Progressive Voters Guide

Progressive champion and current state Rep. Beth Doglio is running for the 10th Congressional District seat vacated by the retirement of Rep. Denny Heck. Prior to running for office, Doglio worked as the Climate Solutions Campaign Director and was the founding executive director of Washington Conservation Voters. While in the Legislature, Doglio advocated for numerous climate and environmental bills, as well as legislation to protect sexual assault survivors and increase funding for affordable housing.

Doglio is running for Congress on a platform of climate justice, supporting working families, and gun safety. In her Fuse interview, she said she wants to work to pass progressive reforms like a Green New Deal and Medicare for All. Overall, Doglio laid out a very progressive policy agenda and has earned the sole endorsement of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Her opponent in this race is former Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, who is running as a moderate Democrat focused on the COVID-19 response and economic rebuilding. Her pandemic response plan focuses on producing medical equipment, helping people get back to work, and massive investments in infrastructure. If elected, Strickland would be the first Black person to represent Washington state in Congress and the first Korean-American woman elected to Congress from any state.

We are concerned with several parts of Strickland's record that skew in favor of corporations over working families. As mayor of Tacoma, Strickland was an obstacle to progressive efforts to improve workers' sick leave and raise the minimum wage. In addition, she pushed for a controversial methanol plant at the Port of Tacoma opposed by environmental advocates that would have contributed to climate change and dangerously increased air pollution in the community. As the head of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Strickland worked last fall to help their PAC spend millions of dollars backing a slate of more conservative, business-friendly candidates. Thankfully, progressives were able to defeat nearly all of their candidates.

Doglio's background in organizing and fighting for solutions to climate change would be a valuable addition to our congressional delegation.

Governor Jay Inslee has been a strong, principled leader on the important challenges facing Washington. Before he was elected as governor in 2012, Inslee represented both sides of the Cascades in Congress, opposed the Iraq war, and worked to increase accountability and oversight for Wall Street banks.

Inslee has established himself as a national leader on fighting climate change. He has invested more than $170 million into clean energy and energy efficiency projects, implemented the Clean Air Rule, and pushed for legislation that reduces pollution in Washington. In his 2020 bid for the presidency, Inslee brought a focus on climate to the race. Outside of his work on climate, Inslee has signed into law Washington's public option for health care, paid family leave, and the Equal Pay Opportunity Act.

Recently, Inslee has been a national leader in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. His proactive, decisive, science-driven efforts have saved countless Washingtonians from getting sick. Unfortunately, we've seen the flip side recently where states with governors who were slow or failed to act have seen dramatic increases in cases.

Inslee's opponent is Republican Loren Culp, the sole police officer of the town of Republic and one of the farthest right of Inslee's main primary challengers. Culp came to national fame for refusing to enforce the voter-approved Initiative 1639, which placed restrictions on semi-automatic firearm sales. Much of Culp's primary and early general election campaign has centered on opposing public health measures like wearing masks. 

Culp's policy track record is disturbing, especially related to the environment. He recently questioned whether the wildfires that have ravaged the region are climate-related. He's compared gun rights to the Holocaust and likened the governor's stay-home policies to the horrors of Japanese internment during WWII. He faces a lawsuit for failing to investigate a child sex abuse case and for intimidating the victim in a case that was swiftly prosecuted after the county stepped in and took over. 

As the coronavirus crisis continues and the gap in the state budget persists, we need real, experienced leadership at the helm of the state. Inslee is the clear choice for governor.

State Senate Floor Leader Marko Liias was first elected to the Mukilteo City Council in 2005 before being appointed to the state House in 2007 and finally the state Senate in 2014.

In the Legislature, Liias has been a strong progressive advocate for all families. As the Democratic Senate floor leader, Liias has led the fight on LGBTQ+ equality and created a student loan bill of rights. His past legislation includes a ban on the inhumane practice of conversion therapy. This year, Liias sponsored legislation requiring informed consent to perform a pelvic exam and creating a new state financial aid program for undocumented students.

In his interview with Fuse, Liias said he would use the bully pulpit of the office to connect with voters across the state about progressive issues, including fixing our upside-down tax code. In addition, he laid out a strong set of proposals for how to increase police accountability. If elected, Liias would be the first openly gay statewide official in Washington history.

Rep. Denny Heck is retiring from Congress and running for Lt. Governor. Heck has had a long, effective career in both the private and public sectors, most notably as a five-term state representative, House majority leader, chief of staff to former Gov. Booth Gardner, and TVW co-founder.

In Congress, Heck has fought to make college more affordable, lower health care costs, ensure veterans get the benefits they deserve, and create middle-class jobs. He supports immigration policies that create a path to citizenship and worked to help prevent health care premium increases due to Trump's policies. Heck was elected to represent the 10th Congressional District after it was created in 2012 and decided to retire after the impeachment hearings in December 2019.

His top priorities as Lt. Governor would be reforming our regressive tax system, investing in infrastructure like safe roads and bridges to bolster our economy, and helping people "skill up." In his Fuse interview, he expressed support for police reform and wants to expand on the Electeds For Justice pledge to eliminate qualified immunity for police officers. In addition, Heck said he wants to use the office and his extensive experience to lobby moderate senators on progressive issues.

