Snohomish 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 Suzan DelBene has served the 1st Congressional District since 2013. DelBene is a former executive at Microsoft who has used her technology background to become a leader in protecting privacy rights against government surveillance. Her priorities include creating family wage jobs in the aerospace, sustainable agriculture, and clean energy industries. She also supports raising the federal minimum wage and passing comprehensive tax reform to ensure that those making more than a million dollars a year don't pay a lower tax rate than low and middle-income families.

Rep. DelBene is running against Republican Jeffrey Beeler. Beeler is a Sultan city councilmember focused on "securing our borders," health care, and the deficit. However, he lacks Rep. DelBene's knowledge and experience with the important policies that impact working families in the 1st District.

Rep. DelBene is clearly 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.

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.

Democratic Representative Derek Stanford was first elected in 2010 and has emerged as an effective progressive leader in Olympia. Throughout his tenure in the Legislature, Rep. Stanford has been a strong proponent of LGBTQ rights, consumer protections, environmental sustainability, and strengthening access to higher education in Washington state. Most recently, Rep. Stanford sponsored legislation that prohibited state agencies from creating databases based on an individual's religious affiliation to protect Washingtonians' right to privacy.

Stanford is opposed by Republican Josh Colver. His platform includes opposing abortion, defunding Planned Parenthood, letting the free market determine energy policy, and privatizing and phasing out Medicaid and Medicare.

Representative Derek Stanford is the clear choice for the 1st Legislative District House Position 1.

Democratic Representative Shelley Kloba is running for re-election to the 1st Legislative District House Position 2. During her tenure in the Legislature, Rep. Kloba has been a strong advocate for affordable housing and quality education. This year, Rep. Kloba was the primary sponsor of a bill that grew the Expanded Learning Opportunities Council for students from low-income backgrounds. Prior to joining the Legislature, Rep. Kloba served her community as a trustee for the Lake Washington Schools Foundation, as a Kirkland city councilmember, and as the Washington State PTA Legislative Director for two years.

Representative Shelley Kloba is being challenged by Snohomish County Republican Chair Debra Blodgett. Blodgett's campaign is focused on protecting private property, constitutional rights, and funding education.

Representative Shelley Kloba is best choice in this race.

Firefighter Scott McMullen is challenging Republican Rep. Norma Smith for the 10th Legislative District House Position 1. As a veteran, McMullen has more than 26 years of experience in the Air Force creating apprenticeship opportunities. McMullen is highly focused on improving the quality of K-12 education and wants to work across the aisle to create job programs for veterans after they return from duty. McMullen is also prioritizing creating local jobs, supporting small businesses, and supporting local transit projects.

McMullen faces a tough race against Rep. Smith, a social conservative who has voted against expanding access to women's health care and investments in local infrastructure. McMullen is the better choice in this race.

Local Oak Harbor educator Dave Paul is running for the 10th Legislative District House Position 2. Paul is the Vice President at Skagit Valley College and serves as Board President for the Oak Harbor Educational Foundation. Paul is prioritizing improving the quality of public education, streamlining government spending, and supporting military families.

Paul is challenging Republican Representative Dave Hayes. First elected in 2012, Rep. Hayes has spent the last six years obstructing progressive reforms designed to help improve the lives of working people. From voting against expanding access to women's health care to opposing commonsense economic reforms like workplace protections for women and people of color, Rep. Hayes has shown that he prioritizes party over people. Paul is the best choice in this race.

Independent Dr. Ann Diamond is a community doctor and local clinic owner who is running for the 12th Legislative District House Position 1. While Diamond has good progressive values, she doesn't identify as a Democrat or Republican and is only concerned with representing the residents of the 12th District. Dr. Diamond currently serves on the Winthrop Planning Commission and the Board of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians. She supports sensible gun safety measures like universal background checks and wants to use her experience as a doctor to improve access to quality health care for rural communities.

Dr. Diamond is running against Republican Chelan County Commissioner Keith Goehner. Goehner wants to reduce business regulations, utilize natural resources to "enhance business development," and reduce regulations on agriculture.

Dr. Diamond is the best choice in this race.

Middle school English teacher Valerie Sarratt is running for the 12th Legislative District House Position 2 to bring affordable health care to Central Washington. She is focused on providing fair solutions to our immigration challenges and revitalizing the local economies of rural communities. As a career educator, Sarrett believes in the value of effective public service and aims to serve the working families of the 12th District.

