Sierra Club Endorsements

Sen. Patty Murray has been a consistent and strong progressive voice in the U.S. Senate. She's seeking re-election to continue fighting for our basic rights and a better quality of life in Washington and beyond.

Murray was first elected in 1992 and has been a champion for veterans, working families, women, and economic opportunities for all. Before her tenure in the Senate, Murray worked as a preschool teacher, on the Shoreline School Board, and in the Washington state Senate.

During her time in Congress, Sen. Murray has worked hard to keep our communities safe from gun violence, protect abortion access at the federal level so that everyone has reproductive freedom, and expand access to affordable childcare. This year, she voted in support of the Women’s Health Protection Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and a slate of other progressive bills that invest in working communities so that our country is a place where everyone can thrive. Murray has earned an impressive and diverse coalition of endorsements from local and national organizations, elected leaders, and unions.

Sen. Murray faces Tiffany Smiley, a triage nurse running on a MAGA Republican platform. Smiley has never held public office but she previously worked on Capitol Hill. Her Trump-inspired agenda aims to divide us while she seeks to cut funding from our most essential services and repurpose it for a needless border wall and more militarized police forces. Working Washingtonians need real solutions so that we can access the basics like gas, groceries, rent, and prescription medicine – not MAGA rhetoric and tax breaks for the wealthy.

Sen. Patty Murray is a national leader on many of the most important issues facing our country. She has earned your vote for re-election.

Rep. Suzan DelBene is running for re-election to the U.S. House representing Washington’s 1st Congressional District. Since first being elected in 2012, DelBene has been a champion for working families, small businesses, and data privacy and consumer protections. This year, she served as the chair of the moderate New Democrat Coalition, a 98-member congressional caucus that seeks to find solutions that bring Democrats and Republicans together. She brings private sector experience from her background in tech, working at Microsoft early on and then leading a number of local startups.

DelBene has been a staunch advocate for bills to help Washingtonians and the rest of our country afford stable housing, find family-wage jobs, and access quality health care. She has leveraged her tech background to balance consumer rights with innovation to create protections that benefit us all. DelBene played a key role in passing the Child Tax Credit and is leading efforts to expand it going forward in order to reduce child poverty across the country. She also recently supported the bipartisan infrastructure law which sent federal funding to Washington to upgrade public roads, ports, broadband, and more. Now, she is running to keep protecting Social Security, Medicare, reproductive freedom, and community investments that help Americans afford the basics.

Mill Creek City Council member and sheriff deputy Vincent Cavaleri is challenging DelBene in this race. He wants to expand militarized police forces and send more people to Washington’s expensive and overpopulated prisons. Instead of Cavaleri's failed positions, we need greater investments in community solutions that compassionately address addiction, housing insecurity, and mental health so that we can all thrive.

DelBene is a pragmatic and hardworking Democratic leader who will continue to make progress at the federal level if she is re-elected. She deserves your vote to represent Washington’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Rep. Rick Larsen is a moderate Democrat who is seeking his eleventh term representing Washington's 2nd Congressional District. Before serving in Congress, he served on the Snohomish County Council and worked on economic development for the City of Everett.

Larsen has been a reliable vote on House Democrats' priorities. Since his last election, he voted for both the bipartisan infrastructure bill and Build Back Better, President Biden's more ambitious effort to fund clean energy, child tax credits, and other progressive priorities. In past years, Larsen supported the Lower Drug Costs Now Act to give Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies and pass on 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.

Republican Dan Matthews, a veteran and retired commercial airline pilot, is challenging incumbent Larsen in this race. Matthews lists dozens of "areas of concern" on his website with an invitation to "let the dialogue begin" but does not list any actual policy positions. However, some of the topics he lists are consistent with the MAGA Republican agenda we see across the country this year including dangerous rhetoric about voter fraud and border policies that echo Trump's 2016 talking points.

Larsen is the clear choice for Congress from Washington's 2nd Congressional District.

Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is running to represent Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. Perez is a rural, working-class Washingtonian and co-owns a family auto repair shop with her husband. She also serves as the executive director of the Stevenson Downtown Association, which is a part of the Main Street America coalition to bring economic vitality to all communities. Additionally, Perez serves as an elected member of the Underwood Soil and Water Conservation District board.

Perez is running on a platform that champions the needs of working families and will improve the quality of life for all her constituents, particularly those in rural areas. As a working mom and small business owner, she is especially passionate about making health care and child care more accessible to all Americans. If elected, she also wants to protect reproductive freedom, represent the needs of rural residents, invest in clean energy, strengthen workers’ rights, and address the rising cost of living so that we can all afford the basics like rent, gas, and groceries.

Joe Kent is Trump’s pick to represent the 3rd Congressional District and he is running one of the most extreme, MAGA-focused campaigns in the country. Kent narrowly defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, who crossed the far-right by voting to impeach Trump over the January 6 insurrection.

Kent is an Army veteran and a frequent Tucker Carlson Tonight show guest who lists impeaching President Biden and Vice President Harris as one of his top priorities. He is extremely anti-abortion and has called for the repeal of Roe v. Wade for years. Now Kent wants to eliminate personal decision-making about family planning in all circumstances.

He joins some of the most far-right candidates across the country who want to steal power and undermine American voters through the lie that the 2020 election results were fraudulent. He opposes Washington's popular and secure vote-by-mail system. In response to the recent FBI search of Mar-A-Lago, Kent made the disturbing statement, “we’re at war” and called for defunding the FBI. His extremism and blind loyalty to Trump are dangerous and have no place in Congress.

Perez is the clear choice in this race. She deserves your vote to represent the 3rd Congressional District and fight for working families in Congress.

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, improving infrastructure, developing small businesses, expanding health care access, reforming campaign financing, and protecting Puget Sound.

In office this term, he voted for both the bipartisan infrastructure bill and Build Back Better, President Biden's sweeping legislation to fund clean energy, child tax credits, and other progressive priorities. He also wrote the Tiny Homes for Veterans Act of 2021, which would establish a pilot program within the Department of Veterans Affairs to build tiny home villages for veterans experiencing homelessness. Now, Kilmer is running for re-election to continue helping middle-class families, creating living-wage jobs, and supporting small businesses that were hurt in the pandemic. He supported the Women's Health Protection Act and pledges to keep fighting to codify abortion rights in federal law.