Rep. Derek Stanford served nearly 10 years as a state representative before earning an appointment to the state Senate to replace Guy Palumbo last year. Throughout his tenure in the Legislature, Stanford has been a strong proponent of LGBTQ+ rights, consumer protections, environmental sustainability, and strengthening access to higher education in Washington state. Most recently, Stanford sponsored legislation that prohibits state agencies from creating databases based on an individual's religious affiliation. Stanford was also the prime sponsor of the Kuhnhausen Act, named after a transgender teen who was killed in Vancouver this year. The law prevents the use of the "panic" defense if someone commits a crime after learning of a victim’s actual or perceived gender identity.

Stanford is running against Dr. Art Coday, who previously ran for U.S. Senate in 2012 and 2018. His website does not appear to have been updated since 2018, but in that year, Coday's top priority was to completely repeal the Affordable Care Act and leave tens of millions of Americans without health insurance and at the whims of a few private insurance companies. His campaign also strenuously opposed any gun safety legislation and was anti-abortion.

Stanford is by far the best choice in this race.

Rep. Davina Duerr is running for re-election to the 1st Legislative District, Position 1. Appointed to the Legislature in the summer of 2019 to replace Derek Stanford, Davina Duerr is a former Bothell City Council member and deputy mayor.

Duerr has long been a strong regional advocate for improved transit and the protection of parks and forested land. If re-elected, she would continue her work advocating for transit and climate action in the House. Her other priorities include improving public education with greater equity between districts, increasing the number of pre-K programs, bridge and road repair, funding gun violence research, and reducing the impact of the coronavirus.

She is running against Republican and automotive service director Adam Bartholomew, whose platform is very conservative. He does not support commonsense, age-appropriate sex education and is not open to finding new sources of revenue for vital programs across Washington, despite the state's coronavirus-caused budget shortfall of approximately $4 billion. During the recent movement for racial justice, Bartholomew dedicated much of his personal Twitter feed to sharing anti-Black Lives Matter content.

Duerr is the clear choice in this race.

Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig is a strong leader and progressive champion who has broad support from the Spokane community in his re-election campaign.

Billig has worked hard for his district. He helped pass a transportation bill that created 43,000 jobs and worked to reduce pollution in the Spokane River. He's also been a strong advocate for high-quality early learning programs and better campaign finance reform to increase transparency in government, including two bills he passed to make elections fairer in our state. If re-elected, Billig will continue to work on progressive revenue that flips Washington's upside-down tax code, support a balanced economic recovery for everyone, make additional investments in education, and continue to foster a healthy economy.

His opponent in this race is Republican and Marine veteran Dave Lucas. Lucas irresponsibly wants to cut taxes when the state already faces a historic multi-billion dollar budget deficit, which would threaten funding for education, health care, and affordable housing. He also states that he would push back on taxes for polluters and reduce regulations on businesses.

Fuse members who interviewed Billig appreciated his proactiveness on policy and responsiveness to constituents, two positive qualities that are reflected in Billig's wide support from progressive partners. Billig has earned your vote for re-election to the state Senate.

Rep. Marcus Riccelli is running for re-election to his seat in the 3rd Legislative District. Prior to joining the Legislature, Riccelli served as U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell's Eastern Washington Director and as former state Senator Lisa Brown's senior policy aide.

During his time in the Legislature, Riccelli has worked on community hunger and food insecurity issues through the Community Eligibility Program (CEP), a federal program that reimburses schools for student meals. This March, he spearheaded the efforts of the Spokane Food Fighters in donating hundreds of meals to those in need. Riccelli also sponsored the Hunger-Free Schools Act, which provides a bridge of federal funding for free breakfast to schools where nearly half of students' families are using public assistance. If re-elected, Riccelli will continue to prioritize working on community hunger, education, environmental protection, and workplace training.

His challenger, Republican Laura Carder, previously ran against Rep. Timm Ormsby in 2016. The Spokane Spokesman-Review notes that in the past Carder expressed support for teaching creationism in schools and said she believed that the discrimination case brought against the Richland florist who refused to sell flowers to a gay couple was "unfair." Though she has no 2020 website nor a detailed campaign platform available, her official voters guide statement doubles-down on her anti-choice, anti-union sentiments.

Riccelli is the clear choice in this race.

Rep. Timm Ormsby is a progressive champion and an active member of the Spokane community. He is the current president of the Spokane Regional Labor Council and a board member of the United Way of Spokane County. In past sessions, Ormsby helped write and pass bills to protect the environment and preserve critical health care services. This year, Ormsby supported some of the state's most vulnerable residents by being the prime sponsor on a bill for permanent affordable housing. He also recently sponsored additional bills on equitable educational outcomes for homeless youth and for community solar projects.

Ormsby is running against former Spokane City Councilmember Bob Apple, who was a Democrat on the council but switched to being a Republican. In a community interview, Apple stated he's running to push back against the idea of a state income tax, regulations on businesses, and additional bureaucracy.

Ormsby is the clear progressive choice in this race.

Helen Price Johnson is challenging Republican incumbent Ron Muzzall for the state Senate seat in the 10th Legislative District. Price Johnson has held an impressive number of leadership positions in the community, including as a board member of the South Whidbey School District, as the first female board member of the Island County Commissioners, and on the Board of Directors of the Whidbey Community Foundation.

Price Johnson believes housing is a human right and that climate change requires action. She pledges to revise the district's housing regulations and move the state towards increased renewable energy. On healthcare and childhood education, Price Johnson wants to see more investment in mental health and addiction treatment as well as free early childhood education.

