Washington State Labor Council Endorsements

Rep. Suzan DelBene is running for re-election in the 1st Congressional District. DelBene is a former executive at Microsoft who has used her technology background to become a leader in protecting privacy rights against government surveillance. She was first elected in 2012 and has been an advocate for creating family-wage jobs in industries like aerospace, sustainable agriculture, and clean energy as well as advocating for reproductive justice. She also supports raising the federal minimum wage and passing comprehensive tax reform to ensure that corporations and the wealthy pay their share. This year, DelBene urged the Trump administration to send resources to Washingtonians and use science to combat the coronavirus crisis.

DelBene is running against Republican Jeffrey Beeler. Beeler is a conservative who opposes expanding health care access and investing more in transit. Since the primary, Beeler has expressed support for Trump's disastrous coronavirus response and opposes taking action to support the postal service, which is vital not only to ensure a fair election this year but also to provide access to medication and critical services for millions across the country.

Rep. DelBene is the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote for her re-election.

Rep. Rick Larsen is a moderate Democrat who has been a strong advocate for jobs, transportation, and infrastructure projects in the 2nd District. Before serving in Congress, he served on the Snohomish County Council and worked on economic development for the City of Everett.

In Congress, Larsen supported the Lower Drug Costs Now Act to give Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies and pass the lower drug prices to all Americans. He also voted for the Voting Rights Advancement Act, supported the coronavirus pandemic relief packages, and sought to reform student loans. Unfortunately, Larsen has been less ambitious when it comes to supporting climate change legislation and has accepted political contributions from corporations including Exxon Mobil as recently as last year.

Larsen's challenger is Republican and Navy veteran Timothy Hazelo, whose is running on a very conservative platform. He has used racist language to describe immigrants and has repeated some of Trump's most dangerous and misleading conspiracy theories. 

While Larsen is not progressive, he's a reliable Democratic vote and has earned the support of all our progressive partner organizations who chose to endorse in this race.

Carolyn Long has taught Southwest Washington’s students for 24 years at WSU Vancouver. She is challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler. Long ran against Herrera Beutler in 2018 and hopes to build off that strong campaign and win this year.

Long's platform boasts critically important health care policies, including protecting people with pre-existing conditions, defending the Affordable Care Act, and providing substantive and equitable health care for those in need of addiction and mental health services. She is also prioritizing treating gun violence as a public health crisis, caring for veterans, reforming the tax code to make it more equitable for working families, and protecting Medicare and Social Security.

Long's opponent, Herrera Beutler, is a conservative Republican who votes with Trump more than 80 percent of the time. Despite taking a few key votes to appear more moderate, Herrera Beutler is actually very conservative. She has stated she wants to overturn the Affordable Care Act, which provides health care to millions of Americans. Herrera Beutler was also the only member of Congress from Washington to support the Trump administration's cruel immigration bill and she refused to vote for the Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Herrera Beutler has been criticized by her constituents in the past for her refusal to hold town halls or be held accountable for the harmful votes she has taken. More recently, she voted against the COVID-19 relief in the HEROES Act, denying her constituents needed additional cash payments, funding for additional testing and treatment, support for the postal service, hazard pay for medical and frontline workers, and expanded SNAP benefits.

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

Rep. Derek Kilmer is running for re-election in the 6th Congressional District. He is a moderate Democrat who is a reliable supporter of creating jobs and improving infrastructure. Kilmer has been a leader on small business development and protecting the Puget Sound during his four terms in Congress. A former state senator, he previously worked as a business consultant and economic development official.

In Congress, Kilmer is a sponsor of the federal Dream Act in support of immigrants who arrived in the country as children with their undocumented parents. He supports commonsense gun safety legislation and co-sponsored the Voter Empowerment Act, an online voter registration system that helps keep voting rights equitable. Kilmer has also worked on several environmental bills, including the Wild Olympics Wilderness & Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. This year, he supported coronavirus relief as well as the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act.

Former education researcher Elizabeth Kreiselmaier is challenging Kilmer for the 6th Congressional District seat. Kreiselmaier is running on a dangerously conservative platform that prioritizes dismantling the Affordable Care Act in the middle of a global pandemic, defunding Planned Parenthood, and removing equitable access to education by privatizing our schools. Kreiselmaier says she enthusiastically supports Trump’s agenda and is amplifying some of his worst lies and conspiracy theories in her campaign. 

