and economic agenda that doesn’t represent the needs of working families in the 39th Legislative District.

Jessica Wadhams has proven her commitment to making the district a better place to live and work. She is the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote for Position 2 representing the 39th Legislative District.

Rep. Debra Lekanoff is running for re-election to Legislative District 40, Position 1. Lekanoff is currently the only Native American woman in the Washington Legislature. She formerly worked for the Swinomish Tribe as the governmental affairs director and now serves as vice chair of the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee.

Lekanoff is running to keep fighting to protect our ecosystems for future generations while advocating for investments in public infrastructure and economic recovery. This session, she was the prime sponsor of historic legislation that created the country’s first alert system for missing Indigenous women. Lekanoff also supported the historic Move Ahead Washington transportation bill that will make public transit in Washington more accessible and environmentally friendly.

Republican Shannon Perkes faces Lekanoff on the November ballot after receiving sufficient votes as a write-in candidate during the primary. Perkes has worked in logging, agriculture, and construction, and is now running on a very conservative platform that opposes Gov. Inslee’s progressive efforts. If elected, Perkes wants to reduce access to health care, increase militarized policing in our neighborhoods, reduce workplace protections and other regulations that keep businesses accountable, and sow doubts about election security.

Lekanoff is a strong progressive who will prioritize the environment, tribal representation, and community economic security. Lekanoff deserves your vote for re-election so she can continue building a future where all Washingtonians can prosper.

Rep. Alex Ramel is running for re-election to Position 2 in the 40th Legislative District. Ramel has been a strong progressive leader in the Legislature. The incumbent and environmental organizer previously served on the board of the Whatcom chapter of Washington Conservation Voters and now works as a climate policy advisor for an environmental nonprofit.

Ramel’s top legislative priorities include fighting climate change, making housing more affordable, preventing gun violence, investing in community-first economic recovery, and making sure all Washingtonians can afford the health care they need. One of his environmental accomplishments this session was helping to pass the Move Ahead Washington transportation package that will invest in accessible and climate-friendly transit infrastructure like electric vehicle charging stations and zero-emissions ferry technology.

Beyond the transportation package, Ramel prioritized keeping our communities safe by restricting ghost guns, banning carrying guns in places like school board meetings, and creating an alert system for missing Indigenous people. He also sponsored important policies that we hope will move forward in the years to come, including a wealth tax on extraordinarily high earners and expanding housing options near transit.

Ramel faces a challenge from Trevor Smith, a moderate Democrat and the political director of a labor union whose workers install and manage natural gas infrastructure. Unfortunately, Smith's challenge represents a push by conservative corporations and fossil fuel interests to stop Ramel from fighting carbon pollution by promoting alternatives to natural gas like electrification. Corporate and conservative PACs and people have spent more than $140,000 backing Smith's campaign to oust Ramel.

Ramel has been a champion for fighting climate change and protecting our clean air and water. We hope the Legislature follows his lead and continues to fund training for workers to pivot to cleaner sources of fuel. But with the recent attempts of a conservative Supreme Court hobbling the EPA's ability to regulate pollution, this is no time to stop climate action.

Ramel has been an outstanding advocate for progressive causes and is the clear choice to continue serving the 40th Legislative District.

Danny Hagen is running for the Skagit County assessor’s seat left vacant by Dave Thomas’ retirement. Hagen currently works for Thomas in the county assessor’s office and is also involved with the International Association of Assessing Officers. He is working towards earning a Mass Appraisal Specialist designation, a qualification only one other Washingtonian has earned.

Hagen believes that Skagit County is strongest when we have a fair and equitable tax code that is stewarded by trusted, elected leaders. He wants to make sure that the assessor’s office operates transparently so that the community has confidence in the administration of public revenue that benefits us all. He is running as an Independent in this race because he believes the assessor’s office should be nonpartisan.

Republican Karie Storle, an Army veteran, school district bus driver, and employee of the assessor’s office, is the other candidate in this race. Storle lacks a campaign website and a well-defined platform. Her goals for office include maintaining the status quo and opposing legislation that would enable community investments to improve life in Skagit County.

Danny Hagen is the best choice in this race.

Democrat Sandy Perkins is running for re-election for Skagit County auditor, a position she has held for six years. Before that, Perkins spent two decades as a certified fraud examiner. She also formerly chaired the Skagit Elder Alliance and offers community education about fraud protection.

Perkins is running to strengthen public trust in local election proceedings and to build on her successes in making the office run more efficiently. She will leverage her knowledge of the office, her 15 years of cyber security experience, and her community leadership to make our elections safer while discrediting misinformation about election fraud coming from MAGA Republicans like her opponent. She is by far the more qualified candidate in this race and her candidacy has support from local elected progressives.

Eric Hull is a former Boeing engineer and scientist for Hitachi who is running on a vague conservative platform. Hull has never held public office and says he learned about the county auditor’s responsibilities during this campaign.

Sandy Perkins has done an impressive job in the county auditor’s office and she deserves your vote for another term serving Skagit County.

Mount Vernon City Council member and incumbent county clerk Melissa Beaton is running unopposed to continue serving in the Skagit County clerk’s office. Beaton has a long track record of public service in Skagit County, starting with an administrative position with the Skagit County Superior Court and including her work as a city council member since 2018. Beaton also became the Skagit Rotary Club’s first woman president in 2018 and has served in a multitude of other volunteer community leadership positions as well.

If re-elected to the clerk’s office, Beaton wants to continue bringing quality financial and administrative support to the Superior Court. With her strong community ties and her prior experience as clerk and in county government, Beaton believes she is perfectly positioned to work collaboratively and bring trusted leadership to the role.

Melissa Beaton deserves your vote for Skagit County clerk.