Her opponent, Ron Muzzall, replaced Sen. Barbara Bailey when she retired last year. Muzzall, a farm owner and manager, has not offered a strong policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic that has left hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians out of work and struggling to get by. Rather than investing in communities, Muzzall would make knee-jerk cuts to services at the moment they're needed most.

Price Johnson's extensive track record of civic service, strong community support, and vision for rebuilding our economy make her the clear choice in this race.

Architect Angie Homola is running for the 10th Legislative District, House Position 1. She has a long track record of public service and civic engagement in Island County, including serving as an Island County Commissioner. One of Homola’s accomplishments as a commissioner was to make the meetings available online so that people across the county could watch and participate in their local government. She is running for Legislature on a progressive platform of good government including campaign finance reform, increased affordable housing, and environmental conservation. Homola wants to prioritize farming and forestry, provide strong services for veterans, and use public and mental health care to end opioid addiction.

Her opponent is GOP candidate Greg Gilday, a lawyer who wants to address homelessness and improve local roads. He claims to be running to work on both “public health and economic health” but has been pushing to re-open the state's economy before public health experts say it is safe. His platform is not detailed but does include his opposition to age-appropriate sex education in schools. Gilday would be a conservative voice while Homola is a true progressive who will bring strong values to Olympia.

Homola is the clear choice in the race for House Position 1 representing the 10th Legislative District.

Bob Hasegawa is running unopposed for re-election to the state Senate. Since first being elected to the House in 2005, Hasegawa has distinguished himself through his social justice work. He is a labor advocate and founding member of several labor boards, including Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance AFL-CIO and the Washington State Labor Council. Hasegawa has also been a strong advocate for reforming our state's upside-down tax system and has pushed to establish a state bank.

Hasegawa has earned another term in the state Senate and deserves your vote.

Democrat David Hackney is a former federal prosecutor, senior attorney at The Nature Conservancy, and employee relations manager at Amazon. Hackney has a strong record of community service, including as a member of the Washington State Human Rights Commission and on the board of the Alliance for Gun Responsibility. In his Fuse interview, Hackney laid out a bold progressive platform that prioritizes addressing income inequality, health care, and education. He also wants to see more leadership from the 11th District on issues like gun safety, racial justice, and support for renters.

Democrat Danielle Garbe Reser is running for the state Senate seat in the 16th Legislative District, which is open after Sen. Maureen Walsh's retirement. Garbe Reser has served in several leadership roles in the community, including on Whitman’s Presidential Advisory Board and the Walla Walla YWCA’s Nominating Committee and Community Council’s Governance Committee. She believes in bipartisan solutions and has worked for both Democratic and Republican administrations through her 14-year career as a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State.

Garbe Reser calls her platform, which focuses on community recovery and resiliency, both "fiscally responsible" and "community-driven." She wants to help get people back to work by modernizing the electric grid and supports additional investments in early learning, affordable housing, and quality healthcare. In Olympia, Garbe Reser wants to bring her district's concerns to the forefront and advocate for policy that works for all Washingtonians. To do this, she vows to prioritize people above partisan politics.

Garbe Reser is running against Republican Perry Dozier, who formerly served as the Walla Walla County Commissioner among other local elected positions. He has taken advantage of the coronavirus crisis as a way to criticize the governor and advance a conservative agenda. Dozier previously faced controversy for his efforts to pump water from agricultural zones to bottle and sell elsewhere.

Garbe Reser is the best choice for state Senate from the 16th Legislative District.

Frances Chvatal is running for House Position 1 in the 16th Legislative District. Chvatal has spent her career working in health care, including more than 35 years as a nurse, and is campaigning to improve our health care system. As a lifelong resident of Eastern Washington with strong community experience, Chvatal will work hard for the residents of the 16th District.

Chvatal wants to prioritize her constituents' health and focus on addressing the state's budget crisis without deep cuts. In light of the pandemic, she is pledging to ensure high-quality health care for all, as well as policies that improve mental health care access. Chvatal supports wraparound services for vulnerable residents, a living wage and fair hiring practices, and linking agriculture with a healthy environment.

Also in this race is Republican and Washington Farm Bureau director Mark Klicker. Klicker is running against the "liberal agenda" in Olympia. He states that he would stand against climate-saving measures like the clean fuel standard and would resist policies that attempt to rebalance the state's upside-down tax code. On the topic of re-opening, Klicker insisted that "we need to open up in a hurry."

During this ongoing public health crisis, the 16th District deserves a representative who will prioritize health and safety for all and take an informed approach to re-opening the state. Chvatal is the better choice in this race.

Democrat Daniel Smith is challenging Republican incumbent Sen. Lynda Wilson to represent the 17th Legislative District in the Senate. Smith has been a social worker for more than two decades and currently manages the southwest Washington office for Community Health Plan of Washington, a local non-profit. As a Democrat, he believes in the principles of "family values, community values, [and] making sure everybody has an equal opportunity for success."

If elected, Smith wants to put his career in health care to work by advocating for more social services and better mental health care, as well as more affordable housing and early childhood education. He is running to support "data-driven decisions" when guiding public health and economic legislation. When it comes to managing the threat of coronavirus, Smith is determined to make sure that frontline health care workers have all the supplies they need to stay safe and treat Washingtonians.