Kilmer has been a reliable vote in Congress and has earned strong support from progressive advocacy organizations for his re-election. Kilmer is the best choice for the 6th Congressional District.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal is running for re-election in the 7th Congressional District. She has a long history of civic leadership on immigration reform, economic justice, and civil liberties. Rep. Jayapal founded OneAmerica (formerly Hate Free Zone) in 2001 and built it into the largest immigrant rights organization in the state and a national model. She also played a key role on the Mayoral Advisory Committee that created Seattle’s $15 minimum wage.

Since her election to Congress in 2016, Jayapal has resisted the Trump administration at every turn and provided a voice for progressives across the country. She has supported the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the Dream Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for young DACA recipients. She has also fought back against the Trump administration's inhumane policy of separating families seeking asylum and introduced legislation that paves a pathway towards a universal health care system. This year, Jayapal introduced legislation to expand collective bargaining and provide relief to workers and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. She has held nearly 100 town halls during her time in Congress and is the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Jayapal's opponent is Craig Keller, the founder of Respect Washington, which was named as an anti-immigrant hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Keller's "platform" largely consists of racist statements and lies about immigrants. He is neither progressive nor qualified for office.

Jayapal has been an outstanding progressive leader for the 7th Congressional District and the entire country. She has earned your vote for re-election.

Rep. Kim Schrier was elected to represent Washington's 8th Congressional District in 2018. Schrier serves on the Education & Labor and Agriculture committees and prioritized gun violence prevention, health care (including reducing the cost of prescription drugs), and reproductive justice in her first term. Prior to running for office, she worked as a pediatrician in Issaquah for two decades. She is the first Democrat to hold this seat.

Rep. Schrier's strong re-election platform includes encouraging sustainable agriculture, addressing the climate crisis, safeguarding our elections, and protecting endangered species and lands. She is the only woman doctor in Congress and her perspective is incredibly valuable, especially during this unprecedented pandemic. Schrier has worked hard to listen to her constituents in her first term, including holding more than 50 town hall forums. 

Schrier's opponent is Republican Jesse Jensen, a manager at Amazon and a former Army captain who was recruited by Republicans to run in this district. Jensen has expressed his opposition to a $15 minimum wage while supporting Trump's trillion-dollar tax giveaway to corporations and the wealthy. In addition, he refuses to support investments in Black and brown communities, opposes holding big polluters accountable, and doesn't have a meaningful plan to expand health care access. 

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

Rep. Adam Smith has been a reliable vote in Congress on progressive issues from taxation to immigration reform. He represents Washington's most diverse district, where 30% of residents are immigrants and there are large Asian, Hispanic, and Black communities. Smith is an advocate for greater equality and supports a path to citizenship for immigrants, reforming the tax code, and Medicare for All. Recently, Rep. Smith spoke out against President Trump's call for the military to intervene and stop the "insurrection" of demonstrators protesting police brutality. He supported the $3 trillion coronavirus pandemic relief package and is supporting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to dramatically increase law enforcement accountability and transparency.

His opponent is Republican Doug Basler, who has tried and failed to unseat Smith in 2014, 2016, and 2018. Basler is a Trump supporter and has adopted the administration's conservative agenda. He is opposed to abortion and a person's right to bodily autonomy, and he opposes the public health measures taken to fight the coronavirus. Recently, Basler has been repeating some of Trump's most dangerous conspiracy theories that downplay the severity of the pandemic.  

Rep. Smith is the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote for Congress.

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.

Former Port Commissioner and progressive state Rep. Gael Tarleton is now running for Secretary of State to serve as the state's chief elections officer, among other roles. First elected to the Legislature in 2012, Tarleton has been a strong advocate for environmental causes such as Governor Jay Inslee's initiative to reduce carbon pollution. She sponsored bills during her first term in the House to strengthen the maritime industry, improve access to health care, and ensure gender pay equity.

Tarleton is running for Secretary of State to expand access to voting in Washington while safeguarding our elections against "foreign and domestic" attacks. She wants to improve digital security and increase funding for county auditors to protect local elections from hacking attempts in the wake of the 2016 election. She would also expand audits of the state and local systems to identify any weaknesses that could be exploited.

Tarleton is challenging incumbent Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman, who has faced a bumpy road during her time in office. Last year, Wyman's office released a new $9.5 million voter registration database that was riddled with errors and led to a backlog of tens of thousands of registrations. King County elections director Julie Wise described the release as "irresponsible" and "not even functioning." In addition, Wyman was slow to support the Washington Voting Rights Act, same-day voter registration, and postage-paid ballots.