Also in this race is former education researcher Elizabeth Kreiselmaier. She is running on a MAGA Republican 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 has promoted many far-right conspiracy theories, including supporting those seeking to overturn the will of the voters in the 2020 election to install Trump back in power.

Kilmer is the clear choice in this race to continue bringing steady leadership rooted in the district during these tumultuous times.

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, and this year secured $31 million in federal funding for community projects in the Seattle area, including housing, sciences, education, and the environment.

Since her election to Congress in 2016, Jayapal has resisted the Trump administration and conservative extremists 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 also introduced legislation to expand collective bargaining and provide relief to workers and businesses during the pandemic. More recently, she has called for a national women's strike in response to the Supreme Court's ban on abortion and the curtailing of reproductive freedom across the country. Jayapal is also seeking to codify a transgender bill of rights to protect our country from the erosion of trans civil rights.

Her opponent, Republican Cliff Moon, founded Moon Construction Company and is running because he believes Congress needs more "normal" people. Unfortunately, he echoes Republican Party talking points about the 2020 election, opposes stronger gun safety laws, and he supports building a divisive border wall. Moon states that he's open to exploring a federal ban on abortion after 15 weeks in a move to limit the reproductive freedom nationwide. While Jayapal is seeking to broadly improve the lives of her constituents with affordable housing, upgrades to infrastructure, and expanding childcare, Moon is focused on the conservative agenda of pouring more money into militarized policing. 

Jayapal is highly experienced and responsive to her constituents, and has held more than 100 town halls during her time in Congress. As chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, she has been one of the strongest progressive advocates in Washington for the needs of all in this country. Pramila Jayapal has earned your vote as a national leader for progressive causes.

Dr. Kim Schrier is seeking re-election to her seat in the U.S. House representing Washington’s 8th Congressional District. Prior to serving two terms in Congress, she worked as a pediatrician and ran a local pediatric practice in Issaquah caring for kids and families across the region.

Schrier has consistently brought her professional health expertise and community-driven values to Congress. Unlike her Republican opponent, Schrier would support a federal law protecting reproductive freedom for all Americans. This term, Schrier supported the bipartisan infrastructure bill that will provide essential funding to improve local roads and bridges, as well as $19 million dollars for pedestrian safety projects in the 8th District alone. She also voted for Build Back Better, which would have provided funding for early education, extended the child tax credit, reduced the cost of child care, and combated climate change. If re-elected, Schrier wants to prioritize the everyday needs of working families as well as be a compelling changemaker on public health issues like affordable prescriptions, gun violence prevention, clean air, and access to healthy food.

Schrier faces a challenge from Trump Republican Matt Larkin, one of the most far-right candidates on the ballot in Washington this year. He is also one of the state's most staunchly anti-abortion candidates, calling for federal legislation to ban abortions nationwide, and even opposing certain contraceptives and Plan B options. Larkin is running on a Trump Republican platform that scapegoats our community members struggling the most. Larkin also joins some of the most extreme right-wing candidates in his refusal to acknowledge that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, ignoring the will of the people. 

Schrier has been a standout member of Congress working across party lines to get things done for her district. She has earned your vote for re-election.

Democrat Adam Smith is running for a 13th term representing Washington's 9th Congressional District. Prior to running for Congress, Smith worked as a lawyer, a prosecutor in the City of Seattle, and as a state senator. He represents Washington's most diverse district, which is home to 30 percent foreign-born residents and large Asian, Latino, and Black communities.

In Congress last year, Smith supported Biden's more ambitious effort to fund clean energy, child tax credits, and other progressive priorities. Unlike some of his moderate colleagues, he also sponsored both the Green New Deal and the Medicare for All Act. He previously supported the pandemic relief package and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to dramatically increase accountability and transparency. However, some progressives have criticized Smith for his more hawkish foreign policy stances. Now, he is focused on creating living-wage jobs, fighting for Medicare for All, and both protecting and expanding Social Security.

Also in this race is Republican Doug Basler, who has tried and failed to unseat Smith in every election since 2014. Basler is a Trump Republican who opposes reproductive freedom and the public health measures taken to fight the coronavirus. He's now promoting some of the far-right conspiracy theories that seek to deny our kids a comprehensive and accurate education.

Smith's seniority and experience make him an influential voice for us in the other Washington. He is the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote for another term in Congress.

Rep. Marilyn Strickland is seeking re-election to Washington’s 10th District in the U.S. House. Strickland previously served as the mayor of Tacoma and on the city’s council before joining Congress in 2021, when she became the first African American and Korean American representative from Washington. She also formerly led both the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Pierce Transit.

In her years serving the public, Strickland has been a champion for working people in Washington and beyond. She has worked to lower the cost of prescription medicine, recover social security and veterans' benefits, and make corporations pay their share. Strickland also advocated for strong investments in public infrastructure like clean water, broadband, roadways, and parks. If re-elected, she will continue to fight for reproductive freedom, accessible health care, stable housing, and voting rights.

Keith Swank is a police officer and SWAT member who joined this race on a MAGA Republican platform to undo the progress Rep. Strickland has made. Swank is stoking fears by promising that our communities will be safer if we just put more people in our overcrowded prisons and send more militarized police forces into our neighborhoods. At the same time, he wants to oppose investments in affordable health care, food and gas, rent, and education that actually make our communities safer in order to favor wealthy corporations. In this campaign, he has criticized the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, parroted Trump's conspiracy theories, and defended the fossil fuel industry which continues to prioritize profits above the health of our planet and our families.

Strickland is the clear choice in this race.

Incumbent Rep. Davina Duerr is running for re-election to Position 1 in the 1st Legislative District. Duerr joined the House in 2019 when she replaced Derek Stanford who moved to the Senate. Prior to joining the Legislature, she served as deputy city mayor from 2016 to 2019 while on the Bothell City Council, where she still serves in an at-large position. She also chaired the Bothell Landmark Preservation Board for eight years and founded the M.I.L.K. Money campaign at the Northshore Schools Foundation to support students experiencing homelessness.

In the Legislature, Duerr has sponsored an impressive slate of progressive legislation. Most recently, she supported bills to make sure all Washingtonians pay their share in taxes and to reduce gun violence caused by homemade guns. Duerr has worked to increase affordable housing options, invest in public schools, and ensure environmental protection.