Incumbent Sen. Wilson has already established a long track record of conservative votes in her first term alone. Wilson has been on the wrong side of health care access and reproductive rights, and she even said that the science on whether vaccines are safe is "not settled" while her district faced a measles outbreak. Wilson also generated controversy this spring when she told The Columbian that she was storing 100 coronavirus antibody tests in her home.

The 17th Legislative District deserves better representation than Lynda Wilson. Daniel Smith has received the support of many progressive organizations and is the clear choice for state Senate.

Democrat Tanisha Harris is challenging far-right incumbent Rep. Vicki Kraft for House Position 1 representing the 17th Legislative District. Harris spent a decade working for the Evergreen School District and now works as a Court Appointed Special Advocate program specialist with the YWCA Clark County.

Harris's priorities include supporting low-income and workplace housing to tackle the state's homelessness and housing affordability crisis, reducing gun violence, and making additional investments in education. She opposes re-opening Washington schools until the science says it is safe to do so. Harris does not support an income tax but does want to rebalance the state's upside-down tax system so that everyone pays their share.

Her opponent, Republican Rep. Kraft, worked for the virulently anti-worker Freedom Foundation and has one of the most far-right voting records in the House. She spent the early months of the pandemic trying to re-open the state long before public health experts said it was safe and even joined an April rally against Gov. Inslee's state-at-home-order. In this session, Kraft was a leading opponent of comprehensive sex education and broader vaccination of students. She is zealously opposed to abortion and voted against legislation requiring insurance companies to cover all women's health care. In addition, she opposed several LGBTQ+ equality bills and the Washington Voting Rights Act.

Kraft's battle against common-sense public health standards is appalling and especially bad during a pandemic. Harris, on the other hand, has the overwhelming support of labor, reproductive rights organizations, environmental groups, and more, and is by far the best choice in this race.

Incumbent Sen. Sam Hunt is running for re-election after being elected to the Senate in 2016. In his 16 years of representing the district in the House, Hunt was an advocate of open and fair elections and sponsored bills to encourage online voter registration, while also supporting increased education funding and women's health protections. This year, the senator backed a broad range of progressive bills and sponsored several, including cost-sharing requirements for insulin and requiring schools to incorporate local tribes' history into their curriculum.

If re-elected, Hunt's priorities in the Senate include fixing our upside-down tax code, which is the most regressive in the nation, increasing equitable funding for early education, and supporting universal health care, among other key policies. Hunt is committed to a state economic recovery that does not dismantle the social safety net and has emphasized his universal healthcare stance during the current public health crisis.

Hunt is running against Republican Garry Holland. Holland is a former employee of the State Department of Social and Health Services and chaired the Thurston County Republicans during the 2016 election. He is running on a typical Republican platform and, in response to the ongoing pandemic, threatened to sue Governor Inslee and school districts if schools didn't open in the fall.

With his experience and support from the progressive community, Hunt is the best choice in this race.

Rep. Laurie Dolan is running for re-election for the 22nd Legislative District, Position 1. As an educator with more than 30 years of classroom and area director experience with Spokane Public Schools, Dolan has been an effective vice-chair of the Education and State Government Committees where she fought for workers' rights and fully funded education.

Dolan is a leader in sponsoring progressive bills in the House. Some of her recent legislative highlights include funding for mental health experts in schools and transparent salary history laws that benefit women and people of color. In January, Dolan sponsored a bill that prohibited race-based hairstyle discrimination. After hearing directly from constituents, Dolan sponsored a bill in February that protected survivors' privacy when reporting sexual assault in an effort to create safer avenues for them to tell their stories. If re-elected, Dolan states that she will continue her work on safe schools, protections for workers, and expanding affordable healthcare, which is as important as ever with the threat of COVID-19.

Dolan is running against Republican J.D. Ingram. Ingram has had little campaign presence. In an interview with his fellow candidates this July, Ingram took a number of conservative stances, claiming at one point that he does not "favor any tax increases of any kind, for any reason." Ingram responded to questions about police accountability by insisting that to avoid sowing division, we should avoid recognizing race. Ingram also rejected speaking much on the subject of climate change, insisting the issue has been "irretrievably politicized."

Given Dolan's commitment to progressive issues and marginalized communities, she remains an important voice for the 22nd Legislative District. Dolan has received the majority of support from progressive organizations and is the best choice in this race.

Olympia Mayor Pro Tem Jessica Bateman is running for the 22nd Legislative District, House Position 2 to fill the seat vacated by Beth Doglio. Bateman has been a tireless progressive advocate on the city council, working toward equitable housing solutions, protecting our green space, and ensuring no one is left behind.

Bateman's accomplishments from her first term as mayor include co-chairing the Home Fund, a campaign to provide safe housing and essential services for vulnerable homeless community members, and sponsoring a resolution to make Olympia a sanctuary city. Bateman has worked to support marginalized communities through the coronavirus pandemic, prioritizing the enforcement of the eviction moratorium. In response to the growing movement for police reform, Bateman proposed establishing a human rights commission in Olympia to hold police accountable and require officers to complete implicit bias training during onboarding.

Bateman is running against Republican Dusty Pierpoint. Prior to seeking public office, Pierpoint worked in law enforcement for 33 years, serving as the Chief of Police in Lacey County from 2005 to 2018. He was accused of leaving the department a "mess" with low morale. Now, Pierpoint is running on a "law and order" platform that lacks compassion for our homeless friends and neighbors.

