40th Legislative District

Senator Maria Cantwell was first elected in 2000 and continues to represent our state's progressive values in our nation's capital. Sen. Cantwell has been a leader on a wide range of issues including reproductive rights, supporting the Children's Health Insurance Program, defending net neutrality, passing oil spill legislation to protect our water, working on clean energy policies, and many more.

Sen. Cantwell is opposed by Republican Susan Hutchison. Hutchison is a former news anchor and past chair of the state Republican Party. She ran for King County Executive in 2009 and lost by twenty points. Hutchison is well-known for being a party-line Republican and for her fierce defense of President Donald Trump, including calling fellow Republican Ted Cruz a "traitor" for not supporting the president's campaign.

Sen. Cantwell has been a tenacious advocate for the people of Washington state and is the best choice in this race.

Representative Rick Larsen is a moderate Democrat who has been a strong advocate for jobs, transportation, and infrastructure projects in the 2nd District. Before his time in Congress, he served on the Snohomish County Council and worked on economic development for the City of Everett. Rep. Larsen has also supported efforts to protect voting rights, fought to reform student loans, and championed Wall Street reform. Unfortunately, Larsen joined Republicans to repeal some banking rules imposed after the Great Recession intended to prevent another economic collapse.

Rep. Larsen is running against Libertarian Brian Luke, who has worked in the grocery business for 22 years. His campaign is focused on reducing the national debt and cutting regulations.

Rep. Larsen is the best choice in this race.

Debra Lekanoff is running for the 40th Legislative District House seat to replace retiring Rep. Kristine Lytton. Lekanoff currently serves as the Government Affairs Director for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. She has spent her career working with various levels of government on complex policies and having conversations about what’s important for local families. Lekanoff is running to protect the Salish Sea for future generations, improve educational opportunities, and sustainably build the economy. If elected, Lekanoff would be the only Native woman in the state Legislature.

Lekanoff is opposed by Republican Michael Petrish, a carpenter at the Andeavor refinery in Anacortes and a proud member of The Knights of Columbus. He is running on a "pro-second amendment, pro-school choice, anti-abortion" platform.

Lekanoff is the clear choice in this race.

Democratic Representative Jeff Morris is the former House Democratic Floor Leader in Olympia. He is a moderate Democrat who has sponsored numerous bills to protect the environment and promote alternative energy, though at times he frustrates environmentalists by watering down good bills. He recently introduced a "right-to-repair" bill that would make it illegal for electronics makers to produce devices with hard-to-replace batteries in Washington. Rep. Morris is running unopposed for re-election.

Randall K. Gaylord is running for re-election to the office of Prosecuting Attorney for San Juan County. Throughout his 24 years in elected office, Gaylord has served with distinction and has prioritized safeguarding the community. Gaylord is known for his strong ethical standards and for valuing the impartiality of the law. He believes in the responsibility of representing all people and keeping victims in mind when resolving criminal cases. In addition to prosecuting crimes, Gaylord also advises elected officials on legal matters that influence open government and community safety.

Gaylord is facing a challenge from conservative local attorney Nick Power. In his private practice Power has represented far-right organizations and individuals that have attacked labor unions and local Democratic Party organizations. Based on his record of public service and support from the legal community, Gaylord is the best choice in the race.

Democrat James Erb is running for Whatcom County Prosecutor after serving in the Bellingham City Attorney’s office since 2010. Previously, he served as a prosecutor in the Nooksack Tribal Court, where he learned more about diversion and alternatives to incarceration. Erb is running to focus prosecutions on violent offenders while maximizing the use of drug courts and treatment programs for non-violent drug users.

Small business owner and career educator Carol Frazey is running to bring a fresh perspective to the Whatcom County Council At-large Position B. Frazey is committed to protecting regional waterways and Whatcom County's public lands. She believes that improving the county's environmental standards will be a contributing factor to maintaining a healthy local economy. Frazey is also running because she wants to work alongside fellow councilmembers to make communities safer by improving the criminal justice system in Whatcom County.

Frazey is opposed by small business owner Mike Peetoom, who is focused on strengthening private sector businesses and pushing back on "misguided politics and over-regulation." Frazey is the best choice in this race.

First elected in 2000, Supreme Court Justice Susan Justice Owens brings more 40 years of legal experience to Washington's Supreme Court. Prior to serving on the court, Justice Owens served nineteen years as a District Court Judge in Western Clallam County. Justice Owens has been a leader in the judicial community on addressing the impacts of domestic violence on children. Nationally, Justice Owens is a judicial trainer on this topic and participated in the writing of the Northwest Tribal Judges Domestic Violence Manual. Justice Owens is running unopposed for re-election and has earned your support.