Duerr's opponent is Republican John Peeples, who unsuccessfully ran for Seattle City Council in 2019 and state representative in the 43rd Legislative District in 2018. This year, he is running again largely to fight against public health requirements that kept Washingtonians safe during the pandemic. Peeples does not have elected or community leadership experience.

Duerr has been a strong and consistent progressive leader in the House and deserves re-election to Position 1 of the 1st Legislative District.

Rep. Shelley Kloba is seeking re-election to Position 2 representing the 1st Legislative District. Kloba was elected to the Legislature in 2016 and previously served a three-year term on the Kirkland City Council and a four-year term on the Kirkland Parks Board. She has been involved in community projects such as the King County Domestic Violence Initiative and the King County Cities Climate Collaboration, and brings a particular eye for consumer protections and boosting opportunities for working people.

Kloba has championed many issues in the Legislature, such as data privacy, gun safety, and treating gambling addiction as a health issue. She was the prime sponsor of a bill that extended the Expanded Learning Opportunities Council, which increases opportunities for students from low-income backgrounds. She also sponsored successful legislation this year to expand coverage of the paid family and medical leave program, improve public contracting opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses, and more.

Her challenger this year is Republican real estate agent Jerry Buccola, who is running to deny Washingtonians the freedom to access safe, legal abortions. He states that we would also repeal the governor's emergency powers and the growth management act, two reactionary and politically-driven ideas with far-reaching consequences beyond this election cycle. As of late October, he has no campaign website or other policy priorities to review.

We recommend Rep. Kloba for re-election so she can continue fighting for progressive values at the state level. She deserves your vote in the 1st Legislative District.

Rep. Marcus Riccelli is running for re-election to Position 1 in the 3rd Legislative District. Prior to joining the House in 2013, Riccelli worked as a senior policy aide to state Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown. Outside of the Legislature, he also works as the project manager for the Community Health Association of Spokane and as an advisory board member for the Northside YMCA.

In Olympia, Riccelli has sponsored key progressive legislation such as bills this session to ensure that all Washingtonians pay their share of taxes and to create more affordable housing options. Recently, he worked to pass the historic Move Ahead Washington transportation package that will benefit transit infrastructure, working families, and the environment.

Early in the pandemic, Riccelli spearheaded the efforts of the Spokane Food Fighters in donating hundreds of meals to those in need. In the Legislature, 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.

Challenging Riccelli is Republican Scotty Nicol, a musician and former assistant to Spokane mayor Nadine Woodward. Nicol is running on a vague, bullet-point agenda that includes standard Republican talking points from Olympia. His promise to help businesses echoes current Republican legislators' efforts to remove environmental regulations and deny workers a fair return on their work. Similarly, his blanket promise of lowering taxes doesn't address the state's regressive tax code - specifically, that the wealthy have avoided paying their share into quality schools, roads, healthcare, and other resources we all use.

At a time when families are struggling to make ends meet, we can't afford another Republican candidate who caters to businesses and refuses to address the needs of working people. Rep. Riccelli has worked hard during his time in the Legislature to advocate for community-centered legislation and progressive values. Riccelli has earned your vote for state House.

Incumbent Democrat Rep. Timm Ormsby is running for re-election to Position 2 in the 3rd Legislative District. He was first elected to the seat in 2003 and has worked on a wide range of progressive issues during his tenure in office. Outside of the Legislature, Ormsby is the president of the Spokane Regional Labor Council and has worked for a number of labor organizations.

In the House, Ormsby's policy goals include taking action on climate change that supports job growth and sustainable community development. Recently, he supported legislation to keep our communities safe from high-capacity firearms, as well as a bill to ensure cities and counties include affordable housing in their growth plans.

Ormsby is running against Republican Natalie Poulson, a special education teacher who was one of a handful of Finch Elementary School teachers and administrators who refused to wear masks in class last year. Poulson is a Trump Republican who would promote misinformation in our schools, support militarized police forces in our communities, and offer tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy while working families continue to struggle to pay rent, afford medicine, and put food on the table.

Rep. Ormsby has been a strong progressive leader and he deserves your vote for re-election to the 3rd Legislative District in House Position 2.

Union leader and Democrat Ted Cummings is running for the 4th Legislative District, Position 1. In 2018, Cummings challenged far-right extremist Matt Shea for a seat in the state House. He works as the financial secretary for the Union Steel Workers Local 338 and serves as the vice president of the Washington State Labor Council as well as a board member for his regional labor council.

If elected, Cummings wants to use his professional background as a factory laborer to advocate for workers’ rights and prioritize people over corporations. He wants to address mass incarceration at its root by investing in community needs like health care, housing, quality education, and living-wage jobs so that all Washingtonians have the resources to thrive.

Cummings is running against Republican Suzanne Schmidt, the President of the Associated Builders and Contractors Inland Pacific Chapter and a board member of the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. While working families in Washington are struggling to afford the basics, Schmidt is running on a very conservative platform that ignores what our communities really need. Instead of supporting policies to ensure everyone has fair wages, great schools, and affordable healthcare, she supports sending ever more militarized police into our neighborhoods and rigging the rules so corporations don’t have to pitch in what they owe.

We recommend Ted Cummings for House Position 1 in the 4th Legislative District because of his commitment to bringing our communities together and providing all Washingtonians with the opportunities to thrive.

Democrat Lisa Callan is running for re-election to Position 2 representing the 5th Legislative District, where she has served for the past three years. Before that, she served as both an elected member and president of the Issaquah School Board and worked in the private sector as an engineer and project manager.

Callan has worked hard for positive change in Washington, including improving economic security for working families and investing in our youth and public education. This year, she was named an Advocate for Affordable Housing by Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County for her work to expand housing options for all. Callan introduced two bills to protect students’ mental health as well as legislation to promote safety from surgical smoke for both health care workers and patients. In this race, she has earned broad community endorsements due to her consistent leadership and progressive values.

Republican Chad Magendanz is running once again for the Legislature, this time challenging Callan. He is a former Microsoft program manager who previously served as the president of the Issaquah School Board and in the state House from 2013 to 2017. Magendanz stepped down to run for state Senate in 2016, losing to Sen. Mark Mullet, and then ran again for state House in 2018 and lost to Rep. Bill Ramos.