Sarratt's opponent is incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Steele. Rep. Steele has spent his political career opposing environmental protections and laws intended to help working people. This year, he voted against requiring state insurers to cover reproductive health care and banning bump stocks. Sarratt is the clear choice in this race.

Democratic state Senator Marko Liias has been a consistent progressive advocate for all families. As the Democratic Senate Floor Leader, Sen. Liias has led the fight on LGBTQ equality and helped create a student loan bill of rights. This past legislative session, Sen. Liias' legislation to ban the inhumane practice of gay conversion successfully became law with bipartisan support.

Liias is opposed by Republican Mario Lionel Lotmore. Lotmore opposes efforts to fight climate change action and refuses to acknowledge Washington's regressive tax system, which disproportionately affects low-income families. Liias is the best choice in this race.

Democratic Representative Strom Peterson is running for re-election to the 21st Legislative District House Position 1. Prior to serving in the Legislature, Rep. Peterson served on the Edmonds City Council for six years, where he proved to be a smart and capable leader in Snohomish County. Rep. Peterson is leading the fight against the opioid crisis in Washington state. This past year, he was the primary sponsor of the Secure Drug Take Back Act, an innovative program to limit the usage of unused and expired prescriptions in Washington communities.

Rep. Peterson is opposed by Republican Amy Schaper, who lacks Peterson's public policy experience and is opposed to progressive economic reforms. Rep. Peterson is the best choice in this race.

Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self is running for re-election to the 21st Legislative District House Position 2. Since joining the state House in 2009, Rep. Ortiz-Self has emerged as a progressive leader fighting tooth and nail to improve the lives of mothers and children in Washington state. Currently, Rep. Ortiz-Self serves as Deputy Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and on the House Early Childhood and Human Services Committee. Additionally, she has been a member of the state’s Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee for more than six years. An active community member, Rep. Ortiz-Self is strong on social issues and focused on creating new pathways to strengthen the middle class and early childhood education.

Rep. Ortiz-Self is facing a challenge from Republican Petra Bigea, who is running on an anti-tax and anti-regulation platform. Rep. Ortiz-Self is the clear choice in this race.

Democratic Senator Maralyn Chase is the Chair of the Economic Development and International Trade Committee. First elected in 2002, Sen. Chase has been a tireless advocate for workers' rights and job creation in Washington state. Sen. Chase has introduced a single-payer health care bill that would ensure fair prices from drug companies. During the 2018 legislative session, Sen. Chase was the sponsor of legislation to create the Future of Work Task Force that will work to help prepare Washington's workforce for the changing economy.

Sen. Chase is being challenged by Shoreline Deputy Mayor Jesse Salomon. Salomon is a highly capable public defender in the Seattle Municipal Court and has been an effective social justice and environmental leader for the city of Shoreline. He also serves on King County’s Children and Youth Advisory Board to early learning and families with kids. While Salomon received the endorsements of the Seattle Times, Everett Herald, and The Stranger newspapers, he hasn’t received as much support from progressive advocates.

We lean toward Chase because of her strong support from our Progressive Voters Guide partner organizations.

Formerly the mayor of Shoreline, Democratic Representative Cindy Ryu was the first Korean American mayor in the country and the first to serve in the state Legislature. She is the Chair of the Community Development, Housing & Tribal Affairs Committee. In this role, Rep. Ryu has been an advocate for affordable housing, including supporting the development of tiny homes, supporting upzoning in urban areas, and proposing a bill that creates "housing opportunity zones" near high-quality transit. She has also advocated for reforms to hold law enforcement officers accountable.

Rep. Ryu is running against Diodato (Dio) Boucsieguez. Boucsieguez is a member of the College Republicans at the University of Washington who is running on a fiscal responsibility platform, but he has failed to provide details about his policy ideas.

Rep. Ryu is the best choice in this race.

Lauren Davis is the founding Executive Director of Washington Recovery Alliance, which seeks to help families and individuals who are struggling with mental health and addiction issues. She helped launch the suicide prevention nonprofit Forefront in King County, and serves on the King County Behavioral Health Advisory Board as well as the Public Policy Committee for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Washington State. Her campaign is focused on addiction recovery, affordable housing, and criminal justice reforms.

