22nd Legislative District

First elected in 2016, former state Rep. Kristine Reeves is also running for the open 10th Congressional District seat. She is the Director of Economic Development for the Military and Defense sector for Washington state, where she has helped secure millions of dollars for small businesses and local infrastructure. In the Legislature, Reeves has been a champion for paid family and medical leave, gun safety, and making childcare more affordable. She took a more cautious approach than Doglio to several pieces of legislation, including voting against taxing polluters and increasing protections for tenants. 

In her Fuse interview, Reeves said her life experience would guide her priorities and decision making in Congress. She is motivated to address affordable housing and homelessness by her experience growing up as a foster child and being homeless herself at times. She supports universal health care and points to her own health care emergency that nearly left her bankrupt as a young adult. Reeves also stated that she is the only leading candidate in the race with foreign policy experience.

If elected, Reeves would be the first Black person elected to Congress from Washington in our state's 131-year history.

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 climate-centered focus 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 is facing 35 opponents this year, the most prominent of which are Republicans Sen. Phil Fortunato, Tim Eyman, and Bothell Mayor Joshua Freed. Fortunato is a social conservative who has abandoned working families while in the office. In past legislative sessions, he voted against protections for LGBTQ school children and against expanding access to reproductive health care for women. Freed believes we should be less cautious about COVID-19 protections and rapidly re-open the state, a faulty strategy in the face of death and difficult recoveries even for previously healthy coronavirus patients.

Eyman is one of the worst candidates for governor the state has ever seen. Eyman's legal problems range from fraudulently diverting funds from his ill-conceived initiatives into his personal bank accounts to wide-ranging campaign finance violations to stealing a chair from Office Depot. He is the face behind many of Washington's most damaging initiatives, including the most recent disaster that has cut tens of billions of dollars from state transportation projects. Eyman has lately been doubling down on his cringeworthy antics by comparing Gov. Inslee's COVID policies to George Floyd's murder.

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, who serves 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 attacks "foreign and domestic." She wants to improve digital security and increase funding for county auditors to safeguard 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, and she has failed to condemn the president's relentless attacks on voting by mail.

Also in this race are Independent Ed Minger and Progressive Party candidate Gentry Lange. Minger wants to prohibit candidates from running paid ads, which is blatantly unconstitutional, and Lange wants to end voting by mail in Washington, a particularly confounding position during a pandemic.

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, and has successfully supported laws reducing property taxes.

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 referred to the state Legislature "raiding" the Rainy Day Fund. He has also 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.

Recently, 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 Democrat Joshua Casey and Republican Chris Leyba. Casey is a CPA who wants to bring his financial expertise to the auditor's office. Leyba is a former police detective who currently runs an animal rescue on his farm. If elected, he would prioritize buying from Washington businesses and saving taxpayer dollars.

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 and 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 people in Washington. He has sued the Trump administration 50 times as of October 2019 and won every completed case (22 by his own count). Some of Ferguson's biggest accomplishments from the past few years include protecting 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 is running against Republicans Brett Rogers, Mike Vaska, and Matt Larkin. Rogers states that with over 20 years of law enforcement experience, including time with the Seattle Police Department, he would be well-suited to research and set criminal justice policy. A member of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Vaska's priorities include reducing regulations for business and streamlining the permitting process. Larkin states that he's running to prioritize "the homeless situation" that "no one is doing anything about," and promises to empower law enforcement while making Washington more business-friendly.

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, she has focused on wildfire management and climate action.

This year, Franz released a climate resilience plan for rural Washington that includes expanding wind and solar farms and massive reforestation. 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 is running against six other candidates: Republicans Cameron Whitney, Steve Sharon, Maryam Abasbarzy, and Sue Kuehl Pederson, Democrat Frank Wallbrown, and Libertarian Kelsey Reyes. Wallbrown and Abasbarzy have no campaign details available. Pederson is the former chair of the Grays Harbor Republican Party and says she's running to bring new leadership to the office and to balance the state's economy and ecology. Reyes works in the restaurant industry and has no concrete campaign details or website available. Finally, Sharon is running to investigate the effects of 5G towers and Whitney is running to follow Trump's suggestion of raking forests to stop forest fires.

Franz has the experience we need to guide and protect our state from increasingly dangerous fire seasons to 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's schools navigate the pandemic. He made the tough decision early to close schools for the year to keep kids and families safe and 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 a handful of opponents in this non-partisan race: conservative Ron Higgins, former Republican legislative candidate Maia Espinoza, Dennis Wick, Stan Lippman, and David Spring. Espinoza has garnered attention by publishing a false and inflammatory voters pamphlet statement attacking Reykdal. Lippman is a disbarred lawyer and anti-vaccination advocate, Spring doesn't think we should have closed schools during the pandemic, and Higgins wants to inject religious teachings into public education. Wick is a former member of the Snohomish School District Board of Directors who wants to modernize our school system.

Reykdal is the clear choice for Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has spent his entire career serving the people of Washington. Prior to running for statewide office, Kreidler was a doctor of optometry, state legislator, and member of Congress.

As Insurance Commissioner, Kreidler has been a consistent advocate for consumers and patients in overseeing insurance companies in Washington. Kreidler set up one of the first and most effective Obamacare exchanges in the country, helping expand access to health care for hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians. More recently, Kreidler moved quickly to issue an emergency order requiring insurance companies to waive copays, coinsurance, and deductibles for COVID-19 testing and office visits. In addition, he forced insurance companies to allow consumers to access other health providers if they did not have an in-network option for testing.

