27th 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 Derek Kilmer is a moderate Democrat who is a reliable supporter of job creation and infrastructure improvement. He has been a leader on small business development and protecting the Puget Sound during his three terms in Congress. A former state Senator, he previously worked as a business consultant and economic development official. Kilmer is a sponsor of a clean Dream Act in support of immigrants who arrived in the country as children with their undocumented parents. He supports commonsense gun safety legislation and cosponsored the Voter Empowerment Act, an online voter registration act that helps keep voting rights equitable. Rep. Kilmer has also worked on several environmental bills, including the Wild Olympics Wilderness and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

Kilmer is running against Republican Douglas Dightman. Dightman is a family physician running on a platform of supporting national defense and the free market. He also supports legislation to weaken protections for workers in labor unions.

Kilmer is widely supported by our progressive partners and is the best choice in this race.

Representative Denny Heck is a moderate Democrat who has had a long and effective career in both the private and public sectors. In Olympia, he served as a five-term state representative, House majority leader, and chief of staff to former Gov. Booth Gardner, and is the co-founder of TVW. In Congress, he has fought to make college more affordable, reduce health care costs, create middle class jobs, and ensure veterans get the benefits they have earned. He supports immigration policies that create a path to citizenship and has been working this year to help prevent health care premium increases due to Trump's policies.

Heck is running against Republican Joseph Brumbles, a self-described constitutional conservative. His campaign platform is undetailed and states that he is standing for "liberty." He suggests solving the issue of affordable energy with the free market and not taxing fossil fuels, and he wants to reduce the size of government by eliminating federal agencies.

Heck is the best choice in this race.

Democratic Representative Laurie Jinkins has been a passionate and effective champion for progressive values, particularly in her fight for women, equality, and closing tax loopholes. She was the first lesbian to serve openly in the state Legislature and helped pass marriage equality. Rep. Jinkins also sponsored bills to improve schools and secured funding for a new low-income health clinic in Hilltop. She has also been a leader advocating for a capital gains excise tax on the wealthy that would fund schools.

Her opponent, Kyle Paskewitz, is a business consultant and the founder of Family Court Reform Nation. He was a headlining speaker at a local "March for Our Rights" pro-gun rally, and believes that government should step back from providing services for people who are homeless or struggling with addiction.

Rep. Jinkins is by far the better far choice in this race.

Democratic Representative Jake Fey is a reliable progressive who has championed youth, environmental, and education issues in his first few years in Olympia. As the son of German immigrants who helped raise his younger siblings at age 13 when his father passed away, Rep. Fey is very committed to ensuring future generations of Washingtonians have the support they need to succeed. Fey sponsored the Homeless Student Stability Act and a 2017 bill that extends foster care services for those who are 18 to 21 years old, increasing housing stability for these young people. He also proposed a ban on diesel delivery trucks that don't meet federal standards.

Rep. Fey is running against independent Donald Golden, who is advancing an anti-Sound Transit message and a call to "overfund" education as his platform. Rep. Fey has earned your vote in this race.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg is running for re-election on a platform of reforming and modernizing King County’s criminal justice system. His office’s Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program has become a national model for shifting low-level drug offenders and sex workers out of the criminal justice system and into community support services. Satterberg has been an outspoken advocate for outlawing the death penalty in Washington and he recently announced that his office will halt prosecutions for possession of small amounts of drugs.

Satterberg acknowledges the painful history of institutional racism in the King County prosecutor’s office and in the broader criminal justice system. He is actively working to change department policies and to train his staff to reduce the disproportionate impact of the criminal justice system on people of color. He offers thoughtful and detailed analyses of the challenges facing King County and he is willing to experiment with innovative new ways to support the community.

Satterberg is being challenged by progressive public defender Daron Morris. Morris has criticized Satterberg for not moving quickly and boldly enough to reform King County’s criminal justice system. In particular, Morris opposes the new youth jail that is currently under construction. Unfortunately, medical problems forced Morris to suspend his campaign in September.

Satterberg is the best choice for King County Prosecuting Attorney.

Julie Anderson was elected by special election in 2009 and then re-elected to this position in 2010 and 2014. She is a former Tacoma city councilmember and has served in several community groups, including the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation and Rotary International. She is running unopposed.

Mark Lindquist is running for his third term as Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney. He has earned a reputation for being a hard worker, and his accomplishments include forming an Elder Fraud and Identity Theft team to prosecute targeted scams against the elderly and helping increase penalties against drunk drivers. He has earned the support of many local progressive organizations.

Unfortunately, Lindquist has also generated several high-profile ethics controversies. He faced a whistleblower investigation that found he ran a highly politicized office and retaliated against subordinates and critics who disagreed with him. Lindquist is facing a formal bar disciplinary hearing for discussing an active murder trial on a national cable television show while the jury was still deliberating, against the advice of his staff. If Lindquist loses the case, he could lose his license to practice law and be unable to carry out the duties of his office. In addition, Lindquist lost a long-running lawsuit over his refusal to release text messages in public disclosure requests, costing Pierce County taxpayers more than $1 million in fines and fees. We also have concerns about Lindquist's lack of progress toward reducing racial inequities in the local criminal justice system.