While in the Legislature, Magendanz maintained a conservative track record, including being the sole East King County legislator of either party to vote against a transportation bill that would have reduced traffic gridlock on the I-405 corridor. Magendanz is running to cut corporate oversight laws that protect workers, consumers, and the environment. Magendanz was proud of his "A" rating from the National Rifle Association during his last campaign, which raises questions about his willingness to keep our communities safe from gun violence.

Rep. Callan is the clear choice in this race and deserves to be re-elected to Position 2 in the 5th Legislative District.

Democrat Michaela Kelso is running for House Position 2 in the 6th Legislative District. She is an Army veteran of 23 years who wants to usher in progressive reforms that would make life more affordable for working people by focusing on state finances, health care, and education. Kelso believes that the current upside-down tax code, which favors the extremely wealthy over middle- and low-income families, need to be changed.

If elected she would support a wealth tax on the state's billionaires to finally have them pay their share for the resources we all use. As an immigrant from Germany, she also supports several kinds of improvements for our immigrant neighbors, including establishing dedicated community centers and allowing them to access unemployment insurance, which many immigrants already pay for but can not use. Kelso also supports science-based education without religious interference, encouraging multi-family housing and more affordable housing options, and funding community-wide recovery and addiction services for those who are struggling with drug use.

Her opponent is incumbent Rep. Jenny Graham, a Trump Republican running for her third term representing the 6th Legislative District. She is a professional cosmetologist and esthetician and has worked as a martial arts and skiing instructor. In 2020, Graham threatened a journalist who reported on her spreading QAnon-related conspiracies, including a video claiming that Democrats are “possessed by demons” and promoting false information about vaccines. She voted against a slate of progressive bills in the Legislature this session including commonsense legislation to reduce gun violence in our communities and a bill to set new carbon reduction goals for the state.

Residents of the 6th Legislative District deserve a representative who follows the science and puts community needs before personal ideology. Vote Kelso for Position 2 in the 6th Legislative District.

Clyde Shavers is a first-time candidate running for the 10th Legislative District, Position 1. He is a U.S. Navy veteran who previously served as a public affairs officer and now works as a reserve officer.

Shavers’ top campaign issues are addressing the housing crisis and prioritizing environmental sustainability. He has been a leader in helping people in his community access stable housing options, both at law school where he founded the Yale Coalition to End Homelessness, and in Mount Vernon where he volunteered with the Skagit Friendship House. Additionally, he has focused his legal advocacy on finding climate solutions so that all American communities have access to clean drinking water, healthy forests, and safe air, now and for generations to come. If elected, Shavers also wants to work towards quality education, affordable health care, reproductive freedom, and support for veterans.

Shavers is challenging Republican Rep. Greg Gilday, an attorney and realtor who has pushed a very conservative agenda since joining the Legislature in 2021. This year, Gilday voted against legislation to protect Washington’s environment for future generations and opposed a bill to keep our communities safe from gun violence. He fought against comprehensive sexual health education for students and he wants to redirect funding away from community services that help Washingtonians afford the basics in order to further militarize and expand police forces.

Shavers is facing allegations late in the cycle that he exaggerated some of the details of his military service. Although we do not condone such actions if true, we still believe that he would be a better representative based on Gilday’s track record.

Clyde Shavers is the best choice in this race for House Position 1 in the 10th Legislative District.

Democratic Rep. Dave Paul is running for re-election in the 10th Legislative District for Position 2. The incumbent first joined the Legislature in 2019 after working for Skagit Valley College for more than a decade.

Paul has been an advocate for working families and improving our transportation system in office. He was a co-sponsor of last year’s Working Families Tax Credit which puts cash directly into the hands of working Washingtonians. This session, he supported the Move Ahead Washington package to improve public transportation infrastructure and access. Looking forward, Paul wants to invest in giving Washington’s youth the educational and mental health resources they need to succeed.

Republican Karen Lesetmoe is challenging Paul for state House. She is a real estate broker and Navy veteran. Lesetmoe does not have a detailed agenda but she pits her campaign against the state's economic recovery programs that help keep working families afloat. Lesetmoe has echoed Republican talking points about crime while ignoring the investments our communities need to be safe.

Paul has been one of the most thoughtful leaders in Olympia during his first two terms, reaching across the aisle to get things done for the district. We enthusiastically recommend Paul to continue representing the 10th Legislative District with strong community-centered leadership in the House.

Progressive incumbent Rep. David Hackney is running for a second term representing the 11th Legislative District in Position 1. Before joining the Legislature, Hackney spent 25 years as a practicing attorney, including at the U.N., and worked at a handful of progressive organizations that focused on environmental protections and workers' rights. In 2019, he was appointed to the Washington State Human Rights Commission by Gov. Inslee.

This past session, three of Hackney's bills were signed into law. His legislation protected the sensitive information of currently or formerly incarcerated Washingtonians, created a tax exemption for organizations maintaining affordable housing, and increased access to electricity as a transportation fuel for all Washingtonians. Hackney is running for re-election to continue investing in a clean energy future, tackling the housing crisis, and building safe and economically secure communities.

His challenger this year is Republican precinct committee officer Stephanie Peters, who is running under the extreme Election Integrity Party mantle. Her main priority is to question election security, echoing the messages of MAGA Republicans who are trying to overturn the will of the people in the last presidential election. As of late October, Peters does not have a functioning campaign website to detail her priorities.

Rep. Hackney is by far the best choice in this race for his experience and his effective first session as a legislator.

Incumbent Rep. Steve Bergquist is running for re-election to Position 2 in the 11th Legislative District. Bergquist is a former deputy majority floor leader and currently serves as the vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee. Outside of the Legislature, he teaches high school in the Renton School District and previously owned a small business.

Bergquist's legislative priority is making community investments to continue economic recovery, particularly for students, working families, and small businesses. This year, Bergquist introduced bills to help with shortages in school staffing and provide career advancement opportunities for public school paraeducators. As a union member, Bergquist has been a consistent advocate for creating living-wage jobs in the 11th Legislative District, and has worked to increase youth voter turnout by allowing 16- and 17-years old to pre-register to vote so that they can be civically engaged and ready to vote by the time they're eligible.

Bergquist faces a challenge from Republican Jeanette Burrage. She served on the Des Moines City Council from 2012 to 2015 and as a state representative in 1981. Burrage has run for multiple other positions throughout the years, including failed campaigns for Legislature in the 33rd District in 2014 and for Highline School Board in 2019.