Supreme Court Justice Steve Gonzalez has earned national recognition for his judicial expertise and work to increase access to the judicial system. Before serving on the Supreme Court, Justice Gonzalez served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and on the King County Superior Court for more than 10 years hearing criminal, juvenile, and family law cases. Justice Gonzalez is devoted to working for the people of Washington and serves as a board member for the Washington Leadership Institute, an organization that supports emerging community leaders from diverse backgrounds. As one of the few multi-lingual justices, he chairs the Interpreter Commission. Justice Gonzalez is rated "Exceptionally Well Qualified" by 10 independent bar associations in Washington state.

Gonzalez is being challenged by Bellevue-based attorney Nathan Choi, who ran unsuccessfully for a judicial seat on the Court of Appeals in 2016. Since then, Choi has faced numerous ethical controversies. In 2017, the King County Bar Association formally reprimanded Choi for violating KCBA's fair campaign practices guidelines by releasing misleading campaign materials and failing to follow state candidate rules. In February of this year, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson formally filed a lawsuit against Nathan Choi in a Thurston County Court. The case is still open.

Justice Steve Gonzalez is the best choice for Supreme Court Justice Position 8.

Washington Supreme Court Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud has been a fierce defender of constitutional rights and has written the decision in several consequential court cases. Prior to serving on the Supreme Court, she worked as an accomplished appellate court attorney for nearly three decades and was a founding member of the Washington Appellate Lawyers Association. Her strong judicial track record has earned a rating of "Exceptionally Well Qualified" by 10 independent state bar associations, including Washington Women Lawyers and the newly-minted Veterans Bar Association.

Justice McCloud in running unopposed for Position 9 and deserves your vote.

Public defender Cecily Hazelrigg-Hernandez is running for the Court of Appeals, Division 1, District 3, Judge Position 1. She possesses more than 10 years of legal experience representing low-income clients in Skagit County courtrooms and aims to administer justice fairly and impartially. Prior to joining the public defenders' office in 2010, Hazelrigg-Hernandez worked as an adjunct faculty member in American Cultural Studies at Western Washington University. As a public defender, Hazelrigg-Hernandez is assigned to the felony unit.

Hazelrigg-Hernandez is opposed by attorney Tom SeGuine, who is the wrong choice for a non-partisan judicial role. A Republican Precinct Committee Officer, SeGuine has been endorsed by Skagit Republicans and attended partisan fundraisers after announcing his candidacy, which suggests he will be a conservative judge who favors judicial activism.

We believe Hazelrigg-Hernandez is the best choice in this race.

Deputy prosecutor Carolyn M. Jewett is running to be the next San Juan District Court Judge. Since 2015, Jewett has served as a deputy county prosecutor for gross misdemeanor and felony crimes at the district court level. Jewett believes that every case is an “opportunity for change” for individuals who come before the bench and she places a high value on the court’s rules for evidence and trial procedures. Her community experience includes volunteering at the Immigrant Families Advocacy Project and teaching high school mock trial with the Street Law Clinic.

Jewett is running against local attorney Steve Brandli, a private lawyer who has practiced criminal and civil law for 12 years. While Brandli has plenty of relevant experience, we lean towards deputy prosecutor Carolyn M. Jewett based on feedback from the local legal and progressive community.

First elected in 2016, Judge Laura Riquelme is running for re-election to the Skagit County Superior Court. Previously, she served 12 years as both a prosecutor and a senior deputy public defender. Judge Riquelme is very active in her community, serving as president of the Parent Teacher Association for her son’s school, working with the Skagit Immigrant Rights Council on issues affecting immigrants in the court system, teaching English as a a second language class with Community Action, and serving on two committees at the Superior Court Judges' Association. Judge Riquelme's judicial expertise and courtroom experience have earned her an "Exceptionally Well Qualified" rating by the Washington State Veterans Bar Association and Washington Women Lawyers.

Riquelme's opponent is Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Rosemary Kaholokula of Skagit County. Kaholokula has extensive legal experience and earned support from many members of the law enforcement community. However, Kaholokula earned lower ratings from independent state law associations. Riquelme is the best choice in this race.

Business leader Atul Deshmane has more than 25 years of experience in the sustainable energy field and recently served on the Whatcom County Planning Commission for 2 years. He is the current president of Whole Energy Fuel Corps and has also served as a board member of Sustainable Bellingham and Three Rivers Cooperative School. Deshmane aims to bring his clean energy experience to the Whatcom Public Utilities District by investing in renewable energy, expanding the county's high-speed internet infrastructure, and conserving freshwater resources. Deshmane wants to ensure that both rural and urban communities can access the resources they need to thrive.

Deshmane is running against incumbent Paul D. Kenner, an insurance executive who has been a Public Utility District Commissioner since 1980. Kenner is running to continue the expansion of water and electric services to Whatcom County industries but lacks an innovative vision for another term.

It's time for new leadership in the Whatcom Public Utilities District. Atul Deshmane is the best candidate in this race because of his background in sustainability and his fresh perspective on energy issues.