We need a progressive leader in the Secretary of State's office who is fully committed to protecting our elections and removing every barrier to participation in our democracy. Tarleton is the clear progressive choice in this race.

Mike Pellicciotti has served in the Washington state House representing the 30th Legislative District since 2016 and is now running for Treasurer. Pellicciotti has never accepted corporate campaign donations and has led efforts to make the Legislature's records open for public view. He also wrote the Corporate Crime Act, which increases financial penalties for corporate crimes by 100 times.

Pellicciotti is challenging incumbent Republican Duane Davidson. In 2016, incumbent Jim McIntire retired, leaving the seat open. Because of the crowded primary, two Republicans made it through to the general election, giving them control of the treasurer's office for the first time since 1957. Davidson previously served as the Benton County treasurer from 2003 to 2016. In his term, he has been a traditional Republican and has accused the state Legislature of "raiding" the Rainy Day Fund. He has only attended 3 of 18 critical pension meetings since fall 2017.

Pellicciotti has been a solid legislator and is the best choice in the race for Washington State Treasurer.

Washington Auditor Pat McCarthy has been a consistent advocate for government transparency and accountability during her first term in office. Previously, she served as Pierce County executive and Pierce County auditor, where she was honored as the 2006 Washington State Auditor of the Year.

McCarthy announced that her office has opened two independent audits of the Employment Security Department. The first will investigate the delay in unemployment benefits for hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second audit will look into how criminals stole hundreds of millions of dollars through a sophisticated fraud scheme.

McCarthy is facing a challenge from Republican Chris Leyba, a detective with limited audit experience related to this role. Leyba has expressed some very conservative viewpoints during the campaign, including opposition to stronger campaign finance laws, disagreeing with basic law enforcement reforms, and supporting Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic response.   

McCarthy's experience and commitment to oversight will be valuable as the state works to emerge from the pandemic and the recession. McCarthy is the best choice in this race.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson's accomplishments during his two terms in office are impressive. From delivering millions of dollars back to consumers who were wronged by fraudulent corporations to his ongoing battle with the federal government to clean up the Hanford nuclear waste site to successfully fighting two Tim Eyman initiatives, Ferguson has been a strong and effective advocate for the people of Washington. He has sued the Trump administration 80 times as of late September and won all but one completed case. Some of Ferguson's biggest accomplishments from the past few years include safeguarding consumer medical data, protecting statewide water quality from Trump's erosive environmental policies, and fighting back against the Trump administration's child detention laws.

Ferguson faces a challenge from Republican attorney Matt Larkin, who is currently the legal counsel for his family's manufacturing business. Larkin worked in the Bush White House on efforts to direct federal funds to religious charities and is an advocate for a traditional Republican platform. Larkin opposes the vast majority of the lawsuits that Ferguson has filed to hold the Trump administration accountable. 

Ferguson is the clear progressive choice for Attorney General of Washington.

Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz has been a proactive force for protecting our communities from climate change. As the head of the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), she has focused on protecting public lands, wildfire management, and climate action.

This year, Franz released a climate resiliency plan for rural Washington that includes massive reforestation as well as expanding wind and solar farms. Given the statewide threat and impact of wildfires with recent record-setting fire seasons, she has also worked on a 20-year forest health plan and a 10-year fire protection plan.

Franz's opponent is fisheries researcher Sue Kuehl Pederson, the former chair of the Grays Harbor Republican Party. Kuehl Pederson is running on a conservative platform that focuses on significantly increasing logging of state forests and rolling back protections for endangered species. In recent interviews, Kuehl Pederson also downplayed the importance of climate change in exacerbating this fall’s forest fires. 

Franz has the experience we need to guide and protect our state from increasingly dangerous fire seasons and the rising threat of climate inaction. Vote Franz for Commissioner of Public Lands.

Chris Reykdal is running for re-election to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to continue his leadership of our state's public schools through this challenging time. Previously, Reykdal spent 14 years serving on local school boards and in leadership positions at community and technical colleges, as well as serving 6 years in the Legislature. In the state House, Reykdal had a strong progressive voting record and was a consistent champion for public schools.

In his first term as superintendent, Reykdal has pushed the Legislature to fully fund K-12 education, increase teacher pay, and close the opportunity gap for students of color. More recently, Reykdal has worked closely with Gov. Inslee to help Washington schools navigate the pandemic. He made the tough decision early to close schools for the year in order to keep kids and families safe and to slow the spread of COVID-19. If re-elected, Reykdal will continue to advocate for these priorities and work with schools across the state as they make the transition back to in-person education.