Unfortunately, she wants to bring a slate of regressive policies to Olympia. With only a bare-bones website and no detailed policy agenda available as of late October, Burrage's primary concern based on her official voters' guide statement seems to be denying kids a modern education. Every child, no matter their zip code, background, or race, deserves to see themselves and their experiences in history. Writing race out of the school agenda doesn't help children, it simply erases many of them and denies them the chance to learn about the cultures and experiences of different people.

Rep. Bergquist's work to improve the lives of students, working people, and families in the district make him by far the best choice in this race.

Laurene Contreras is challenging Republican incumbent Chris Corry for the 14th Legislative District, Position 1 without a party preference. Contreras works for the Yakama Nation as an administrator for environmental restoration, waste management, and cleanup projects. She grew up on the Yakama Reservation and has been a community leader on issues at the intersection of tribal sovereignty and environmental stewardship for years. Contreras is running on a general platform to support families and the district with community problem-solving and bipartisan collaboration.

Corry joined the Legislature in 2019 and continues to work as an insurance broker outside of public office. In 2020, he was one of four Republican lawmakers who sued Gov. Inslee for his stay-at-home order during the height of the pandemic. Recently, Corry voted against a number of progressive bills including legislation to update the state’s carbon goals and a bill to keep our communities safe from high-capacity firearms.

We recommend Laurene Contreras for House Position 1.

Real estate agent Jeff Strickler is challenging incumbent Rep. Mark Klicker for House Position 1 in the 16th Legislative District. Strickler previously worked in software consulting and believes that his recent experience in real estate gives him insight into housing policy for the district.

Strickler is running to make key investments in community needs so that residents in the district can access quality education, health care services, and housing. He wants to prioritize community-first economic development to bring more sustainable jobs and financial security to working families. If elected, he would help the district turn to renewable energy that will protect the environment, improve the health of local kids and families, and create good jobs. Strickler also wants to address the affordability crisis by expanding housing options, improving access to health care, and creating more child care that families can afford.

Strickler's opponent, incumbent Republican Mark Klicker, favors tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy while opposing investments to help working families in Washington access high-quality education, health care, living-wage jobs, and housing security. He also opposes action to fight climate change despite the devastating impacts of record heat and droughts on local families and agriculture. Outside of the Legislature, Klicker operates a real estate company focused on selling farm and forest land as investment opportunities.

Residents in the 16th Legislative District deserve a representative who will bring our communities together and advocate for the resources we need to thrive. Jeff Strickler is the best choice in this race and deserves your vote for Position 1.

Retired small business owner Jan Corn is challenging Republican Rep. Skyler Rude for Position 2 representing the 16th Legislative District. Corn ran a local hair salon for more than 20 years before retiring, and she serves on the board of the Walla Walla Noon Rotary Club. She was previously also a board member for the Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce and Community Council and has strong experience in community leadership.

Corn is running on a campaign platform to ensure all residents can meet their basic needs and have the opportunity to thrive. She is focused on helping residents access health care, afford child care, and secure stable housing. Corn believes that her experience and perspective as a small business owner would be an asset in the Legislature.

Republican Rep. Skyler Rude is running for re-election to the seat where he has served since 2015. Previously, Rude worked in the insurance and telecommunications industries. In office, he has ignored the science on COVID-19 policy and tried to cut funding to community services that help working families afford rent, prescription medicine, gas, and groceries while giving tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy. In the most recent legislative session, Rude voted against legislation to keep Washington communities safe from high-capacity firearms as well as bills to reduce the state’s carbon emissions and create a more sustainable climate.

We recommend Jan Corn for House Position 2 in the 16th Legislative District to bring progressive values to the Legislature.

Democrat Terri Niles is running for Position 1 in the 17th Legislative District to replace Republican Vicki Kraft, who vacated this seat to run against Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler. Niles is a labor organizer who has worked for 20 years as an ICU nurse. She is also a Clark County charter review commissioner and president of the Clark County Democratic Women, among other leadership roles.

Niles supports increasing apprenticeship and trade programs, strengthening the workforce, creating clean energy solutions, and supporting local businesses. She notes that as the community recovers from the pandemic, some of the most important investments to make include affordable child care, building more affordable housing, and ensuring that environmental and physical health care receive strong investments.

Kevin Waters is the owner of the Backwoods Brewing company and a former commissioner of the Port of Skamania. Waters is against reproductive freedom and has an endorsement from an anti-choice PAC that is also pushing the stolen election lies perpetuated by far-right media since 2020. He states that he will reduce business regulations and pour more money into law enforcement if elected.

The district needs investment and care as communities begin to recover from the pandemic, not pandering to the worst parts of the right-wing agenda. Vote Terri Niles for state representative in the 17th Legislative District.

Democrat Joe Kear is running for Position 2 in the 17th Legislative District to bring good jobs to the district, support working people, and increase the community's access to everyday needs. Kear has served as a Democratic precinct committee officer for ten years, as well as former vice chair and current secretary of the Skamania County Democrats. He has also worked extensively with labor unions, including on the Northwest Oregon Labor Council and the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council. If elected, Kear wants to support better broadband internet access, expand child care and mental health resources, support clean energy, and protect forests.

Kear is running against incumbent Republican Paul Harris, who has occasionally bucked the party line for public health measures. For example, Harris sponsored a bill that would raise the age for buying tobacco products to 21. However, he has disappointed voters with his votes on numerous commonsense health measures, including voting against this year's bill to preserve access to abortion care and a bill allowing people suffering from domestic violence to seek help virtually during the pandemic. He has also opposed bills aimed at fixing our state's upside-down tax code, for example, by closing wasteful tax loopholes for special interest groups, as well as voting against prohibiting the sale of high-capacity gun magazines, earning him a 92% rating with the NRA.

The communities of the 17th District need new progressive leadership. Vote Joe Kear for Position 2.

John Zingale is a first-time candidate running for the 18th Legislative District, Position 1 to bring a progressive voice to the seat vacated by Rep. Brandon Vick. Zingale is a middle school social studies teacher in the public school system. He has earned state and local awards as an educator who focuses on civic engagement and he serves on educational boards.