Davis's opponent is former paramedic Frank Deisler, who is running to "reverse the failed socialist, progressive, Seattle policies that have wreaked havoc on our State." He would like to see more prosecution of those with addiction issues and an end to safe needle programs and sanctuary city policies.

Davis is the clear choice for the 32nd Legislative District House Position 2.

Incumbent Democratic state Senator John McCoy has been an environmental champion and strong supporter of working people. Prior to joining the Legislature, Sen. McCoy was in the United States Air Force for 20 years and returned to Washington to bring computer education to the Tulalip Tribes. In the Senate, Sen. McCoy has been on the front lines fighting against special interests who want to roll back Washington's strong environmental protections. Moving forward, Sen. McCoy is focused on bringing internet access to rural communities, supporting local businesses, and increasing mental health services available to K-12 students.

Sen. McCoy faces a challenge from Republican Dr. Savio Pham, a Vietnamese refugee who resettled in Everett 20 years ago. While Dr. Pham's platform states his opposition to higher property taxes, progressive tax reform, and heroin injection sites, his campaign fails to offer pragmatic policy solutions to the many challenges facing the Puget Sound region.

Sen. McCoy is the clear choice in this race.

Democratic Representative June Robinson made a name for herself in Olympia by leading efforts to keep Boeing's manufacturing jobs in the state. In addition, she sponsored legislation to protect working families from landlords who are raising rent prices astronomically and partnered with the Everett School District to protect at-risk youth. In 2017, Rep. Robinson helped working families by introducing a bill on paid family leave for new parents or those with critically ill or dying family members. She also sponsored a bill that would allow counties to get a share of state retail sales tax on purchases within their county to be used for affordable housing.

She is running against independent Bert Johnson, who is determined to "run the state like a business" and is focused on taxes and tolls. Rep. Robinson has earned your vote.

Democratic Representative Mike Sells is a longtime leader in the Legislature, serving as the Chair of the Labor and Workforce Development Committee. Rep.Sells is a former teacher and labor advocate who previously served as the president of the Everett Education Association. In the legislature, Rep. Sells is dedicated to improving higher education and led efforts to bring a nursing program to Everett Community College University Center. He is running unopposed and has earned your vote.

Moderate Democrat Claus Joens is running for the 39th Legislative District Senate seat. Joens is an educational instructor, an advocate for children, and a local precinct committee officer. Joens is prioritizing the restoration of salmon fisheries and Skagit County water rights. He is also focused on protecting consumers from high-interest rates and believes that wasteful tax loopholes should be closed before raising taxes on working families.

Joens faces an uphill race against incumbent Republican Senator Keith Wagoner, who has been an obstacle to progress throughout his tenure in the Legislature. Sen. Wagoner routinely votes against commonsense legislation that supports working families,.

Though we don't agree fully with Claus Joens's political positions, he is the better choice in this race.

Democrat Ivan Lewis is running for the 39th Legislative District House Position 1. Lewis co-owns a math and reading tutoring center in Snohomish County and has previously served as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. He is focused on supporting living wage jobs and wants to increase investment in local infrastructure to help families and businesses across the region. Lewis is also supportive of health care reform, reducing gun violence, fighting climate change, supporting labor unions, and improving education.

Lewis is running a competitive race against Robert Sutherland, a veteran whose platform centers on supporting the 2nd Amendment and charter schools, and reducing property taxes.

Lewis is the best choice for the 39th Legislative District House Position 1.

Moderate Democrat Eric Halvorson is a tax accountant who runs an animal rescue farm from his home. His campaign supports reproductive health care, the Second Amendment, and not instituting a state income tax. Halvorson wants bipartisan solutions that will help protect farmland and the district's natural resources. He is prioritizing roads, access to higher education, apprenticeships, and job training programs.

Halvorson is running a competitive race against former Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick, who was appointed to the House in 2017 after Rep. John Koster resigned. She has a standard Republican economic platform which favors the wealthy few, resists all taxes, and opposes fixing the state's regressive tax code. Rep. Eslick also voted against this year's health care bills that expanded access to contraception.

While Halvorson is a moderate on most issues, we expect that he would have a better voting record than Rep. Eslick in the state House. Halvorson deserves your vote.