Reykdal is facing former Republican legislative candidate Maia Espinoza. Espinoza is a school music teacher and a former legislative liaison to the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs. She was motivated to run by her opposition to comprehensive sexual health education and gained attention by publishing a false and inflammatory voters' pamphlet statement attacking Reykdal. In addition, an Associated Press investigation found that Espinoza provided false or misleading descriptions of her own education and the organization she leads. As of mid-September, Espinoza is also dangerously pushing for classrooms to re-open fully for in-person learning, despite mass outbreaks at schools and universities across the country.

Reykdal is the clear choice for Superintendent of Public Instruction.

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.

Rep. Shelley Kloba is running for re-election to the 1st Legislative District, House Position 2. Prior to joining the Legislature, Rep. Kloba served her community as a trustee for the Lake Washington Schools Foundation, as a Kirkland City Council member, and as the Washington State PTA legislative director for two years.

In the Legislature, Kloba has extended her knowledge of education policy to become an advocate for Washington's youth. In 2018, Rep. Kloba was the primary sponsor of a bill that extended the Expanded Learning Opportunities Council, which increases opportunities for students from low-income backgrounds. This year, she expanded workers' rights by sponsoring legislation that would prevent a positive marijuana test from disqualifying people from most jobs, excluding positions like firefighters and federal workers.

Her challenger is Republican Jeb Brewer. Brewer is running on a conservative platform and wants to prioritize issues including traffic and homelessness. He states that he would reduce regulations for businesses and industries like construction.

Kloba has been a strong advocate for her constituents and deserves another term in the House.

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.

Nurse practitioner Lori Feagan is running to bring progressive values to Olympia from the 4th Legislative District. One of her top priorities is improving health care, including lowering the cost of prescription drugs and holding price-gougers accountable when it comes to vital medications like insulin. As the state faces budget shortfalls due to the pandemic, Feagan promises to prioritize improvements like the Henry Road overpass and road separation projects.

Feagan is running against incumbent Republican Bob McCaslin. He has voted against a slew of progressive reforms and is one of most far-right members of the Legislature. Along with Rep. Matt Shea, McCaslin has supported splitting Washington into two states to create a new conservative state called "Liberty."

The local Fuse interview committee was extremely impressed with Feagan's determination to improve health care access, ensure living wages, and be a progressive force in Olympia. The range of endorsements for Feagan from our partners and from elected officials reflects her potential to bring people together for change. Feagan is the best choice in this race.

Accountant Lance Gurel is running for the 4th Legislative District, House Position 2 to bring progressive leadership back to the district for the first time in decades. In his interview with the local Fuse endorsement committee, Gurel said that he would support undocumented workers, many of whom have been deemed essential workers during this pandemic, with an emergency aid fund. He supports tax reform like the Working Families Tax Credit that would put money back in the pockets of Washingtonians with low and moderate incomes. Gurel also expressed support for affordable child care, mental health programs that divert people from the prison pipeline, and investments in clean fuels.

Gurel's opponent is Republican Rob Chase. Chase, who calls himself a Trump Republican, is running on the so-called "MAGA Doctrine" of "following the Constitution and shrinking government." Notably, he is supported by Rep. Matt Shea, who was ousted from the Republican caucus after an investigation deemed him a domestic terrorist.

The 4th LD deserves better than another Shea. Vote Lance Gurel for state House.

Progressive nurse Ingrid Anderson is challenging Sen. Mark Mullet in the 5th Legislative District. As a nurse, Anderson will bring an important perspective to Olympia as legislators craft a public health and economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic. If elected, Anderson would also prioritize keeping East King County affordable for working families, strengthening our K-12 education system, and rebuilding the economy in a way that works for everyone, not just special interests. As the mother of a son with asthma, Anderson understands the importance of protecting our clean air and will work to pass strong environmental protections for Washington.

Mullet is a small business owner and business-oriented Democrat who has been an obstacle to progress on many issues during his eight years in Olympia. He has taken thousands of dollars from oil and coal companies and hasn't been willing to vote for critical environmental bills. We need to address climate change and salmon and orca recovery, but Mullet has shown he won't support the solutions we need. In addition, Mullet voted against addressing the gender pay gap, opposed childcare assistance for working families, and even voted to cut teacher pay.