Zingale’s campaign priorities are based on the everyday conversations he has with students and families in the district. He is running to bring municipal broadband to the region, invest in our schools to prepare all our kids to succeed, and help local businesses thrive. Zingale also believes we need to build more affordable housing options, create more living-wage jobs, and break the cycle of generational poverty by addressing the high cost of living with community services.

Stephanie McClintock, a member of the Battle Ground School Board and chair of the Clark County Republican Party, is also vying for the 18th Legislative District seat. McClintock is running on a typically conservative platform to cut public funding that helps improve schools, transit, parks, and community services while spending more further militarizing and expanding police forces. McClintock is also campaigning on divisive rhetoric about school curriculums and wants to erase some of our communities from the history books.

Zingale is the best choice in this race and deserves your vote to bring progressive leadership to House Position 1 representing the 18th Legislative District.

Duncan Camacho is an ICU nurse and a Democratic candidate for the 18th Legislative District, House Position 2. Camacho was a paramedic before earning his nursing degree and he now works in neuro and trauma intensive care units. Camacho additionally serves in a union leadership role at his hospital and is a member of the Washington State Nurses Association.

Camacho wants to bring his background in worker and patient advocacy as well as his expertise in health care to the Legislature. His top priorities include continuing to respond to the spread of COVID-19 with science-based policy, building lasting economic security for working families, bringing living-wage jobs to the area, and investing in public education so all Washington students can thrive.

Also in this race is Greg Cheney, an attorney who previously worked as a legislative advocate for corporations before attaining his law degree. Now he is running for Legislature on a vague, typical Republican platform. Cheney claims he wants to focus on public safety but, like his conservative colleagues, his solution is to send militarized police forces into our communities instead of funding the care, security, services, and infrastructure we need.

Duncan Camacho is the clear choice for Position 2 in the 18th Legislative District and he deserves your vote in this race.

Kelli Hughes-Ham is a high school teacher and Democrat challenging Republican Rep. Jim Walsh for 19th Legislative District, Position 1. Hughes-Ham serves both on the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum board of directors and as an elected Democratic precinct committee officer. She has also worked on the union bargaining committee and as a building representative for the Ocean Beach Education Association.

Hughes-Ham is running on a progressive platform focused on making the district a more sustainable place to live and work for everyone. She would prioritize climate solutions to protect our ecosystems, local industries, and communities for future generations. Hughes-Ham also wants to increase affordable housing options to make sure that everyone can access a roof over their head.

Rep. Walsh has been one of the most extreme Trump Republicans since joining the Legislature in 2017. In 2021, he generated immense criticism when he wore a Star of David to protest COVID-19 vaccine rules, likening the state’s science-backed pandemic response to the Holocaust. He thinks criminalizing drugs further, rather than investing in prevention and treatment, will directly help those struggling with addiction.

Last session, Walsh voted against a slate of progressive bills including legislation to keep our communities safe from high-capacity firearms and to reduce the state’s carbon emissions. If re-elected, he will continue opposing efforts to rebalance our upside-down tax code and make corporations and the wealthy pay their share.

Residents in the 19th Legislative District deserve a representative who will take the most pressing community issues seriously and seek solutions that benefit all of us. We recommend Kelli Hughes-Ham for House Position 1.

Sen. Marko Liias has been of the state's best progressive advocates for youth and future-focused transit. He was first elected to the Mukilteo City Council in 2005 before being appointed to the state House in 2007, and finally the state Senate in 2014.

As the Democratic Senate floor leader, Liias has led the fight for LGBTQ+ equality and created a student loan bill of rights. In the 2022 session, Liias led on a major transportation package that will expand trails, fund ferries and high speed rail, and let kids ride free on public transportation across the state. He also sponsored bills limiting the sale of high-capacity gun magazines and expanding student loan forgiveness. His past legislative accomplishments include passing a ban on the inhumane practice of conversion therapy and creating a new state financial aid program for undocumented students.

After running for Edmonds City Council last year and losing to Will Chen, Republican Janelle Cass is now challenging Liias for state Senate. Her housing plans would not produce enough homes to offer relief to renters and homeowners in the district who are struggling with rising costs. The homelessness policies Cass proposes focus on attempting to arrest our way out of the problem.

Our communities need a leader who believes everyone deserves a fair shot at a home with a door that locks and access to services. Liias has been a strong force for progress in the Legislature and is by far the best choice in this race.

Democratic Rep. Strom Peterson is running for re-election to represent the 21st Legislative District in 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 and thoughtful leader.

In Olympia, Peterson has had a hand in passing several important progressive bills. This year, Peterson sponsored legislation to limit the sale of ghost guns and restrict guns in certain public locations like school board meetings. He also sponsored the wealth tax, which would finally make Washington's extremely wealthy pay their share for the resources that we all use, and he supported the middle housing bill to expand housing around transit.

In previous years, Peterson was a sponsor of Breakfast Before the Bell, which provides meals for hungry students. In 2018, he 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.

Peterson faces a challenge from Republican Amy Schaper. She has previously stated that she opposes reproductive freedom and comprehensive, age-appropriate sexual health education. In this race, she is running on a typically conservative platform that does not serve the needs of the community.

Peterson is the clear choice for Legislature in this race.

Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self is running for re-election to the 21st Legislative District, House Position 2. She is a mental health counselor in the Everett School District and an active member of the community focusing on childhood education and strengthening health services.

Since joining the House in 2009, Rep. Ortiz-Self has emerged as a progressive champion for improving the health and wellbeing of youth and families across Washington. She is co-chair of the state’s Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee and serves on the National Council of State Legislators' Education Committee as well.

This year, she was the prime sponsor of the bill to prevent the state from contracting with private prisons, and also supported the successful bill to reduce the sale of high-capacity gun magazines. Previously, Ortiz-Self was the prime sponsor of bills to increase student access to counselors and provide resources for homeless college students. If re-elected, she wants to continue strongly funding education, increase resources for mental wellness, and pass more evidence-based gun violence prevention legislation.

Ortiz-Self's opponent is Republican Petra Bigea, who unsuccessfully challenged Ortiz-Self in 2018. She is running on a vague MAGA Republican platform to prioritize corporations and the wealthy and to chip away at some of our civil rights. Like many Republicans this year, she is trying to turn us against schools and teachers by injecting politics into the classroom and seeking to deny students an honest and accurate education.

The district needs a serious representative who will protect the health and opportunities of everyone. Rep. Ortiz-Self has earned your vote in this race.