Democrat Don McDermott is running for re-election for another term as Skagit County sheriff. McDermott has served the county for the last four years and he worked as the undersheriff for the county before that. He currently serves as the chair of the Skagit County Chiefs and Sheriff Executive Board.

In this race, McDermott is running to make Skagit County safer through de-escalation, accountability, prevention, and partnerships between the police and the community. Under his leadership, the county sheriff’s office implemented a policing model that embeds mental health professionals with law enforcement to provide crisis support that can address a wider set of needs. McDermott’s re-election has earned the support of a number of local county leaders as well as the county Democrats.

Kevin Ewing is challenging McDermott without a party affiliation but his platform indicates that he is a conservative. Ewing lists a number of jobs under his career experience including rancher, contractor, and businessman. Now, he is running for public office to be a “constitutional sheriff” and wants to focus office dollars and time on attacking sanctuary cities and our neighbors without documentation.

McDermott is the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote for another term as sheriff of Skagit County.

Skagit County Treasurer Jackie Brunson is running unopposed for re-election. Brunson is a Democrat who was first elected to the role in 2018. Before that, she worked for the county sheriff’s office for more than a decade in administrative services, ending her tenure as the chief.

Brunson is running for a second term to bring her experience, professionalism, and institutional knowledge to the residents of Skagit County. If re-elected, one of her goals is to continually improve the customer service offered by the office. In this race, Brunson has earned a range of support including from local unions and community leaders.

Brunson deserves your vote for another term as Skagit County treasurer.

Incumbent Commissioner Lisa Janicki is running for re-election to continue serving Skagit County in District 3. Janicki was first elected commissioner in 2014 and previously worked as the chief financial officer of her own business. She has also served on the board of the Economic Development Association of Skagit County and currently works on the Skagit County Board of Health.

Janicki is seeking re-election on a platform that emphasizes making bold investments in community services and public infrastructure to continue the economic and social recovery from the pandemic. She is proud of the federal funds that allowed record local spending on small businesses, broadband, and schools. Janicki would put her business background and community leadership experience to use during another term to make Skagit County a place where all residents have their basic needs met and the chance to thrive.

Christian Burns is a Republican challenging Janicki for the District 3 seat. Burns works as a contractor and lacks community leadership experience. He is running on a vague platform that fails to mention specific policy proposals for the county.

Lisa Janicki has been a strong District 3 commissioner and deserves your vote for another term serving Skagit County.

Justice Mary Yu is running unopposed to continue serving on the state Supreme Court. Yu was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2014, elected by voters to the seat later that year, and re-elected in 2016. Before joining Washington’s highest court, she spent 14 years as a trial court judge in King County Superior Court and earlier as the deputy chief of staff to former King County prosecutor Norm Maleng.

Yu has an unimpeachable reputation and has been rated “exceptionally well qualified” by a number of key bar associations. On the court, she has been a voice for equal justice and upholding the rights of all. Now, she is running with endorsements from all of her fellow justices as well as a number of retired justices from the court.

Justice Yu deserves your vote to continue serving as one of Washington’s state Supreme Court justices.

Justice Barbara Madsen has served on the state Supreme Court for 30 years and is running unopposed for re-election this year. She was only the third woman to serve on the court when she was first elected in 1992. During her time on the court, her fellow justices elected her the 55th chief justice of the court – a position she held for 7 years.

Having spent her career in both prosecution and public defense, Madsen has extensive knowledge of the criminal legal system and a passion for serving her community. Her re-election has been endorsed by each of her fellow justices and a wide range of other judicial leaders and community organizations.

Justice Madsen has served the state with fair and equal justice. She deserves your vote to remain in her seat on Washington’s Supreme Court.

Justice G. Helen Whitener is running unopposed for re-election to Position 6 on Washington’s Supreme Court. Whitener became the first Black woman to serve on the state’s Supreme Court in April 2020 when she was appointed to fill a vacancy by Gov. Inslee. Later that year, she won her election to fill the remainder of the term. Prior to joining the Washington Supreme Court, Whitener served on the Pierce County Superior Court and worked as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney before becoming a judge.

Justice Whitener is both a Trinidadian immigrant and openly gay, and has worked to be a representative voice for justice for all in the state’s highest court. In this race, she has earned the endorsement of each one of her fellow justices as well as some retired justices. Whitener has been rated as "exceptionally well-qualified" by a number of bar associations and has done an exceptional job since joining the court.

Whitener is an important voice on the State Supreme Court and deserves your voice to continue serving as a justice in Position 6.

Incumbent commissioner Germaine Kornegay is running to retain her seat in District 3 on the Skagit County Public Utilities District. She was originally appointed to this position in 2020 to fill the vacancy left by Eron Berg. Before joining the PUD, Kornegay served on the Sedro-Wooley City Council for seven years and was mayor pro tem during that time. Outside of public service, she runs her own local pet grooming small business and is a community leader, volunteering with multiple local groups including the Oasis Teen Shelter.

Kornegay’s priorities are an extension of the work she has already begun on the PUD to protect the Snake River and ensure clean drinking water for the district. If elected back to the seat, she also wants to focus on utility worker protections and investments in infrastructure to deliver the best service possible to Skagit County residents. In this race, Kornegay has received endorsements from an impressive number of elected leaders and progressive organizations.

Corrin Hamburg is challenging Kornegay for the District 3 seat in this race. Hamburg currently works for Skagit Valley College doing classroom and instruction support and she has worked for the City of Anacortes Wastewater Treatment Plant. Hamburg’s campaign has earned the support of the county Republicans in this race.

We recommend Germaine Kornegay for District 3 commissioner on the Skagit County Public Utility District because of her strong record of community leadership and progressive support.