Bateman will be a much-needed voice in the state House. With resounding support from progressive organizations, she is the clear choice for the 22nd Legislative District, House Position 2.

Incumbent Sen. Christine Rolfes is the chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and a leader on education and environmental issues in Olympia. In previous sessions, she co-sponsored a bipartisan bill to address the state's over-reliance on property tax levies to fund education, advocated for the improvement of the state's oil spill response system, and protected maritime jobs. This year, Rolfes helped secure significant funding for improvements for the district, including adding habitat to the Illahee Preserve and funding two shelters, one for victims of domestic violence and the other for homeless youths.

Rolfes is being challenged by Republican Pamela Madden-Boyer, who is a former bus driver and teacher, as well as a business owner. Madden-Boyer's priorities include protecting the Second Amendment and fighting against comprehensive sex education in schools. She states that she will advocate for cutting taxes and cutting the budget, a proposition that does not add up in a year with a predicted state budget shortfall of $4 billion dollars due to the pandemic.

As Rolfes is sitting on the bipartisan Special Committee on Economic Recovery, we hope that she embraces new legislation that compels corporations and the wealthiest in our state to pay their share. At the same time, implementing measures like the Working Families Tax Credit would lift some of the regressive nature of our state's tax code.

Rolfes by far is the more experienced and progressive choice in this race.

Tara Simmons is the executive director of Civil Survival, a nonprofit organization that helps formerly incarcerated people reintegrate and become advocates for their community. Simmons made history when she became the first formerly-incarcerated person to graduate law school and be admitted to the Washington State Bar Association.

Simmons is running for the 23rd Legislative District, House Position 1 to reform our state's upside-down tax code, improve police accountability, and expand health care access, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. She is opposed to knee-jerk budget cuts during a public health emergency and wants to make the wealthy pay their share to invest more in communities. Notably, she is not accepting any campaign donations from corporations.

Her opponent is April Ferguson, former operations chair and data administration for the Kitsap County Republican Party. Ferguson, who has run for office and lost twice already, is running on a platform of individual liberty and opposing efforts to balance our state's upside-down tax code.

Simmons was one of the best and most inspiring progressive candidates Fuse interviewed this year. She will bring a unique voice and a passion for police and criminal justice reform to Olympia at a moment when it's needed more than ever. Simmons is the clear progressive choice in this race.

Puyallup mayor and local small business owner Julie Door is running for state Senate in the 25th Legislative District. Prior to being elected as mayor this year, Door served on the council for seven years, where she supported the purchase of the Van Lierop farm to create a new park, implemented a Safe Routes to Schools initiative, and worked on securing adequate shelter for people experiencing homelessness in inclement weather. She was the community services chair of the Puyallup Kiwanis Club and is a board member of the South Sound 911 Board, among other community involvement.

Door became mayor at the beginning of the year, navigating Puyallup through the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic by swiftly declaring a state of emergency so that the city could access additional resources. If elected, she will build on that public health experience to expand health care access including mental health treatment. Door will also push for living-wage jobs in the district and promote more equity and investment in the classroom.

Door is running against Republican Rep. Chris Gildon. Gildon is one of several Republican legislators who criticized Gov. Inslee's stay-at-home order and supported leaving re-opening decisions up to local governments despite the rising number of COVID-19 cases across the state. This year in the House, Gildon voted against creating a statewide Office of Equity, requiring greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced to zero by 2050, and reducing transportation pollution.

As a lifetime resident of Puyallup with a keen grasp of the issues in the 25th District, Door will represent her constituents well in the Legislature. Door is the best choice in this race.

Puyallup School District teacher Jamie Smith is running for the 25th Legislative District, House Position 1 on a platform of improving life for families and working Washingtonians. Prior to seeking office, Smith spent 17 years as an educator in Puyallup.

If elected, Smith would prioritize securing more stable funding for public schools and increasing transit options to accommodate the more than 50% of workers who live in Pierce but work outside the county. In addition, she supports increasing investments in small businesses, job training in renewable energy positions, and fixing our state's upside-down tax code. Smith has said she supports expanded health care access to promote public health and to save the state money on overall care costs.

Smith is running against Republican Rep. Kelly Chambers, a conservative Republican who voted against establishing the Washington State Office of Equity and opposed comprehensive sexual health education for students. Kelly was endorsed by right-wing extremist and domestic terrorist Rep. Matt Shea in her re-election campaign. Chambers is strongly against balancing our state's upside-down tax code, despite the fact that her constituents with lower incomes pay at up to six times the rate of the wealthiest in the state under the current system. Chambers joined several other Republicans in challenging Gov. Inslee's extension of the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order in early May while the virus was still peaking, despite the recommendations of public health officials.

The people of the 25th Legislative District deserve a representative who cares about their health and economic well-being, not one who puts corporate profits first. Smith is by far the best choice in this race.

Democratic Sen. Jeannie Darneille is running for re-election in the 27th Legislative District. Darneille has been a strong advocate in her 12 years in the House and six years in the Senate, particularly for families who are struggling to make ends meet. She is a champion of women, people with disabilities, formerly incarcerated individuals, health care access, and expanded economic opportunities for all.