Beth Doglio is running for Position 1 in the 22nd Legislative District to highlight the need for climate action, affordable health care, and more.

Doglio was first elected to this seat in 2016 and stepped down in 2020 to run for Congress in the 10th District. During her congressional run, she expressed her support for a Green New Deal and Medicare for All, and she earned the sole endorsement of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Prior to running for office, Doglio worked as the Climate Solutions campaign director and was the founding executive director of Washington Conservation Voters.

While in the Legislature, Doglio advocated for numerous climate and environmental bills, as well as legislation to protect sexual assault survivors and increase funding for affordable housing. If re-elected, Doglio would work to make greater investments in housing for the vulnerable, uphold the ban on assault weapons, increase wages for working people, and more.

Doglio is running against Republican Loretta Byrnes. Leading up to the primary election, her campaign policies were broadly about reducing regulations on businesses, and she attributed an entire slate of social topics - the housing crisis, mental and behavioral health, and criminal reform - to an issue of “dependency.” Much of Byrnes' campaign post-primary election is focused on education, but her positions go against research on youth wellness and education experts. She does not approve of social learning, which helps kids develop healthy friendships and interpersonal skills. Byrnes also does not want universal preschool, which is sorely needed for working parents, nor does she approve of comprehensive sexual health education, which provides age-appropriate, medically accurate education about sex and healthy relationships.

Doglio's work as a progressive leader in many areas during her previous two terms in office would be an asset to the district. Beth Doglio is the clear choice in this race.

Rep. Jessica Bateman is running for re-election to the state House after an outstanding first term of supporting housing solutions and Washington families. Before her election to the House in 2020, Bateman served on the Olympia City Council, on the city's planning commission, and as deputy mayor.

This year Bateman was the prime sponsor for the "middle housing" bill, which sought to expand housing options near transit. She was also a sponsor for accountability on ghost guns and prohibiting open carry in local government buildings where city council and school district board meetings take place.

Bateman's challenger Republican Kate Plager is running on a vague agenda, one that is both conservative and lacking any deeper knowledge of the district or policy details. She states that she will reduce "wasteful" spending and continue to provide the same level of services, without evidence of what is wasteful or would be cut. Like other Republicans this cycle, she references being a law and order candidate in a fear-driven attempt to garner votes without a foundation of what she would improve for the community.

Bateman's strong work on community safety, housing, and more has made her one of the rising stars in the Legislature. Rep. Bateman is by far the best choice in this race.

Rep. Tarra Simmons is running for re-election to the 23rd Legislative District. Simmons is the founding director of Civil Survival, a nonprofit organization that helps formerly incarcerated people reintegrate and become advocates for their community. She also made history when she became the first formerly incarcerated person to graduate law school and be admitted to the Washington State Bar Association.

Simmons' previous campaign in 2020 focused on criminal justice and legal reform, as well as fighting for more robust support for working people. In just her first two years in office, she has delivered in a big way. Her first piece of legislation in 2021 was automatic voter registration for formerly incarcerated people. In the 2022 session, Simmons sponsored legislation limiting ghost guns, voted to make the wealthy pay their share into our communities, and supported increasing housing options near transit. If re-elected, she wants to continue building on her success in expanding access to free and reduced-cost health care, restoring civil rights, and funding education.

Her opponent, Republican Janell Hulst, is running on a party-line Republican platform this election. She wants to repeal police accountability measures passed in the Legislature, weaken oversight for corporations, and remove age-appropriate sex and health education from schools. She also is firmly against protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ youth and has no interest in helping flip our state's regressive tax code. This year, Hulst also attended a Kitsap County Public Health meeting to argue against doctors and public health officials trying to protect the community from the latest COVID omicron surge.

Hulst's anti-science stances and pushes against the civil rights of her potential constituents put her at odds with Simmons, who has been a strong advocate for restoring civil rights, health care access, and the district's youth. Simmons is the clear choice for the 23rd District.

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. In previous sessions, he was a co-sponsor of a major environmental bill to reduce state greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 and focused on quality K-12 education. This year, he sponsored legislation to expand early childhood development programs and affordable child care.

Chapman's opponent, Sue Forde, has been involved in the Republican Party for years, serving as the elected chair of the Clallam County Republican Party since 2019. She is adamant about maintaining the state's upside-down tax code, which benefits the wealthiest Washingtonians at the expense of middle- and low-income families. Like many other Republicans running this year, her emphasis on law enforcement as the solution to community needs and her desire to remove medically accurate sexual health education for students reflect a regressive agenda that would bring our state backward. Her endorsement from Jesse Young, one of the state's most extreme anti-abortion Republican lawmakers, points to a candidate who would not protect constituents' freedom to choose when and if to have a family.

While we have been disappointed in some of Chapman's stances, including his previous inaction on police accountability, he far outmatches his conservative opponent with his forward-looking vision for the district. Vote Mike Chapman for the 24th District.

Rep. Steve Tharinger is running for re-election to the 24th Legislative District in House Position 2. Since 2010, Tharinger has been a progressive leader for the district, passionate about providing affordable health care options to all Washingtonians and unwavering in his advocacy for innovative policies that protect the environment.

This year, Tharinger sponsored bills to keep our communities safe by restricting ghost guns and prohibiting firearms in school board meetings. He also passed legislation to expand the paid family and medical leave program and increase youth access to behavioral health care.

Tharinger's opponent is Republican Brian Pruiett, who is making a second attempt to unseat Rep. Tharinger. Much of his platform is just rants about the governor and Democrats using an endless stream of Republican talking points. Some of his more absurd policies include producing a "polite society" by arming more people and rolling back police accountability. His plans to address homelessness and people struggling to afford rent include the helpful statement, "don't be underemployed." Notably, he also opposes increasing funding for public schools to ensure our kids have everything they need to succeed.

Like many Republicans running this year, Pruiett is trying to divide and scare on crime instead of providing our communities the care, security, and support we need. Our communities are safe when everyone, no matter what they look like or what zip code they're in, has opportunities for affordable health care, a great education, and fair wages.

Steve Tharinger's experience and ability to pass solid health and environmental protections make him the best choice in this race.