It's time for new leadership for the 5th Legislative District. Anderson has garnered support from a large number of progressive organizations, even earning the endorsement of Governor Inslee. Anderson is the clear progressive choice in this race.

Incumbent Lisa Callan is running unopposed for re-election to the 5th Legislative District, House Position 2. She serves as the vice-chair on the House Budget and Finance Committee and the House Human Services and Early Learning Committee. As a former Issaquah School Board member, one of Callan's top priorities is equity in education, as well as the completion of State Highway 18 and increasing housing affordability.

After a strong first term in Olympia, Callan has earned your vote for re-election.

Fire commissioner and housing attorney Tom McGarry is challenging incumbent Jenny Graham for House Position 2 in the 6th Legislative District. In addition to his role as fire commissioner, McGarry serves as board chair for the Spokane County Fire Commissioner’s Association. McGarry is determined to avoid any coronavirus-caused state budget cuts for those who are least economically equipped to handle them. If elected, he states he will bring a workers-first agenda to Olympia with a lens for racial justice. Some of his policy priorities include increasing affordable housing, increasing benefits for workers, and developing a careful and data-driven economic reopening.

McGarry is running against incumbent Republican Jenny Graham. In addition to conservative votes in Olympia against reducing greenhouse gas emissions, establishing a state Office of Equity, and capping insulin costs for diabetics, Graham's coronavirus response has been terrible. Facebook flagged one of her posts as untrue after she questioned vaccine science. Graham has also promoted disturbing conspiracy theories on her Facebook. Her offline coronavirus response has been equally unimpressive. The representative protested the early release of non-violent prisoners who were within 18 months of their scheduled release even with the knowledge that the coronavirus was primed to sweep through jails, threatening thousands of guards, prisoners, and staff.

The residents of the 6th Legislative District deserve better than far-right conspiracy theories from their representatives. Vote McGarry for proven, progressive leadership.

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.

Incumbent Democrat Dave Paul is running for re-election this year in the moderate 10th Legislative District. Paul is the current vice-president of Skagit Valley College and has been a longtime advocate for children and public schools. He has been a strong progressive during his term in the Legislature and worked on bills to lower the cost of prescription drugs, as well as advocating for a 100% clean electricity grid by 2025. If re-elected, Paul states that he will continue to prioritize environmental work and re-opening the economy safely.

Paul is running against Bill Bruch. As a chairperson for the Skagit County Republican Party, Bruch is running on a cookie-cutter GOP platform. He states that those who are homeless or suffering from addiction must use "personal responsibility" to find a job, and implies that the role of government when it comes to these issues should be secondary to the private sector. On coronavirus, Bruch believes that Gov. Inslee's stay-home order is "totally unacceptable," ignoring both public health science and that COVID cases have continued to increase in Washington.

Paul has earned strong support from our Progressive Voters Guide partner organizations and is the best choice in this race.

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.

Rep. Zack Hudgins has become a strong progressive leader in the Legislature. Throughout his tenure, Hudgins has focused on standing up for vulnerable Washingtonians, strengthening election transparency, and making effective investments into our state economy. In particular, Hudgins played a lead role in passing automatic voter registration legislation and increasing the number of ballot drop boxes in 2018. This year, he organized bipartisan support for legislation to restrict the use of facial recognition software. Hudgins is running for re-election on a platform of preventing budget cuts due to the economic downturn, addressing affordable housing and homelessness, and continuing to support stronger privacy laws.

Rep. Steve Bergquist is running for re-election for his House seat representing the 11th Legislative District. A former public school teacher, Bergquist has fought hard to fully fund education and is focused on improving the quality of schools in Washington state. Throughout his tenure, Bergquist has also been a reliable advocate on social justice, health care, and environmental issues. In recent years, he has sponsored bills that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote and let 17-year-olds participate in primaries if they will be 18 by the general election.

His opponent is Republican Sean Atchison. Atchison states that his top priorities are homelessness, "keeping government out of the way" of small businesses, and reopening after COVID, but he does not have a detailed platform or relevant experience.

Bergquist has earned the endorsements of many of our partners and is the best choice in this race.

Adrianne Moore is running against Republican incumbent Keith Goehner for the 12th Legislative District, House Position 1. She is a former manager at Room One, a health and social services center in Methow Valley. For several years, she was the center's sole employee, helping adults and children who were escaping domestic violence or needed mental health and substance abuse services. She's running for Legislature to continue her service to the community, especially for working families. Moore's platform includes incentivizing high-quality rural health care systems, bringing in more climate-friendly industries, and ensuring affordable housing.

