Pierce County

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.

Dr. Kim Schrier is a pediatrician who was inspired to run for Washington’s 8th Congressional District because of Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. She is committed to building an economy that works for everyone and protecting Social Security and Medicare for all. She also wants to bring her voice to the debates about women’s health care and abortion rights in Congress, where there are currently no women doctors. Dr. Schrier supports letting Americans of any age buy into Medicare on a sliding scale to reduce overhead costs and increase competition for private insurers.

Dr. Schrier is running against Republican Dino Rossi, who previously ran unsuccessful campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate. Rossi has consistently sided with congressional Republicans, including supporting the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy few. He is also strongly anti-choice and does not support commonsense gun safety legislation. While in the state Legislature, he wrote a budget that would have taken away health care from 45,000 low-income kids. Rossi would be another reliable vote for the Republican leaders and powerful special interests in Washington, D.C.

We need new leadership in Congress that puts working families before corporations and the wealthy elites who rig the rules. Dr. Kim Schrier is the best choice for Washington's 8th Congressional District.

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.

Democrat Anneliese Feld is running to unseat Republican Rep. Andrew Barkis in the 2nd Legislative District House Position 1. Feld wants to work across the aisle to fix our state's upside-down tax code and address the growing homelessness crisis in the Puget Sound region. Additionally, Feld believes that local elected officials must be responsive to their constituents regardless of ideological differences and aims to increase residents' access to elected officials.

Feld faces an uphill battle against Rep. Barkis, who is a party-line Republican. Throughout his tenure, Rep. Barkis has opposed most progressive reforms, including voting against equal pay protections for women this past legislative session. Feld is the best choice in this race.

Democrat Jamie Smith is a teacher in the Puyallup School District who is also active in the Puyallup United Methodist Church. She has seen firsthand the importance of reducing class sizes so that every child can receive the personal attention they need to learn. In addition, she is passionate about reducing homelessness, citing the challenges students face if they are living in a car or on the streets. If elected, Smith would also prioritize reducing traffic gridlock and improving transportation options for Pierce County residents.

Smith is running against Republican Kelly Chambers. Chambers is the owner of a senior home care business who is running on a platform against "the bad ideas coming out of Seattle." She was active in the campaign against the initiative to raise the state minimum wage in 2016.

Smith is the best choice in this race.

Firefighter Brian Duthie is vying for the 25th Legislative District House Position 2 vacated by retiring Rep. Joyce McDonald. Duthie aims to strengthen K-12 education by reducing class sizes and giving teachers the resources they need to succeed. As a first responder and active community member, Duthie understands the importance of defending public services that support people struggling with mental illness and homelessness. If elected, Duthie would also focus on keeping communities safe, health care affordability, and reducing traffic congestion in Pierce County.

Duthie is opposed by Army veteran and Republican Chris Gildon. Gildon has articulated concerns about healing the political divide but has yet to offer constructive policy solutions to the challenges facing our communities.

Duthie is best choice in this race.

Democrat Emily Randall is running to replace retiring Republican State Senator Jan Angel in the 26th Legislative District. Prior to running for public office, Randall worked at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Planned Parenthood, where she advocated for improving health outcomes for local underserved populations. Randall is running for Senate to keep higher education affordable and expand job training programs for graduating high school seniors. Additionally, Randall wants to expand access to affordable health care for Washington families.

Randall is running against Republican Marty McClendon. McClendon is a Trump-style talk show host who is also currently serving as the Pierce County Republican Party Chairman. He is a perennial candidate who unsuccessfully ran for Lt. Governor in 2016 against Cyrus Habib. His simplistic platform focuses on reducing business regulations and "reducing government waste."

Randall’s dedication to public service and experience working on important public policy issues makes her the clear choice in this race.

Navy veteran Connie FitzPatrick is running for the 26th Legislative District House Position 1. She is running on a platform of providing affordable higher education and training programs, reducing transportation costs, and improving veterans care. Her passion for a robust educational system, veterans, and families has earned her a strong base of support from labor unions, health organizations, environmental groups, and more.

Fitzpatrick is running against Republican representative Jesse Young. Incumbent Rep. Young's priorities include reducing the number of people on Medicaid and replacing the Affordable Care Act, though he does not say what the alternatives will be for health care for his district. Young has also voted against a score of progressive issues, including automatic voter registration and prohibition of conversion therapy on LGBTQ children. Last fall, Young was restricted from dealing with his legislative assistants by the Legislative Ethics Board after a series of credible allegations of mistreatment and hostile work environments. He's also facing allegations of using taxpayer funding to support his re-election campaign events.

Fitzpatrick is the best choice in this race.

Democrat Joy Stanford is a substitute teacher in the Peninsula School District. As a former health care professional, she cites her work helping underserved and elderly populations gain access to the care they need as part of her political experience. Her campaign is prioritizing infrastructure projects, leveraging her education experience to support students, expanding technical and vocational training, and ensuring health care access for all.

Stanford is challenging Republican Rep. Michelle Caldier for the 26th Legislative District House Position 2. Rep. Caldier deserves credit for voting for a gun safety bill and for standing up for sexual assault survivors. However, Rep. Caldier has also voted against automatic voter registration, which makes it easier for eligible citizens to vote, and she voted against legislation to expand access to reproductive health care.