Democratic Senator Steve Hobbs is running for re-election in the 44th Legislative District. Sen. Hobbs is a veteran, father, and moderate Democrat who is a reliable vote on social issues. Throughout his tenure, he has been an unwavering advocate for military families and has sponsored legislation to protect access to safe and legal abortion. During the most recent legislative session, Sen. Hobbs served as the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and worked to improve the efficiency of local transit options offered in Snohomish County. While Sen. Hobbs is progressive on social issues he leans more conservative on taxes and fiscal issues.

Sen. Hobbs is opposed by Republican Doug Roulstone, a retired Navy captain who is running on a narrow anti-tax platform that fails to substantively address climate action, the state's regressive tax structure, or many other challenges facing our region.

Based on his demonstrated commitment to representing Snohomish families, Sen. Hobbs has earned another four years.

Democratic Representative John Lovick is a former Snohomish County executive and a former Mill Creek city councilmember. He has been an outspoken advocate of requiring Boeing to keep jobs in Washington state in order to receive tax incentives and has been a strong supporter of working people. This year, Rep. Lovick sponsored legislation that would partner law enforcement with mental health professionals when calls involve a mental health crisis.

Rep. Lovick's opponent is Jeff Sax. A former Republican county councilmember, Sax is focused on taxes, tolls, and transparency, but doesn't offer a platform for any progressive change for the district. Rep. Lovick is the best choice in this race.

Mill Creek City Councilmember Jared Mead is running for the 44th Legislative District House Position 2. Prior to serving on the city council, Mead served two terms on the Mill Creek Planning Commission where he worked closely with residents, local businesses, and government officials. Mead is now running for the Legislature on a platform of reducing traffic congestion, creating jobs, and improving public schools.

Mead is challenging Republican Rep. Mark Harmsworth. Rep. Harmsworth has pushed a very conservative agenda in Olympia, including voting against the Washington Voting Rights Act and expanding access to women's health care. He also has wasted taxpayer money on a politically-driven investigation into Sound Transit.

Mead is the clear choice for Legislature.

Adam Cornell has served as the Snohomish County Deputy Prosecutor for 15 years and has been endorsed by Mark Roe, the departing incumbent. His platform is centered on alternative justice programs, alternative sentences, and treatment programs for those suffering from mental illness and addiction issues. Adam Cornell is running unopposed and deserves your vote.

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.

Tyler Rourke is a project engineer at Electroimpact in Mukilteo. He was in the running for the appointment to Position 4 last winter to fill Cassie Franklin's seat after she was elected as mayor of Everett. He is prioritizing pedestrian safety, the city's Master Bike Plan, and a law and order-oriented view when it comes to homelessness and addiction, stating that we must be compassionate but "people who choose to break the law must also be held to account."

Mary Rollins is running to ensure that utilities are managed in the most equitable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly way possible. She serves as chair of the 38th Legislative District Democrats and is focused on reducing energy costs for Snohomish County families. One of Rollins' proposals is to build charging stations at the local PUD office to support the growing number of electric vehicle users.

Rollins is running against conservative incumbent Sidney "Sid" Logan. Logan is a former Shell engineer and consultant who is running after being appointed to this seat last year.

Rollins is the best choice for Snohomish County PUD Commissioner Position 1 because of her commitment to renewable energy and keeping costs low for consumers.

Rebecca Wolfe is an educator running for Snohomish County Public Utility District Commissioner in District 2. Wolfe has volunteered and worked with a variety of environmental groups, such as the Washington State Sierra Club and the City of Edmonds Tree Board, as well as local commissions like the Edmonds Economic Development Commission. Wolfe is running to promote climate protection, clean energy sources, and evidence-based energy policy. She's also running to increase fiscal responsibility in the district. Wolfe cites the $9 million used on the tabled hydroelectric project at Sunset Falls on the Skykomish River as an example of funding that could have been used for solar and energy-efficient projects instead.

Wolfe is running against business consultant and South Snohomish Fire & Rescue Commissioner David Chan, who is running to increase efficiencies within the department and keep rates low. If elected, Chan has pledged to negotiate deals from bulk suppliers. Chan was reprimanded last year for a racist comment made about "cheap" Mexican workers during a Snohomish County Fire District 1 meeting.

Wolfe is the best choice in this race.