Her opponent, Rep. Goehner, has voted against legislation to stop the climate crisis and opposed a bill that would require farmworkers' beds to be placed six feet apart to ensure safety during the pandemic. He is a consistent obstacle to progress in Olympia. 

Moore is the best choice for the 12th Legislative District, Position 1.

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.

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.

Donna Sinclair is running to represent the 18th Legislative District, House Position 2. Sinclair is a public historian and history professor at Washington State University Vancouver and Western Oregon University. She was first inspired to run for office after the 2016 election and currently serves on the board of directors for the Washougal School District and as a Democratic precinct committee officer.

Sinclair's campaign focuses on bringing affordable health care, well-paying jobs, and high-quality education to the region. Sinclair is concerned about affordability in Clark County and wants to guide the county's growth while protecting the environment and local quality of life. In addition, Sinclair wants to bring a new vocational and technical school to North Clark County so that students don't have to drive all the way to Vancouver.

Her opponent is incumbent Republican Rep. Larry Hoff, whose top three priorities are protecting the Second Amendment, improving transportation, and reducing taxes, despite an estimated budget shortfall of several billion dollars next year due to COVID. Though he believes that he is qualified to manage the state's economic crisis because of his private sector work, Hoff neglects to offer any policies for how to mitigate the public health crisis.

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

Sen. Dean Takko is a moderate Democrat who has represented the 19th Legislative District since 2005. He previously served in the state House for 10 years before being appointed to the Senate in 2015. Takko has advocated for investing money in jobs and infrastructure but has disappointed progressives on environmental issues and gun safety.

This year, Sen. Takko supported bills to prohibit race-based hair discrimination and to establish a state Office of Equity, but unfortunately voted against a bill to repeal the death penalty. Takko is running to ensure funding for transportation projects, expand broadband for rural residents, and make health care more accessible for Washington residents. Though Sen. Takko does not support defunding the police, he believes that police reform is necessary.

Takko is running against Republican Jeff Wilson who serves as the Vice President for the Port of Longview Commission. Wilson promises that he will not move forward any additional business or capital gains taxation, which would maintain Washington's upside-down tax system. Rather than investing in communities, he would make knee-jerk cuts to services at the moment they're needed most and has yet to offer a strong policy response to the coronavirus pandemic.

If re-elected, Takko will support Democratic priorities in the Senate. He is the best choice in this race.

Rep. Brian Blake has represented the 19th Legislative District in the state House since 2002. He is currently the Chair of the House Rural Development, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Before assuming office, Blake worked as a logger for decades and later as an environmental specialist for the Department of Corrections.

Blake has a moderate voting record, and like the 19th's Sen. Takko, Blake has been problematic on some environmental and gun safety legislation this year. On a host of other issues, however, Blake has generally taken good votes on progressive priorities. He is running to increase jobs and private investment in the 19th District, "while ensuring public access to our natural lands and protecting our individual rights."

Blake faces a challenge from Republican Joe McEntire, who can be expected to promote a far-right agenda for the district. McEntire is a veteran and a chair of the Wahkiakum County Republican Party. Though he does not have a detailed policy platform available for 2020, McEntire also ran in 2018 for the same seat on a platform of slashing environmental protections and shrinking the government. In response to the threat of COVID-19, McEntire says he shifted his campaign to prioritize getting Washingtonians back to work, but he offered no policy recommendations on how to keep residents safe from the virus.

Blake is the best choice in this race to keep pushing a progressive agenda forward in the House.

Democratic Rep. Strom Peterson is running for re-election to represent the 21st Legislative District, House Position 1. Prior to joining the Legislature, Peterson served on the Edmonds City Council for six years, where he proved to be a capable leader in Snohomish County. In Olympia, Peterson had a hand in passing several important progressive bills.

In 2018, Peterson was the primary sponsor of the Secure Drug Medicine Back Act, an innovative program to limit the usage of unused and expired prescriptions in Washington communities. In 2017, he was a sponsor of Breakfast Before the Bell, a nutrition program for hungry students. This year, Peterson sponsored legislation to prevent the solitary confinement of incarcerated youth in all but extreme cases. If re-elected, Peterson states that he would continue to prioritize education, the environment, transportation, and more.

