7th Legislative District

Karen Hardy, a ranch teamster, is the first Democrat to run in Legislative District 7 in ten years. She is a proponent of single payer healthcare, clean energy jobs, and fully funded education with certificate courses for trade students.

Her Republican opponent, Shelly Short, was appointed to the state senate when former Sen. Brian Dansel was chosen for a position with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Hardy would be a progressive change for Legislative District 7.

Democrat Susan Swanson served in the U.S. Navy and later worked for the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Defense Education Activity. She supports fully funding education, improving rural education access, and serving rural veterans. Swanson is running against Republican Jacquelin Maycumber, who is an outspoken critic of progressive values and workers' rights. Swanson is the best choice to represent the 7th District.

Micheal Shepard is running for Port of Bellingham Commissioner Position 1. Shepard is a progressive environmental advocate with the skills and drive to bring meaningful change to the Port of Bellingham. He recognizes the need to balance job growth and business development with pragmatic solutions for safeguarding the natural treasures of the Port of Bellingham.

Shepard is running against incumbent Dan Robbins, who is not a strong supporter of environmental protections or workers' rights. Shepard is best choice in this race.

Berry Wenger is running for Port of Bellingham Commissioner Position 2. As a former union member and organizer, he values job creation and workers' rights. He aims to pursue projects that will restore the shoreline and invest in the community. Wenger is committed to balancing sustainable growth and environmental restoration.

Wenger is running against Republican Ken Bell, who is running a conservative pro-business campaign. For his progressive vision, Barry Wenger is best choice in this race.

Angela Harris is running for Port of Edmonds, Commissioner District 1. Harris is a Senior Business Program Manager at Microsoft and would bring more than 20 years of budget management, leadership, and nonprofit adovacy to the role. She is running to increase engagement between the community, city council and the Port of Edmonds. Additionally, Harris aims to identify better solutions for storm water management, improve the Edmonds Marsh, and enhance the Edmonds shoreline.

Harris is running against incumbent Fred Gouge, who has served in the position since 1999. Gouge has responsibly managed the port's budget and played a key role promoting business development. Harris is the better choice in this race because of her broader support from progressive partners.

Retired strategic city adviser Susan Paine is running for Port of Edmonds, District 5. Paine has experience serving on the Edmonds School Board and as a strategic adviser for City of Seattle. Paine aims to increase collaboration with the City Council and the community especially on matters related to the development of the waterfront. Paine is prioritizing environmental stewardship as well as finding funding to understand the long-term financial impacts for redevelopment proposals and addressing contamination remediation in the Port.

Paine is running against incumbent Steven Johnston, who was appointed to the position in May 2016. Johnston is focused on business development and supporting the Port's tourism industry. Paine is the stronger choice in this race because of her support from progressive partners.

Small business owner and community leader Bill Fishburn is running for Port of Olympia to improve ethics and transparency on the commission. Fishburn aims to support local farms and businesses while providing much-needed jobs for veterans.

Fishburn is challenging incumbent Bill McGregor, whose track record on key issues skews conservative. For his fresh perspective on revitalizing the Port of Olympia, Bill Fishburn is the clear choice in this race.

Incumbent E.J. Zita is running for re-election to the Port of Olympia Commissioner District 3 seat. A faculty member at the Evergreen State College, Zita is a progressive who has worked hard to ensure that local taxes and economic investments at the port serve the whole community and enhance the environment. Throughout her tenure, Zita has prioritized providing sustainable economic opportunities for all, and holding the port to higher accountability standard that safeguard the interests of farms, residential areas, and schools.

E.J. Zita is running against challenger Gigi McClure, who is not running a progressive campaign - McClure is in favor of the port continuing to ship fracking sands. For her proven track record on delivering quality results, we recommend Zita in this race.

Former Seattle City Council member Peter Steinbrueck is running to ensure that the Port of Seattle balances job growth and development with environmentally friendly environment platforms. He aims to make the Port of Seattle a leader in reducing emissions and restoring habitats. While Peter has a proven track record on supporting workers' rights, living wages, and environmentally responsible policies, we lean toward Shridhar for Port of Seattle, Position 4.

John McCarthy is running for the Tacoma Port Commissioner Position 1 against army veteran and port security specialist Eric Holdman. McCarthy served as a Tacoma Port Commissioner from 1983 to 1992, and a Pierce County District Court judge for 22 years. While McCarthy is not the most progressive candidate, his previous experience and community involvement makes him the best choice in this race.

Don Orange is a small business owner who has lived in Clark County for 30 years. As a community advocate, Don has fought for working families and government accountability. Orange has also been a dedicated opponent of the dirty and dangerous Tesoro-Savage project, which would be the largest oil by rail terminal in the country. Orange is committed to standing up for the community’s public health and safety, and creating clean energy jobs through the Port of Vancouver that protect the Columbia River and Clark County for future generations of families to enjoy.

Orange is running against conservative Kris Greene. Due to a quirk in campaign finance laws, Port of Vancouver candidates can accept unlimited campaign donations, and Greene has taken full advantage of that. As of October 17, Greene had accepted a staggering $370,000 from the same oil companies lobbying the Port of Vancouver in favor of the export terminal. In addition, leaked documents from his former campaign strategist show that oil companies were largely calling the shots on Greene’s campaign.

Greene’s massive conflicts of interest and support for this dangerous oil terminal should raise concerns for voters across the political spectrum. Don Orange is the clear choice in this race.

Ruth Esparza was appointed to the Wenatchee City Council in 2014. She works as an attorney with Northwest Justice Project, which provides legal counsel and aid to low-income individuals in Washington. Esparza is the daughter of a Latino farm family and values an inclusive community. She has focused her personal, professional, and civil work on supporting poor and marginalized communities. As a candidate, she is prioritizing responsible growth management and affordable housing. She works on the Chelan/Douglas County United Way Board, and was the 2008 recipient of the Wenatchee Valley Civil Rights and Social Justice Award. Her opponent is Adriana Farnsworth, who is not running a competitive campaign. Esparza is the best choice in this race.

Adam MacDonald is a history teacher at Wenatchee High School and an active member of the Wenatchee Education Association. MacDonald advocates for increasing development, especially affordable housing, protecting outdoor spaces like the foothills, and maintaining a culture of inclusion in the city.

MacDonald is challenging incumbent Keith Huffaker, who is a programmer for Westmark and a self-described "conservative voice". Huffaker has emphasized the need for frugality in the city government and has no progressive measures in his campaign.

MacDonald is the better choice in this race.

Deana Brower is running for reelection to the Spokane School District Board of Directors, Position 2. First elected in 2011, Deana Brower is currently Board President and is active in the greater Spokane community. Prior to joining the school board, Brower taught primary education for 12 years, served as a youth education advocate in Eastern Washington. Brower is unopposed in this race.

Mike Wiser was recently appointed to the Spokane School Board and is now running for a full term. In addition to his commitment to the Spokane School District, he is VP of Strategic Planning for CHAS Health. Wiser is running to bring a data-driven analysis to school improvement while ensuring that standardized tests don't dominate the classroom. He's also committed to supporting students with the community services they need to show up to school ready to learn.

Wiser is running against Jennifer Muroya Thomas, who does not share Wiser's experience and progressive values. Wiser is the best choice in this race.