This year, Darneille sponsored legislation requiring schools to incorporate curriculum on local tribal history and voted to prohibit discrimination based on citizenship or immigration status. She is running to reform the justice system and spoke out recently on the need for better public health in Washington prisons. If re-elected, Darneille will continue to fight for improved education, increased health care access, and gender and racial parity.

Also in this race is Republican Kyle Paskewitz. Paskewitz is the executive director of Parentalink, a nonprofit organization. He is anti-choice and opposes greater investments in our communities during the economic downturn. Earlier this year, Paskewitz's campaign social media proposed that Washington state should recklessly re-open before it was safe to do so, and he has since promoted anti-mask rhetoric on his personal social media.

Darneille is a strong advocate with the support of a number of progressive organizations. She deserves your vote in this race.

Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins is running for re-election to the 27th Legislative District, House Position 1. Jinkins was the first lesbian to serve openly in the state Legislature, where she helped pass marriage equality. She now serves as the first woman and LBGTQ+ speaker of the House in Washington. In office, she has been a passionate and effective champion for progressive values, particularly in her fight for women, equity, and closing tax loopholes.

Jinkins has sponsored bills to improve education funding and secured resources for a new health clinic in Hilltop that serves low-income patients. She consistently advocates for a capital gains excise tax on the wealthy that would fund schools. This year, Jinkins voted in support of bills to establish comprehensive and age-appropriate sexual health education, to prohibit discrimination based on immigration status or citizenship, and to establish the Washington State Office of Equity. To confront the detrimental effects of the coronavirus pandemic in Washington communities, Jinkins wants to reduce tuition costs, provide job training, introduce a public option to increase health care access, and work to guarantee affordable housing.

She is being challenged by Democrat Ryan Talen, a registered nurse. Talen is running to restructure Washington's electoral system, proposing "proportional representation with ranked-choice" as an alternative. However, Talen doesn't have a strong campaign presence.

Jinkins is an important progressive leader in our state. She is the obvious choice in this race and deserves your vote.

Rep. Jake Fey is running for re-election to the 27th Legislative District, House Position 2. He is a reliable progressive who has championed youth, environmental, and education issues in Olympia. As the son of German immigrants who helped raise his younger siblings at age 13 after his father passed away, Fey is very committed to ensuring future generations of Washingtonians have the support they need to succeed.

This year, Fey sponsored a green transportation bill designed to move Washington towards more sustainable and cleaner ways of traveling. He also sponsored bills to prohibit race-based hair discrimination and to require the state to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. With the coronavirus pandemic requiring Washingtonians to stay home, Fey has led the legislative response to address the transportation budget shortfall.

Fey faces a challenge from Barry Knowles, a perennial candidate who listed himself as an Independent in this race despite his past role as chairman for the district's GOP. Knowles has not updated his candidate materials since 2016 and does not seem to be running a serious campaign.

Fey is a progressive leader in the House. He the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote.

T'wina Nobles is challenging Republican Sen. Steve O'Ban for the 28th Legislative District Senate seat. Nobles is the president and CEO of the Tacoma Urban League, an organization that helps underserved communities navigate difficult economic times. She has worked in education for 15 years as an instructor, the University Place School Board Director, and a PTA leader.

If elected, Nobles wants to increase pay for teachers, reduce class sizes, and work to make schools more inclusive and equitable. She knows more needs to be done to ensure families in the 28th are healthy and safe, which she believes includes gun violence prevention, addiction recovery and mental health resources, and better health care access. Nobles is also running to fix our upside-down tax code and fight for better wages and affordable housing for working people.

Incumbent Sen. O'Ban is a far-right conservative who has previously sued the state to prevent Washingtonians from having access to birth control at some pharmacies. Likewise, he has fought against equality for the LGBTQ+ community, including leading the opposition to marriage equality. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, O'Ban pushed to re-open the economy long before public health experts said it was safe to do so. This year, he opposed establishing the Washington State Office of Equity and voted against prohibiting discrimination based on citizenship or immigration status.

Nobles is the clear progressive choice and would make a great state senator. In this tight race to unseat a conservative, Nobles deserves your vote.

Rep. Mari Leavitt is running for re-election for the 28th Legislative District, House Position 1. Leavitt was recently appointed to the State Legislators’ Task Force on Military and Veterans Affairs. She has been a hard-working leader who represents the district well.

This year, Rep. Leavitt supported legislation to combat the climate crisis and passed bipartisan legislation to support military families. She also supported legislation to prohibit race-based hair discrimination. In this race, she is campaigning to strengthen the social safety net for seniors and families, create affordable housing, and support small businesses. If re-elected, Leavitt will continue to advocate for her constituents and pass bipartisan legislation.

Leavitt faces a challenge from Kevin Ballard, a Republican who served on the DuPont City Council. He has repeatedly used his social media presence to call on Gov. Inslee to re-open Washington before public health experts declare it safe to do so. Ballard, who was the co-chair of Ben Carson's 2016 presidential campaign in Pierce County, strongly opposes abortion and supports defunding Planned Parenthood. 

Leavitt is the best choice in this race and deserves your vote.

Dan Bronoske is running for the 28th Legislative District, House Position 2, to succeed retiring Rep. Christine Kilduff. Bronoske has worked as a firefighter in Pierce County and Lakewood for almost two decades. As an active union member, he has experience working in Olympia advocating for policies that protect all workers.

