5th Legislative District

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.

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.

Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson is running as an independent to bring a non-partisan voice to the secretary of state's office. Anderson served on the Tacoma City Council before running for county auditor in 2009 and winning re-election three times. As Pierce County auditor, which is a nonpartisan position, she has administered dozens of elections while also overseeing licensing and public record-keeping.

Anderson is running because she believes political parties shouldn't be involved in running elections they are simultaneously trying to win. Her campaign priorities include supporting more local races becoming non-partisan, increasing access to voting and election information, and improving election security. She wants to translate the voters' pamphlet into 10 languages, going beyond what is mandated by the Voting Rights Act. She also wants to conduct risk-limiting audits in all 39 Washington counties and "pre-bunk" rumors to increase confidence in our state's election systems.

During our interview, Anderson expressed support for ranked choice voting because she believes it will allow candidates to break through our two-party political system. This is one of the biggest points of difference between Anderson and Hobbs.

Anderson offers voters an experienced option if they are looking for a nonpartisan administrator to manage our state's elections and support ranked choice voting.

Rep. Bill Ramos is running for re-election for 5th Legislative District, Position 1 to keep bringing people-first leadership to the district. He first joined the Legislature in 2019 after previously serving on the Issaquah City Council and working as a transportation consultant.

Ramos is running to continue working to make our communities safer by strengthening police accountability measures, investing in public infrastructure, and protecting our local ecosystems. He is also prioritizing economic security and living affordability for the district by expanding housing options and addressing our state’s upside-down tax code.

Ramos has already made progress on these issues in Olympia. In particular, he voted for the historic Move Ahead Washington package that will invest in increased transit access alongside much-needed upgrades to our transportation infrastructure.

Ramos faces a challenge this year from Kenneth Moninski. He has spent his career in the aviation industry, running communications and media businesses. In 2020, he ran unsuccessfully for this same position on a shallow and conservative platform with an endorsement from the NRA. In this election, Moninski's campaign focuses on cutting the funding needed to deliver quality schools, affordable health care, and good-paying jobs that ensure all of our families can thrive.​

Bill Ramos is the clear choice for House Position 1 in the 5th Legislative District.

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.

Leesa Manion has worked as the chief of staff of the King County prosecuting attorney’s office for the last 15 years. She is now running for King County prosecutor to provide consistent leadership to the office and support important reforms to the criminal legal system. If elected, she would be the first woman and the first person of color in this role. Outside of the prosecutor's office, Manion has served several leadership roles, including on the boards of the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, and as co-founding partner of Choose 180, which offers coaching and diversion programs to keep youth out of the juvenile justice system.

Manion's top priorities include tackling the backlog of 4,500 cases filed during the pandemic's work halt, increasing funding for reforms like mental health court, and intervening in gun violence before people become victims or offenders. High on her agenda is continuing to prosecute violent crimes while addressing racial disparities and providing culturally responsive care to victims.

In our interview with Manion, she offered compelling insights about the prosecuting attorney's office and how she would manage it if elected. She spoke of her experience building a well-functioning team and solid working relationships throughout the legal system, as evidenced by the fact that she earned the endorsement of SEIU 925, the union that includes public defenders. She also spoke about the need to apply racial justice principles to better reflect the values of the community, and invite the community to public listening sessions or possibly convene community advisory boards. Finally, Manion committed to spending more time going to monthly police and sheriff meetings to build relationships throughout the county.

We recommend Manion for her impressive platform and extensive track record of results, as well as the broad support of many progressive and Democratic organizations.

Justice Mary Yu is running unopposed to continue serving on the state Supreme Court. Yu was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2014, elected by voters to the seat later that year, and re-elected in 2016. Before joining Washington’s highest court, she spent 14 years as a trial court judge in King County Superior Court and earlier as the deputy chief of staff to former King County prosecutor Norm Maleng.

Yu has an unimpeachable reputation and has been rated “exceptionally well qualified” by a number of key bar associations. On the court, she has been a voice for equal justice and upholding the rights of all. Now, she is running with endorsements from all of her fellow justices as well as a number of retired justices from the court.

Justice Yu deserves your vote to continue serving as one of Washington’s state Supreme Court justices.

Justice Barbara Madsen has served on the state Supreme Court for 30 years and is running unopposed for re-election this year. She was only the third woman to serve on the court when she was first elected in 1992. During her time on the court, her fellow justices elected her the 55th chief justice of the court – a position she held for 7 years.

Having spent her career in both prosecution and public defense, Madsen has extensive knowledge of the criminal legal system and a passion for serving her community. Her re-election has been endorsed by each of her fellow justices and a wide range of other judicial leaders and community organizations.

Justice Madsen has served the state with fair and equal justice. She deserves your vote to remain in her seat on Washington’s Supreme Court.

Justice G. Helen Whitener is running unopposed for re-election to Position 6 on Washington’s Supreme Court. Whitener became the first Black woman to serve on the state’s Supreme Court in April 2020 when she was appointed to fill a vacancy by Gov. Inslee. Later that year, she won her election to fill the remainder of the term. Prior to joining the Washington Supreme Court, Whitener served on the Pierce County Superior Court and worked as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney before becoming a judge.

Justice Whitener is both a Trinidadian immigrant and openly gay, and has worked to be a representative voice for justice for all in the state’s highest court. In this race, she has earned the endorsement of each one of her fellow justices as well as some retired justices. Whitener has been rated as "exceptionally well-qualified" by a number of bar associations and has done an exceptional job since joining the court.

Whitener is an important voice on the State Supreme Court and deserves your voice to continue serving as a justice in Position 6.

Incumbent Judge Michael Finkle is running for re-election to Position 6 on the King County Northeast Electoral District Court. Finkle has served on the district court since 2010, and he is widely respected for his judicial leadership and his accomplishments since joining the bench. Outside of court, he volunteers with the YMCA Mock Trial Program and a handful of other community projects.

Finkle is running to continue his work building up alternative courts, like the landmark mental health, veterans, youth, and community courts he worked to establish. He wants to work towards social justice through fair treatment in court and diversions to keep non-felony offenders out of prison so they can have a second chance. Finkle has received the highest ranking possible from six key bar associations and has earned widespread, bipartisan support in this race.

Joshua Schaer, an assistant attorney general in the state office, is the other candidate in this race. Schaer has worked in trial law and serves as a pro tem judge. He has yet to share campaign priorities as of early October and lacks the experience and recommendations of his opponent.

Judge Finkle has done an impressive job on the court and deserves your vote for another term serving on the King County Northeast Electoral District Court bench in Judge Position 6.