17th Legislative District

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.

Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is running to represent Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. Perez is a rural, working-class Washingtonian and co-owns a family auto repair shop with her husband. She also serves as the executive director of the Stevenson Downtown Association, which is a part of the Main Street America coalition to bring economic vitality to all communities. Additionally, Perez serves as an elected member of the Underwood Soil and Water Conservation District board.

Perez is running on a platform that champions the needs of working families and will improve the quality of life for all her constituents, particularly those in rural areas. As a working mom and small business owner, she is especially passionate about making health care and child care more accessible to all Americans. If elected, she also wants to protect reproductive freedom, represent the needs of rural residents, invest in clean energy, strengthen workers’ rights, and address the rising cost of living so that we can all afford the basics like rent, gas, and groceries.

Joe Kent is Trump’s pick to represent the 3rd Congressional District and he is running one of the most extreme, MAGA-focused campaigns in the country. Kent narrowly defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, who crossed the far-right by voting to impeach Trump over the January 6 insurrection.

Kent is an Army veteran and a frequent Tucker Carlson Tonight show guest who lists impeaching President Biden and Vice President Harris as one of his top priorities. He is extremely anti-abortion and has called for the repeal of Roe v. Wade for years. Now Kent wants to eliminate personal decision-making about family planning in all circumstances.

He joins some of the most far-right candidates across the country who want to steal power and undermine American voters through the lie that the 2020 election results were fraudulent. He opposes Washington's popular and secure vote-by-mail system. In response to the recent FBI search of Mar-A-Lago, Kent made the disturbing statement, “we’re at war” and called for defunding the FBI. His extremism and blind loyalty to Trump are dangerous and have no place in Congress.

Perez is the clear choice in this race. She deserves your vote to represent the 3rd Congressional District and fight for working families in Congress.

Democrat Doug White is running for U.S. representative for the 4th Congressional District. His platform is focused on protecting the local environment and expanding rural health care. He comes from several generations of Central Washington farmers and has worked with family businesses.

White's focus would be a significant change from incumbent Dan Newhouse's conservative policies. White believes that climate change needs to be mitigated by local energy from solar and wind. He also believes immigrants need a path forward to citizenship, more must be done to secure affordable housing for all, a safety net for seniors and the vulnerable must be provided, and that infrastructure from waterways to broadband internet needs to be modernized and rebuilt. Unlike his opponent, he also supports passing a law to protect reproductive freedom for all Americans.

Incumbent Republican Dan Newhouse was first elected in 2014 and previously served as the Washington director of agriculture and in the state House of Representatives. He is very conservative, and while Trump was in office he voted with the president 93% of the time. While he was one of the few Republicans to support Trump's impeachment in 2021 after the attack on the capitol on January 6th, Newhouse refused to support the pandemic relief package. Newhouse is also strongly opposed to reproductive freedom and has an A+ rating from a national anti-abortion PAC.

White is broadly endorsed by many Democratic organizations, unions, and more. For his willingness to take on the district's and nation's biggest issues, like protecting water and building up communities more equitably, we recommend Doug White for Congress for the 4th 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.

Democrat Terri Niles is running for Position 1 in the 17th Legislative District to replace Republican Vicki Kraft, who vacated this seat to run against Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler. Niles is a labor organizer who has worked for 20 years as an ICU nurse. She is also a Clark County charter review commissioner and president of the Clark County Democratic Women, among other leadership roles.

Niles supports increasing apprenticeship and trade programs, strengthening the workforce, creating clean energy solutions, and supporting local businesses. She notes that as the community recovers from the pandemic, some of the most important investments to make include affordable child care, building more affordable housing, and ensuring that environmental and physical health care receive strong investments.

Kevin Waters is the owner of the Backwoods Brewing company and a former commissioner of the Port of Skamania. Waters is against reproductive freedom and has an endorsement from an anti-choice PAC that is also pushing the stolen election lies perpetuated by far-right media since 2020. He states that he will reduce business regulations and pour more money into law enforcement if elected.

The district needs investment and care as communities begin to recover from the pandemic, not pandering to the worst parts of the right-wing agenda. Vote Terri Niles for state representative in the 17th Legislative District.

Democrat Joe Kear is running for Position 2 in the 17th Legislative District to bring good jobs to the district, support working people, and increase the community's access to everyday needs. Kear has served as a Democratic precinct committee officer for ten years, as well as former vice chair and current secretary of the Skamania County Democrats. He has also worked extensively with labor unions, including on the Northwest Oregon Labor Council and the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council. If elected, Kear wants to support better broadband internet access, expand child care and mental health resources, support clean energy, and protect forests.

Kear is running against incumbent Republican Paul Harris, who has occasionally bucked the party line for public health measures. For example, Harris sponsored a bill that would raise the age for buying tobacco products to 21. However, he has disappointed voters with his votes on numerous commonsense health measures, including voting against this year's bill to preserve access to abortion care and a bill allowing people suffering from domestic violence to seek help virtually during the pandemic. He has also opposed bills aimed at fixing our state's upside-down tax code, for example, by closing wasteful tax loopholes for special interest groups, as well as voting against prohibiting the sale of high-capacity gun magazines, earning him a 92% rating with the NRA.

The communities of the 17th District need new progressive leadership. Vote Joe Kear for Position 2.

Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey has served the public in this role since 1999. He is a certified election administrator and a former union member. Before joining the auditor’s office, Kimsey held leadership positions in business and finance including as the chief financial officer for a Vancouver-based company.

Kimsey is proud of his office’s track record of accuracy and accountability in election results. He has shared that every audit has confirmed the original results since he took office. For his consistent and responsive leadership, he was once named “Auditor of the Year.” If re-elected, he wants to keep bringing integrity and accuracy to the office to build trust in our democratic systems and deliver quality licensing and recording services for the county.

Kimsey's opponent, Brett Simpson, is a Trump Republican running on an “election integrity” platform that promotes distrust in our auditor’s office and further spreads the lie that the 2020 election results were invalid. He works in construction and land development and is a member of the Washington Election Integrity Coalition United. This conspiracy group was sanctioned by the state attorney general’s office for bringing a meritless fraud lawsuit against the state aimed at overturning the 2020 election results.

Clark County voters deserve an auditor who will honor the will of the people and follow the facts on election security, not the words of a former president who wants to illegally install himself and others from his party into office.

Greg Kimsey is the clear choice in this race. He deserves your vote to remain Clark County auditor.

Incumbent Tony Golik is running unopposed for re-election to the county prosecutor’s office. Golik has served as Clark County prosecuting attorney since 2011 and served as deputy prosecutor for 14 years before that. He helped found the county’s Elder Justice Center and serves as its board chair. At the end of last year, he joined the state’s newly created police oversight board.

Golik is running to continue bringing impartial and just leadership to the prosecutor’s office. He believes that our communities are safer and stronger when we don’t rely on incarceration and policing as the first resort to address social issues. He is a proponent of mental health courts to reduce crime rates by giving community members the support and resources they need. If re-elected, Golik also wants to keep up his work with Children’s and Elder Justice centers.

Golik has been a strong community leader as Clark County prosecutor and deserves your vote to continue serving with fairness and integrity.

While no progressives are running for Clark County sheriff, which is a nonpartisan position, we cautiously recommend Josh Horch over Rey Reynolds because of Reynolds' far right and extreme anti-LGTBQ ideology.

Reynolds, a corporal with the Vancouver Police Department, is running on a reactionary platform to take our state backward on law enforcement and police accountability. He supports the fringe right wing theory that county sheriffs can overrule the federal government’s authority and if elected, he would only enforce laws he decides are constitutional. He has said that he would not enforce gun violence prevention laws that have been approved by courts and voters in Washington.

Making matters worse, Reynolds recently commented during a Christian political show during a conservative Christian political show that he could attempt to arrest and prosecute members of the LGTBQ community during parades or drag queen story hours. He later tried to pivot and stated that arresting these groups had nothing to do with gender or or sexual orientation, but his newer comments still reflect offensive views about LGBTQ community members.

John Horch has worked in the sheriff’s office for more than 30 years and is currently in the role of chief criminal deputy. He also serves on the board of the Lifeline Connections Sobering Unit and Crisis Wellness Center. Horch was endorsed by the county Democrats and is the only candidate in this race who wasn’t endorsed by the Republican party.

Unfortunately, Horch is running on a relatively conservative platform. On a conservative radio show appearance earlier this year, he dismissed progressive legislative efforts to create police accountability and advance racial justice, saying he would prioritize pressuring legislators to repeal or weaken the measures. Horch, like many Republicans running this year, also wants to pour more funding into law enforcement budgets to expand and militarize police presence in our neighborhoods. However, he does say that he wants to invest in social services to help our community members struggling the most and to require body camera use for accountability. 

Reynolds has no business violating residents' civil rights and arresting people based on his personal bigotry. For Clark County sheriff, vote for John Horch.

Incumbent Alishia Topper is running unopposed for re-election to the Clark County treasurer's office. Before starting the role in 2019, she served as an elected Vancouver City Council member and as a tax services manager within the treasurer’s office. Topper also currently serves as the president of the Washington State Association of County Treasurers.

In office, Topper has worked hard to deliver efficient and cost-effective services including upgraded payment technologies, streamlined bank processes for the office, and reliable customer service. If re-elected, she wants to continue making the county treasurer’s office an inclusive place where all residents can access the financial resources and services they need and where public revenue is safely stewarded.

Alishia Topper is a progressive community leader as well as a responsible and tested county treasurer. She deserves your vote for another term in office.

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.

Environmentalist and climate activist Don Steinke is running for the District 2 seat on the Clark County Public Utilities District Board of Commissioners. Steinke is a retired teacher who has received recognition for his climate justice work in Clark County and Washington broadly. Now, he is running to make the Clark County PUD a leader in electric and green utilities.

Steinke’s platform is focused on bold climate action with the overarching goal of helping the county drastically reduce emissions. If elected, he wants to modernize the PUD to bring it in line with the renewable energy goals of the county and work with other local governments to enact environmental protections. As a respected climate activist in the area, Steinke has earned broad community support in this campaign.

Steinke is challenging incumbent commissioner Nancy Barnes, who first joined the PUD in 1992. She is running on a status quo platform that primarily emphasizes the PUD’s stable rates and reliability, though she does list some environmental goals on her campaign website. Outside of the PUD, Barnes is also a board member of the American Public Power Association.

Don Steinke has the strongest vision for a sustainable climate future and the role of the PUD in bringing it about. He deserves your vote for Clark County PUD commissioner in District 2.