Peterson is running against Republican Brian Thompson, who runs a fire protection engineering consultancy. He is running to roll back the recently passed comprehensive sex-ed legislation and Gov. Jay Inslee's emergency coronavirus safety measures, stating that "we are all essential." Despite campaigning for "medical freedom," Thompson is strongly anti-choice.

Peterson has a strong progressive track record. He is the best choice for House Position 1.

Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self is running for re-election to the 21st Legislative District, House Position 2. She is a counselor in the Everett School District, and an active member of the community, focusing on childhood education and strengthening health services through numerous community organizations. Since joining the House in 2009, Rep. Ortiz-Self has emerged as a progressive champion for improving the health and well-being of youth and families across Washington.

This year, Ortiz-Self was the prime sponsor on bills to increase student access to counselors and provide resources for homeless college students. Her bill to fund nonprofits in low-income communities passed this year as well. Rep. Ortiz-Self has been a member of the state’s Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee for more than six years. If re-elected, she wants to continue to fund and improve education, protect the social safety net, and invest in job creation to support economic recovery.

Also in this race is far-right Republican Amy Schaper, who states that she is running to protect our borders, promote free-market solutions, and oppose civil rights like same-sex marriage. Schaper is strongly anti-choice and led a draconian "heartbeat" petition that would "require an ultrasound before an abortion" and includes provisions to "prohibit and criminalize abortion" in some cases.

During this time of economic and health crises, the 21st Legislative District needs a representative who has demonstrated care and knowledge in protecting the district's most vulnerable residents. Ortiz-Self is the clear 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.

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.

Rep. Drew Hansen is running for re-election to House Position 2, where he has represented the 23rd Legislative District since 2011. As the chair of the House College and Workforce Development Committee, Hansen has prioritized improving education and workforce policies. He helped expand the Olympic College engineering program for shipyard jobs and sponsored legislation to protect marine jobs. Hansen has also supported full funding of the State Need Grant for low-income college students, as well as free and reduced college for families earning less than $50,000 a year.

Hansen is running against Republican Elaina Gonzales-Blanton, who calls herself a constitutional conservative. She is running to protect Second Amendment rights, promote transparency, and push back against age-appropriate sex education.

Hansen is the best choice in this race.

Incumbent Democrat Sen. Kevin Van De Wege served as a representative for five terms before being elected to the Senate in 2016. Van De Wege is a firefighter and paramedic who has developed a moderate Democratic track record in Olympia. He has been a strong ally on environmental issues, including his co-sponsorship of a bill to require oil companies to disclose the amount of oil entering our state, the route of oil trains, and basic information for first responders.

Van De Wege is running against Republican and Port Angeles Port Commissioner Connie Beauvais. Beauvais states that she's running against new taxes - though the state is facing a coronavirus-caused estimated budget deficit of $4 billion dollars. She has not said whether she would attempt to raise additional revenue or make enormous cuts to transportation, social services, or other programs. Beauvais also has not promoted flipping the state's upside-down tax code, which favors corporations and the wealthiest over working families. The port commissioner also says she wants to bring checks and balances to Olympia because the Legislature is currently controlled by Democrats.

Van De Wege is the best choice in this race.

Rep. Mike Chapman is a moderate Democrat running for re-election to the 24th Legislative District, House Position 1. First elected in 2016, Chapman has fought for economic policies that create jobs in rural communities and protect the environment. This year, he was a co-sponsor of a major environmental bill to reduce state greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050.

Chapman is focused on producing solutions for families concerned about the quality of K-12 education and supporting economic opportunity in Washington. When it comes to economic recovery, Chapman wants to make sure that everyone pays their share. Unfortunately, despite giving outspoken support for law enforcement, Chapman has yet to propose any measure to increase police accountability.

Chapman is running against Republican Sue Forde. Forde previously ran for office and lost in 2003 against Steve Tharinger in the race for a county commissioner position. Her campaign platform focuses on criminal prosecution, Second Amendment rights, and reducing regulations. Forde has publicly minimized the detrimental effects of the pandemic on public health and says she is against Gov. Inslee's mask policy, a key part of the COVID-19 response.

While COVID-19 continues to threaten the health of Washingtonians and residents suffer through an economic crisis, it is more important than ever to choose a representative that will take our current moment seriously and follow the advice of experts. Chapman is the clear choice in this race.

Democratic Rep. Steve Tharinger is running for re-election to the 24th Legislative District, House Position 2. Since 2010, Tharinger has been a strong progressive leader for the district. He currently co-chairs the Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Disability and is a member of the Dementia Action Collaborative.

