Teamsters Joint Council 28 Endorsements

Democrat Matt Larson has been the Mayor of Snoqualmie for more than 10 years. Larson, a former small business owner of a home design company, has helped guide Snoqualmie through some of its toughest land use decisions during his tenure on the planning commission, parks board, city council, and now as mayor. He's prioritizing reducing traffic and expanding transit options for Eastside residents, as well as funding education.

Larson and Burner are facing Republican Paul Graves, a political newcomer with a short resume who works as a lawyer at Perkins Coie in Seattle. We lean toward the progressive Burner in this important race. Close Window

Mari Leavitt is the deputy director of Pierce County Connections and a former president of University Place PTA. Through her community leadership, she has gained a vast amount of experience supporting veterans, enhancing early childhood learning, and promoting workforce development to help struggling families land on their feet. She is running to close outdated tax loopholes, prioritize mental health care and veterans services, and support equal pay for women, foster care services, and homelessness solutions.

Leavitt faces incumbent Rep. Dick Muri, who voted against raising the minimum wage and equal pay for women, and Democrat Anne Setsuko Giroux, who is not running a competitive campaign. Leavitt deserves your vote. Close Window

Rep. Christine Kilduff is a former University Place School Board member who serves as Vice-Chair of the House Judiciary Committee. She is a strong and effective advocate for improving economic opportunities in the district, strengthening our schools, and improving access to health care. She has also been a great advocate for veterans and military families during her time in the Legislature. This past session, she sponsored legislation to increase community outreach programs to veterans in rural and remote areas, ensuring they can access health care, education, and employment services.

Kilduff is opposed by the very conservative candidate Paul Wagemann, who has run for this seat unsuccessfully every year since 2010, Libertarian Brandon Lyons, and Michael Winkler, another conservative candidate. Wagemann supports outlawing abortion even in cases of rape and incest and has questioned whether or not schools need more funding. Kilduff's other Republican opponent, Winkler, supported the discriminatory I-1515 that would have overturned our state's human rights protections for transgender people. Due to her service to the community and support for public schools, Kilduff deserves your vote. Close Window

Kristine Reeves is the Director of Economic Development for the military in the state of Washington, where she has helped secure millions of dollars for small businesses and local infrastructure. Reeves formerly served as a regional director and statewide Veteran Constituency Coordinator for U.S. Senator Patty Murray. She is running to ensure everyone has the economic opportunity to thrive and to fix the transportation issues in the region.

Reeves faces recently elected Rep. Teri Hickel, a conservative Republican who accepted the most money from fossil fuel companies of any candidate in Washington in 2015. Reeves deserves your vote based on her experience with veterans, job growth, and bringing people together. Close Window

Rep. Roger Goodman is one of the most effective leaders in Olympia. Over the past two years, he helped pass transportation improvements to relieve congestion, led roadway safety improvements, and wrote legislation to increase public safety by creating stronger DUI laws and better supervision for minors in trouble with the law. Goodman brings considerable professional experience to his work, including his legal practice, serving in federal and state government positions, and working in the non-profit world.

Goodman faces Sammamish Deputy Mayor Ramiro Valderrama, who opposes transit options to keep our community moving. To ensure we can all get home to dinner with our families, Goodman deserves your vote Close Window

Rep. Joan McBride is the former Mayor of Kirkland who hit the ground running her first two sessions in the legislature. She sponsored numerous bills, including one to ensure homeless youth have access to health care. McBride was also a strong advocate of transportation options that work for everyone, supporting women's health, LGBTQ equality, and Puget Sound cleanup.

She is opposed by libertarian Benjamin Judah Phelps, who is not running a credible campaign. McBride deserves your vote. Close Window