Jamie Smith is challenging conservative Rep. Kelly Chambers for Position 1 in the 25th Legislative District. Smith is an executive board member and former teacher’s union representative for the Puyallup Education Association and has spent almost two decades as a teacher in local high schools. She is also a running coach in the school district and a regional curriculum trainer.

Smith is running to counter conservative rhetoric that divides our district and to increase the quality of life for everyone. Her campaign priorities include tackling the housing crisis, investing in students and education, helping Washingtonians access the health care they need, upgrading transit and public infrastructure, and protecting our environment. In this race, Smith has earned the endorsements of progressive leaders, local unions, and community organizations.

Chambers was first elected to the Legislature in 2018 and owns a vineyard outside of her legislative work. She has been endorsed by far-right extremists in past races and was a staunch opponent of commonsense safety measures during the height of the pandemic. This year, she voted against legislation to protect our communities from gun violence, including opposing a bill to prohibit guns at election offices.

Residents in the 25th Legislative District deserve a representative who will invest in public needs and respect community health. We recommend Jamie Smith to represent the 25th Legislative District in Position 1.

Emily Randall is one of the Legislature's strongest advocates for expanding access to health care and protecting reproductive freedom. Prior to running for public office in 2018, Randall worked at Planned Parenthood, where she advocated for improving health outcomes for local underserved populations.

Randall has been a productive legislator responsible for writing and passing a host of bills during her four years in office. Her accomplishments include raising the minimum wage for people with disabilities, eliminating disparities in medical training, and extending postpartum health care coverage. She also sponsored legislation that would have protected health care access for families in rural areas.

Randall is running for re-election to reduce the cost of higher education and expand job training programs for graduating high school seniors. She also wants to expand access to affordable health care for Washington families.

In stark contrast to Randall's record of building consensus to pass legislation, her opponent, Rep. Jesse Young, is one of the most extreme MAGA Republicans in Olympia. Young sponsored several bills aimed at eliminating abortion access long before the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. After the 2020 election, Young traveled to Arizona to promote Trump's election conspiracy that sought to overturn the will of the people. During the height of the pandemic, he promoted dangerous, anti-science lies that put lives at risk.

Beyond his radical policy positions, Young also displayed serious lapses in judgment and character while in office. In 2017, Young was banned from managing legislative staff because of "a pattern of hostile and intimidating behavior" in his office. If elected to the Senate, Young can be expected to continue pushing a radical agenda that's far out of step with the people of the 26th Legislative District.

As abortion and health care come under attack by conservatives both federally and at the state level, it is imperative that senators continue to expand coverage and make sure that health care is accessible for all. We strongly recommend a vote for Sen. Emily Randall in the 26th Legislative District.

Adison Richards is a lawyer running for the 26th Legislative District, Position 1. Richards previously worked for the Northwest Justice Project, which provides free legal assistance for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, among others. Richards also volunteers extensively in the community, including the Downtown Waterfront Alliance, Harbor History Museum, Tacoma Pro-Bono, and Bremerton NAACP. He wants to bring a vision of opportunity for all to Olympia to ensure that everyone in the district, no matter what they do for work or where they live, has the tools they need to succeed.

He believes public safety should include designated first responders with mental health training as well as more robust social services to address the underlying causes of crime, including the lack of affordable housing and job opportunities. He wants to support local shellfish farming, technical schools and apprenticeships, as well as expand rural broadband and fix local transportation issues, like the Fox Island bridge.

His opponent, Spencer Hutchins, served on the Gig Harbor City Council from 2017 to 2019 and is the co-owner of a real estate company. Hutchins wants to repeal the clean fuel standard, which will improve air quality by reducing dirty transportation emissions, as well as the capital gains tax, which will make the extraordinarily wealthy in our state finally pay their share. He also wants to repeal the long-term care law, which would help the majority of residents in Washington who will eventually need caregiving for daily needs, especially seniors and vulnerable populations.

Hutchins' reactionary agenda is endorsed by a slate of conservatives and Republicans, who are pouring money into this race. Notably, the Republican is also endorsed by representatives like Reps. Jesse Young and Jan Angel, two of the state's most anti-choice legislators who have repeatedly attempted advocated for restricting Washingtonians' freedom to choose if and when to have children.

Richards is by far the best choice for Position 1 from the 26th Legislative District.

Nursing home administrator Matt Macklin is running for the 26th Legislative District, Position 2 to build healthier communities and advocate for workers.

He notes that the fragile and underfunded systems of healthcare and housing buckled under the strain of the pandemic. He believes the Legislature can do more to retain skilled workers, including more fair reimbursement for mid-level providers. He also believes that investment into broadband internet and green energy would help grow the economy in the right direction. Macklin wants to see training centers for trade jobs, including health trades but also electricians, teachers, and more.

His opponent is Republican incumbent Michelle Caldier, who has stood in opposition of progressive policies more often in recent years. In 2022, she opposed legislation to expand access to reproductive health care and opposed commonsense gun safety legislation, including prohibiting the sale of high capacity gun magazines. In past years, she voted against prohibiting discrimination based on immigration status or citizenship and she opposed automatic voter registration, which makes it easier for eligible citizens to vote.

Macklin is the best choice in this race.

Sen. Yasmin Trudeau was unanimously selected by the Pierce County Council in late 2021 to replace Sen. Jeannie Darneille when she resigned to take a role in the state Department of Corrections. Trudeau is now running to complete the remainder of the Senate term representing the 27th Legislative District.

In her brief time in office so far, Trudeau has sponsored a large and ambitious slate of bills aimed at supporting youth, expanding health care access, and keeping people in stable housing. Some of the legislation she passed includes allowing unaccompanied, homeless youth to provide their own consent for health care, requiring landlords to accept both electronic and non-electronic payment for rent, and requiring insurance to cover donor breast milk. If re-elected, Trudeau has pledged to continue working hard to make life more secure for working families. She believes the Senate should continue making investments in behavioral health, housing, climate, and transportation policies, and she hopes to lead the charge.

Trudeau faces a challenge from Republican precinct committee officer and administrative manager Ashley Ray. She has only a bullet-point list of priorities on her website that outlines her conservative agenda while offering little information about her actual policy goals. She also repeats common talking points from Trump Republicans this year who want to deny students an honest and accurate education. Overall, her agenda falls short of what the district needs to recover from the pandemic and be a safe and thriving place for all.

Trudeau is the clear choice in this race for her experience and strong leadership in the Senate.