Marty Campbell is a community association manager and former Tacoma city councilmember of 8 years. His campaign is focused on fully funding mental health services and supporting family wage jobs and local businesses. He wants to add electric vehicle infrastructure and solar incentives to the county's plans. He also supports affordable housing measures like increasing housing density where appropriate and increasing tiny housing options.

Campbell is facing Republican and perennial candidate Justin Van Dyk. Van Dyk is running on a conservative platform focused on reducing government waste without any concrete policy solutions. Campbell is the clear choice for Pierce County Council District 5.

Pierce County Councilmember Derek Young is a former four-term Gig Harbor city councilmember. He has prioritized improving mental health services and environmental protections during his four years on the county council. He also serves on numerous boards representing Pierce County, including the National Association of Counties and the Puget Sound Regional Council Growth Management Policy Board. As a board member for Pierce Transit, Young fought to minimize cuts to public transportation options for Pierce County citizens.

He is facing Navy veteran and school board member David Olson, who is running on a standard Republican platform of public safety and fiscal responsibility.

Young's experience, ties to the communities, and knowledge of policy issues facing the county make him 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.

Appointed earlier this year by Gov. Jay Inslee to this seat vacated by Judge Ronald Cox, Judge Beth M. Andrus is seeking to retain the Court of Appeals, District 1, Division 1 seat. Prior to entering the judiciary as a King County Superior Court Judge in 2010, Judge Andrus had a 21-year career as a private attorney practicing commercial litigation, intellectual property, construction, and employment law as well as appellate advocacy. In 2016, the King County Chapter of the Washington Women Lawyers Bar Association awarded her their Judge of the Year Award. Judge Andrus is known as an impartial problem solver who has a “tireless work ethic." It is also worth noting that she was nominated for a U.S. District Court appointment by former President Barack Obama, but the U.S. Senate refused to act on the nomination. Judge M. Andrus is unopposed and deserves your vote.

Chief Judge Marlin Appelwick has served on Washington’s Court of Appeals since 1998. Prior to entering the judiciary, Judge Appelwick was a private attorney and served for 16 years in the Legislature, including 12 years as a state representative for the 46th Legislative District. During his final three years in the Legislature, Judge Appelwick also served as the House Democratic Leader.

Since his appointment to the appellate court, Judge Appelwick has been committed to making just decisions, balancing judicial administration, and serving the public. He is committed to ensuring that information about the law is accessible for everyone and cares deeply about educating Washingtonians about their civil rights. He has been recognized by numerous organizations for his judicial expertise and conduct. Judge Marlin Appelwick is running unopposed for re-election and has earned another term.

First appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee in December 2013, Acting Chief Judge Linda Lee was elected to continue serving in this position in 2014. Previously, Judge Linda Lee served 10 years as a Pierce County Superior Court Judge and worked as a private attorney for 13 years. She is a devoted community member and an avid supporter of the Chinese Reconciliation Park Foundation and the Pierce County Minority Bar Association's Youth and Law Forum. Judge Linda Lee has earned another term.

Attorney Lizanne Padula is running for the Pierce County District Court Judge Position 3. As a former prosecutor, private litigator, and reserve police officer, Padula has spent her career helping people navigate the court system. Padula aims to improve the criminal justice system by prioritizing the public safety needs of the community and only offering punitive sanctions that serve to rehabilitate offenders. Padula is running on a platform that supports work-release and re-entry programs for convicted individuals.

Padula is opposed by Pierce County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lewis. Lewis has spent more than 15 years serving Pierce County in the prosecuting attorney's office and is highly involved in the community. While Lewis has ample relevant experience, including serving as a pro tem (substitute) judge in Pierce and Kitsap County courts, a public allegation of misconduct has placed doubts on his candidacy.

Padula is the best choice in this race.

Attorney Karl Williams is running for Pierce County District Court Position 6. With more than 30 years of legal experience, Williams is the most qualified candidate in this race. Williams has served as a judge pro tem for the cities of Fife, Puyallup, and Ruston, as well as on the Pierce County District Courts for more than 20 years. Williams is focused on keeping communities safe, ensuring that justice is administered fairly, and making the courts more accessible to underserved populations. He is passionate about serving the greater Pierce County community and volunteers with a number youth organizations including University Place Youth Court and the Pierce County Minority Bar Association. Williams has been rated "Exceptionally Well Qualified" by the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar, Washington Women Lawyers, and the Tacoma Pierce County Minority Bar Associations.

Williams is running a highly competitive race against current Assistant Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor John Sheeran, who has more than 22 years of legal experience. Sheeran is supportive of strengthening the mental health and drug courts in Pierce County. However, Karl Williams is the best choice in this race because of his judicial experience and ties with the community.

Dwayne Christopher is running for Tacoma Municipal Court Judge, Position 3. Christopher’s professional background includes representing clients in civil cases, working nine years as a superior court judicial assistant, and serving as a pro tem (substitute) judge in Pierce County District Court. He is passionate about serving underrepresented communities and keeping communities safe. From volunteering as a mentor for high school and college students to serving as the current president-elect of the Palmer Scholars program, Christopher is dedicated to serving Tacoma's communities and youth. He also sits on the boards of the City Club of Tacoma, Tacoma Rescue Mission, and Paint Tacoma Beautiful.

Christopher is running against attorney Derek M. Smith, who has more than twenty years of experience in criminal and civil law. While Smith is qualified for this position, attorney Dwayne Christopher is the better choice in this race.