Bronoske launched his campaign with Rep. Kilduff's endorsement. If elected, he will prioritize supporting working families, addressing the opioid epidemic, reducing health care costs, and improving our transportation system. Bronoske's commitment to increased health care access and a progressive pandemic response is informed by his career as a first responder. His campaign boasts support from a number of progressive organizations.

Bronoske is running against Republican Chris Nye. Nye has previously served on the University Place City Council and currently owns a marketing and listing service for real estate owners. He emphasizes the fiscal challenges Washington will be facing in the coming years but does not offer any proactive solutions for solving these challenges. 

Bronoske will bring a strong progressive voice to Olympia. He is the best choice in this race.

Sen. June Robinson is running to retain the Senate seat she was appointed to in May after serving as a representative for the 38th District since 2013. In the House, Robinson served on the Appropriations, Health Care & Wellness, and Agriculture & Natural Resources Committees and previously worked as a public health nutritionist. Robinson developed expertise in the state budget while serving in the House and wants to continue her work reforming our upside-down tax code, especially as we work to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Robinson's platform also includes increasing affordable housing, investing in roads and parks, and providing our students with the best possible schools. She has been an advocate for paid family leave, transparency in prescription drug pricing, and access to health care.

Republican Bernard Moody is challenging Robinson for the 38th District Senate seat. Moody has worked as a Snohomish County Sheriff's Office corrections sergeant since 2007. He is campaigning for policies that will further exacerbate Washington's upside-down tax code. Moody is also promoting a "law and order" platform and wants to increase funding for Pierce County's police force but has not mentioned any police accountability measures.

Robinson is the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote.

Rep. Emily Wicks is running to retain House Position 1 in Legislative District 38, to which she was appointed earlier this year when Rep. June Robinson was appointed to the Senate. Wicks is the president of the National Women's Political Caucus of Washington and worked as a legislative aide for Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib when he was in the Legislature. She has more than a decade of experience in government affairs and communications, and she founded a small business in 2019.

Wicks' campaign platform includes working towards an economic recovery that benefits everyone and strengthening our public health system. Her strong support for universal health care is more important than ever as the state continues to navigate the coronavirus pandemic and widespread unemployment. Wicks has served as a communications consultant, including for the Tulalip Bay Fire Department, and wants to work with local governments to support front-line workers.

Wicks is facing Republican Bert Johnson. Johnson is a perennial candidate who previously challenged Rep. Mike Sells and June Robinson. He ran as an independent in 2016 and 2018 but is currently running as a Republican. Johnson states that he will push back against science-based sex education and climate action. He wants to use law enforcement to criminalize our neighbors experiencing homelessness and disagrees with police reform efforts.

Wicks will bring a progressive approach to the state's ongoing pandemic response and economic recovery plan. She is the best choice in this race and deserves your vote.

Rep. Mike Sells is running for re-election to the 38th Legislative District, House Position 2. Sells is a longtime leader in the Legislature, serving as the chair of the Labor and Workforce Development Committee. He is a former teacher and labor advocate who previously served as the president of the Everett Education Association.

In the Legislature, Sells has worked on improving higher education and establishing the Washington State Office of Equity, as well as requiring the state to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. At the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis in March, he worked swiftly with three other legislators to petition the White House to allow Disaster Unemployment Assistance to take effect in the case of pandemics. Now, Sells wants legislation that improves public health access and provides living-wage jobs to support economic recovery.

Sells faces a challenge from Libertarian David Wiley, a quality assurance professional and the elected chair of the Snohomish County Libertarian Party. Wiley wants to roll back protections for farmland and green space to benefit big developers. In addition, he supports defunding Planned Parenthood and would dramatically cut essential state services at the moment Washington families need them most.

Sells is a strong progressive leader in Olympia and deserves your vote.

Sen. Liz Lovelett is running for re-election in the 40th Legislative District. She was appointed to the state Senate last year and successfully ran to retain the seat previously. Lovelett is a fifth-generation Anacortes resident who previously served on the Anacortes City Council. She has prioritized environmental conservation and played a key role in passing legislation protecting orcas and the Salish Sea.

In the Senate, Lovelett has sponsored legislation requiring schools to incorporate curriculum on local tribal history and establishing regulations for facial-recognition technology. Lovelett is running for re-election on a strong platform that includes prioritizing increased affordable housing and expanded services for our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Lovelett wants to expand the social safety net while not adding to the tax burden of low-middle income families by reforming Washington's upside-down tax code so that everyone pays their share.

Lovelett is running against Republican Charles Carrell. Before running, Carrell served as a Snohomish County sheriff's deputy, later suing the department over a public records request. He does not have a strong campaign presence.

Lovelett is the best choice in this race and has earned your vote.

Rep. Debra Lekanoff is running for re-election to the 40th Legislative District, House Position 1. Lekanoff has spent more than two decades as a public servant in the 40th Legislative District and her community, including her work as the Government Affairs Director for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. She is running on a re-election platform of protecting the Salish Sea for future generations, improving educational opportunities, and sustainably rebuilding the economy.

This year, Lekanoff sponsored legislation to strengthen safety requirements for oil tankers, which is particularly important for protecting the Salish Sea. She also worked to provide protective gear to frontline food producers and farm workers in order to ensure that grocery stores remain stocked and workers remain safe during the coronavirus pandemic. Lekanoff is the only Native woman in the state Legislature and has numerous endorsements from our progressive partner organizations and elected officials.