Tharinger is passionate about providing affordable health care options to all Washingtonians and has been unwavering in his advocacy for innovative policies that protect the environment. If re-elected, his priorities would be investing in ports and parks, strengthening health care, and recovering from the impacts of the pandemic. Rep. Tharinger recently spoke out in favor of protecting a fully funded and functioning postal service so that rural residents in his district can continue to receive medicine, pay bills, and vote by mail with confidence.

Tharinger is running against retired Army officer Brian Pruiett. Pruiett opposes fixing our upside-down tax code, despite the fact that low- and moderate-income residents pay a far higher tax rate than the wealthy. Pruiett recently made a statement offering unconditional support for law enforcement in all parts of Washington state, vowing that he will "not listen" to Washingtonians protesting for racial justice even within his own district.

In this time of health and economic uncertainties, the 24th Legislative District needs steady, progressive leadership that protects working people and the vulnerable, not just businesses' bottom lines. Tharinger is by far the best 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.

Firefighter and veteran Brian Duthie is vying for the 25th Legislative District, House Position 2. The seat is currently held by Rep. Chris Gildon, who is moving on to run for state Senate this year. Duthie has significant community experience including his role as a board member of the Washington State Council of Firefighters Burn Foundation.

Duthie is campaigning to strengthen K-12 education by reducing class sizes, adding more special education resources, and making sure teachers are fairly compensated. He believes that the state will only begin economic recovery when the dangerous spread of COVID-19 is also addressed, and he relies on health experts and medical professionals to inform his approach to public health policy. If elected, Duthie will focus on health care affordability and reducing traffic congestion in Pierce County.

Duthie's opponent is Puyallup City Councilmember Cyndy Jacobsen. Jacobsen is running on a very conservative platform including support for defunding Planned Parenthood, opposition to marriage equality despite it being the law since 2012, and cutting investments in our transportation system that would reduce traffic and create thousands of jobs. In addition, she wants the state to re-open before public health experts say it is safe to do so and she has amplified dangerous conspiracy theories about the coronavirus. 

Washingtonians need leaders who will listen to health care professionals and science when creating pandemic policy. Duthie is the best choice in this race and deserves your vote.

Carrie Hesch is challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Jesse Young for the 26th Legislative District, House Position 1. Hesch is a Teamster who works at the Washington Corrections Center for Women and serves as a Director on the Key Peninsula Community Service Board.

Hesch is running on a strong platform of health care reform, making the tax code more equitable, and protecting workers, including making sure front-line employees get the personal protection equipment (PPE) that they need. She is also campaigning to reform the criminal justice system to address overcrowding in Washington state prisons. Hesch has outlined detailed policy proposals to accomplish these progressive goals in office.

Young is a staunch conservative who voted against the creation of the Washington Office of Firearm Violence Prevention and opposed making it easier for young people to vote. He is a vocal opponent of the age-appropriate sexual health education bill that passed this year and has devoted time and energy to repealing it. Young says that the fix for a lack of affordable health care is a "focus on job creation" so that workers can be covered through their employers, a stance that makes no sense for unemployed, part-time, and underemployed people, especially during the pandemic. Even worse, he is determined to stand against the Affordable Care Act and gives no details on alternatives at a time when Washingtonians urgently need accessible and affordable health care.

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

Joy Stanford is challenging Republican Rep. Michelle Caldier for the 26th Legislative District, House Position 2. Stanford was a substitute teacher who has worked in the district with underserved and elderly populations, helping them gain access to health care. She challenged Caldier for this seat in 2018 and only narrowly lost.

Stanford has previously worked in housing services and the health care industry, and she hopes to use these experiences to address affordable housing and health care access with creative approaches. She is campaigning to keep infrastructure projects on budget and ensuring health care access for all, and will work to fix Washington's upside-down tax code. In response to recent protests for racial justice, Stanford said she supports increasing funding for non-police appropriate crisis responders such as mental health professionals.

Incumbent Michelle Caldier has built a career on opposing progressive policies. She voted against automatic voter registration, which has been proven to strengthen democracy by making it easier for eligible citizens to vote, and opposed legislation to expand access to reproductive health care. This year, she voted against prohibiting race-based hair discrimination and discrimination based on immigration status or citizenship. Caldier also voiced strong opposition to the comprehensive and age-appropriate sexual health education bill this year.

Joy Stanford will bring progressive priorities to Olympia. She is running a strong campaign and deserves your vote.

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.