Stanford 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.

Mari Leavitt is challenging Representative Dick Muri for the 28th Legislative District House Position 1. Leavitt is the deputy director of Pierce County Connections and a former president of the University Place PTSA. 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. Leavitt believes we need to close tax loopholes so that out-of-state corporations will finally pay their share. She'll work in Olympia to give our schools the funding they need and improve graduation rates so that students can excel after high school.

Leavitt is challenging far-right Republican Representative Dick Muri, who was appointed to fill the seat of Steve O'Ban when he was moved up to the Senate. This year, Rep. Muri doubled down on his conservative platform by voting against automatic voter registration, expanding access to women's health care, and a responsible gun storage bill.

Leavitt is the best choice in this race to bring new leadership to Olympia.

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, Rep. Kilduff sponsored legislation to increase community outreach programs to veterans in rural and remote areas, ensuring that they can access health care, education, and employment services. As a PTA parent, she has supported tuition freezes at two- and four-year colleges and a college loan bill of rights.

Rep. Kilduff is running against Republican Maia Espinoza, the Founder of the Center for Latino Leadership. While Espinoza avoids calling herself a Republican candidate on her website, her conservative policy positions and endorsements from prominent Republicans speak for themselves.

Rep. Kilduff has earned your vote for state House.

Democratic Senator Steve Conway is the Vice President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Conway sponsored a bill this year that gives first responders compensation for PTSD suffered while on the job. A skilled negotiator and respected leader in the Senate, Sen. Conway has been endorsed by advocates for workers, the environment, social justice, and reproductive choice.

Sen. Conway is running against independent Pierre Malebranche, who is prioritizing crime rates and taxes, and is not running a competitive campaign. Conway is the best choice in this race.

Melanie Morgan is a longtime community leader who is now running for state House in Legislative District 29. Morgan is a U.S. Army veteran and current Franklin-Pierce School board member who will work to close the achievement gap in our schools. Her campaign platform is focused on affordable housing and reducing traffic gridlock in Pierce County. If elected, she would also work to restore trust between the community and the Legislature by holding regular town halls with constituents across the district. As a school board member, she also recognizes the importance of good teachers and will work to increase pay for educators and ensure they have the resources they need in the classroom.

Morgan is running against Republican Terry Harder, who doesn't share Morgan’s progressive values and relationships with the community he is seeking to represent. Harder is campaigning on an anti-tax message, stating that "low-earners are burdened making it impossible to break free from the grip of government programs." We recommend Melanie Morgan for new leadership in the Legislative District 29.

Democratic Representative Steve Kirby is in his seventh term as representative for the 29th District and previously served four terms on the Tacoma City Council. Kirby has a long track record of public service and positive votes to ensure all workers have the opportunity to succeed. He is running unopposed for re-election and has earned your vote.

Community activist Immaculate Ferreria is running for the 31st Legislative District Senate seat. Ferreira has worked tirelessly to build bridges across cultural divides in rural Washington by hosting community events with both local law enforcement and Black Lives Matter activists. She is most well-known for her work advocating for preschool programs in Olympia and her work for the Tacoma Urban League. She is focused on improving access to early childhood education.

Ferreria is running against Republican state Senator Phil Fortunato, a social conservative who has wavered in his support of working families while in the office. This past legislative session, Fortunato voted against protections for LGBTQ school children and against expanding access to reproductive health care for women. Senator Fortunato's extreme positions on almost every issue put him out of step with the people he is supposed to represent.

Ferreria is the best choice in this race.

Community organizer Victoria Mena is the Policy Director and Development Strategist of Colectiva Legal del Pueblo, an organization that advocates for immigrants' rights and migrant justice. Her campaign is focused on strengthening communities with health care for all, strong unions, and a clean environment. She is well-known for supporting reproductive health care access, services for people experiencing homelessness, community coalitions, and practical criminal reform policies like additional accountability.

Mena is challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Drew Stokesbary. Rep. Stokesbary is, in his own words, "a resolute defender of the Second Amendment," and opposes gun violence prevention legislation, including restrictions on semi-automatic style assault weapons. Mena is the clear choice in this race.

Navy veteran Mark Boswell is a former Democratic Precinct Committee Officer and Chair of the 31st Legislative District Democrats. His campaign goals include advocating for a shift to clean energy, supporting education, and upgrading the area's transportation system.

He is running against incumbent Republican Rep. Morgan Irwin, a police officer whose campaign is focused on hardline "law and order" policies. Irwin opposes commonsense gun safety laws and says the "cycle of gun violence starts with property crime." Boswell is the best choice in this race.

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.

Democrat Lorra Jackson is running to relieve traffic congestion, preserve farmland, and provide more public spaces for a growing population in Pierce County. She supports a $15 minimum wage in Pierce County and mass transit expansions for commuters and in future residential areas.

She is running against Republican Dave Morell. Morell is a former state representative running on a platform of public safety and fiscal responsibility. He states that his main priority is expenditures, including a focus on jobs and county revenue.

We believe Jackson is the most progressive choice in this race.

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.

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.