Lekanoff is running unopposed for re-election. As a staunch advocate for public health and environmental protections, she deserves your vote.

Incumbent Rep. Alex Ramel is running to retain House Position 2 in the 40th Legislative District. Ramel is an environmental organizer who played an important role in the campaign to reject the Cherry Point coal export terminal. He also helped found the “Community Energy Challenge” that has created jobs and helped homeowners and local businesses save money through energy efficiency improvements. As the former President of the Kulshan Community Land Trust, Ramel understands the need to prioritize funding for affordable housing in the Legislature.

Ramel was sworn into the House at the beginning of this year and has already sponsored bills to prohibit race-based hair discrimination, increase incentives for building affordable housing, and establish a scenic bikeways program across the state. He believes that health care is a basic human right and has prioritized the fight for health care access in his campaign. Ramel wants to center Washingtonians in the state's economic recovery approach, focusing on the issues of livable wages and employment opportunities.

Ramel is running against Republican Russ Dzialo, the former treasurer of the Whatcom County Republican Party. Dzialo is opposed to taking action on climate change and has expressed concerns about redirecting police funding to social services.

Ramel will fight the crises Washington now faces with progressive solutions. He is the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote.

Sen. Lisa Wellman is running for re-election to the Senate from the 41st Legislative District. Prior to running for Legislature, Wellman worked as a public school teacher and in the private sector at a technology company. She now serves on the Washington State Public Works Board, Partners for Rural Washington, and the board of Thrive, which focuses on early childhood education.

Wellman was first elected to the Senate in 2016 where she has since been a champion for reproductive rights, education, and progressive technology policies. This year, Wellman sponsored legislation establishing regulations for facial-recognition technology and requiring schools to incorporate curriculum on local tribal history. She was a lead sponsor on the bill still under consideration in the Senate that would protect all people from warrantless civil immigration arrests at courthouses. Wellman is running for re-election to push for stronger legislative action to combat gun violence and the climate crisis.

Wellman faces a challenge from Republican Mike Nykreim, who does not have a strong campaign presence but has rallied with the Tea Party in support of recklessly re-opening Washington state during the pandemic before public health experts determined it was safe to do so. Nykreim does not offer any concrete policies aside from stating that he will rely on "conservative business pros" to manage the state's economy.

With resounding support from progressive advocates, Wellman is the clear choice in this race.

Rep. Tana Senn is running unopposed for re-election to the 41st Legislative District, House Position 1. Senn is a former member of the Mercer Island City Council and a reliable progressive advocate in Olympia. She has worked to pass legislation to ensure women receive equal pay for equal work and sponsored common-sense gun regulation that would allow the state patrol to destroy confiscated firearms.

This year, Senn supported legislation to establish the Washington State Office of Equity and require the state to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In her next term, she wants to continue to advocate for high-quality K-12 education, environmental protections, and gun safety. She believes that accessible child care is an important element of the state's re-opening plan.

Senn is supported by a wide range of progressive organizations and deserves your vote.

Rep. My-Linh Thai is running for re-election to the 41st Legislative District, House Position 2. Thai previously served on the Bellevue School Board and was a unifying leader who showed unwavering commitment to providing a high-quality education for every Bellevue student. This year, she sponsored a bill to ensure access to justice by protecting people from warrantless civil immigration arrests at courthouses.

Thai is running on a strong platform that includes reforming our upside-down tax code, building more long-term affordable housing, and investing in clean energy and a green economy. In her next term, Thai hopes to continue her work to make Washington schools more equitable. To face the coronavirus pandemic, Thai believes that achieving widespread, accessible health care is an essential priority, and she voted to establish a public option in Washington last year.

Thai faces a challenge from Republican Al Rosenthal, who is not running a strong campaign. He has staked out some very conservative positions, including supporting defunding Planned Parenthood, opposing marriage equality, and allowing elementary school teachers to carry guns in the classroom.  

Thai is the clear progressive choice in this race. 

Senator Annette Cleveland is running for re-election in the 49th Legislative District. Cleveland is an advocate for education, small businesses, health care access, and veterans. Her work experience ranges from small business advocacy with the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce to work for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray on WSU Vancouver funding as well as services for veterans and military families.

In the Senate this year, Cleveland sponsored legislation to require public companies to have gender-diverse boards of directors and supported new gun safety laws and legislation to combat the climate crisis. Unfortunately, Cleveland was an obstacle last year to passing legislation that allows hard-working nurses to take uninterrupted meal and rest breaks. But Cleveland has always been a strong voice for health care access, which has never been more important than during this pandemic. Back in early March, she sponsored a Senate resolution which urged Washington to take the threat of COVID-19 seriously.

Cleveland is running against Independent Republican Rey Reynolds, a former police officer who believes issues like addiction, homelessness, and crime can be solved with "compassionate accountability," without mention of critical services like stable, affordable housing. Reynolds also states that as a biologist he understands environmental issues, but does not mention anything about the climate crisis or specific ideas for conservation. He takes a staunch "law and order" position, emphasizing the need to repair community perceptions of law enforcement and claiming that recent protests for racial justice were full of "lawlessness." Reynolds was recently seen at a Republican campaign event where candidates flagrantly ignored state public health guidelines.

Cleveland will be a voice of safety and reason on Washington's continuing coronavirus response. She deserves your vote in this race.