Kreidler is running against Republican Chirayu Avinash Patel and Libertarian Anthony Welti. Patel wants to model the office of the insurance commissioner based on a hybrid of the Ronald Reagan and Thomas Jefferson administrations, though he gives few details on what this would mean. Welti is running on a vaguely anti-corruption platform and wants to allow insurance companies to offer cheaper plans with fewer protections for consumers.

Kreidler has earned your vote for re-election to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

Incumbent Sen. Sam Hunt was elected to the Senate in 2016 after representing the district in the House for 16 years. 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 supported 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 structure, which is the most regressive in the nation, more equitable funding for early education, and supporting universal health care, among other key policies.

Hunt is running against Republican Gary Holland and Democrat Kevin Young. Holland is a former employee of the State Department of Social and Health Services. He supports reducing regulations on businesses, public agency audits, road improvement, and "optimal job creation." Small business owner Kevin Young is running to unite opposing viewpoints in the district and find common ground solutions to issues of environment, economy, and more. He states that despite never holding elected office, his experience graduating college in the late aughts brings a unique view into the hardships many in the district experience. He is supportive of community oversight of the police and universal healthcare.

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

Incumbent 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 served as the vice chair of the Education and State Government Committees where she fought for workers' rights and to fully fund education. 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. If re-elected, Dolan states that she will continue her work on safe schools, protections for workers, and expanding affordable healthcare.

Dolan is running against Libertarian Allen Acosta and Socialist Johnny Meade. Acosta does not have a strong campaign platform or presence. His voter guide statement includes that he is against continued taxation and regulation, and for conservation education. Socialist Johnny Meade is running to bring working-class issues to the forefront. Meade has worked in a variety of industries and volunteered for political campaigns, a background which he says makes him similar to the community he represents. Meade has an extensive list of priorities that he would take to Olympia if elected, including expanding unemployment benefits, investing in public housing, and fully funding remote K-12 access.

Dolan has received the majority of support from progressive organizations and is the best choice in this race.

Glenda Breiler is a social worker and the director of the Longhouse at the Evergreen State College. A member of the Colville Tribes, Breiler is prioritizing climate action and protecting local water and land in her campaign for Legislature. In addition, she wants to reduce inequality in education and support an Evergreen New Deal to create jobs and transform our energy sources.

In her Fuse interview, Breiler emphasized the importance of electing more women of color to the Legislature who are willing to challenge the status quo and support bold solutions to the challenges facing our state. 

Rory Summerson is a manager at a flooring service business. He is highly active in the community, serving on the boards of Partners in Prevention Education, which works with domestic violence survivors within the homeless population, and Mpowerment Washington, which supports HIV prevention. He is also a precinct committee officer for the Thurston County Democrats and founding member of the local group LGBTQ+ Democrats of Thurston.

If elected, Summerson wants to bolster social services available to the community, including meal delivery, adult protective services, childcare, and health and employment services. His campaign also emphasizes the need for climate justice, conservation, and advocacy for marginalized communities. While he believes that the county does need a new courthouse, he disagrees with the process for the current plan.

Lacey City Councilmember Michael Steadman is running for Thurston County Commissioner to bring environmental needs, infrastructure, and inclusion to the forefront. Steadman is a veteran and a small business owner who was first elected to the city council in 2014. His environmental priorities include preserving Rocky Prairie, converting the county to 100% sewer systems, and tackling water quality and algae issues. He's in favor of increasing density in urban areas while protecting forests and rural places, as well as supporting a fare-free bus system through the Intercity Transit Zero Fare project. Steadman believes that the county should expand alternative criminal justice options and improve mental health services.

Steadman is running against incumbent Commissioner Gary Edwards. Edwards, a former Thurston County sheriff, is running for re-election to reduce regulations on businesses and home builders. Despite running as an Independent, Edwards has entertained conservative interests. Last year, he joined Thurston County Sheriff John Snaza last year in holding a guns-rights meeting, where a discussion was held on a citizen's arrest of Attorney General Bob Ferguson. At that meeting, Edwards threatened "revolution" if Trump could not get the courts stacked his favor.

Steadman is the best choice in this race.

Sharonda Amamilo is running for Thurston Superior Court, Judge Position 8. She is a public defender with over 15 years of experience representing children and families. Amamilo is engaged in systems change at the county and national levels and promises to bring "compassionate and courteous deliberation" to the bench. She has also served on the Washington State Criminal Justice Treatment Act Panel and the Washington Trafficking Prevention Board. She is ranked as Exceptionally Well Qualified by the Loren Miller Bar Association and Well Qualified by the Cardozo Society of Washington State.

Amamilo is facing David Hankins, Scott Ahlf, and Jonathan Sprouffske. Sprouffske is the bar choice in the race, but he has has a few endorsements from Republicans. As a young lawyer, he served as a mentor with the Thurston County Bar Association and now serves as a Judge Pro Tem in Thurston District Court. Hankins has spent three decades as the Senior Counsel of the Attorney General's Office and is endorsed by Attorney General Bob Ferguson. Ahlf served as an Olympia Municipal Court Judge for 15 years and as a Prosecutor and Assistant City Attorney in the City of Lacey. 

Amamilo is the best choice in the race for Thurston Superior Court, Judge Position 8.