47th 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.

Claudia Kauffman is a former state senator from the 47th Legislative District. She is running for the Legislature again to uplift the need for early learning, affordable housing, climate action, and more. Kauffman currently serves as the Intergovernmental Affairs Liaison for the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe where she oversees the tribe's legislative agenda on a local, state, and federal level, and she is the founder of Native Action Network. A member of the Nez Perce Tribe, if elected again to the Legislature, Kauffman would be one of a very small number of Indigenous lawmakers, alongside incumbent Rep. Lekanoff and potentially candidate Chris Stearns.

In our interview with Kauffman, she pointed out how the district's history of swinging between red and blue is an open opportunity for someone with her experience to win the seat. She wants to see the Housing Trust Fund increased, and would help teachers earn higher pay alongside opening more slots for early learning. Removing salmon culverts and cleaning up superfund sites on the Duwamish River are high on her environmental agenda and Kauffman wants to see more transit-oriented housing. On public safety, she believes that there should be more communication between police and the community.

Kauffman's opponent in this race is Kent City Council member and Republican Bill Boyce. He has just a few points on his agenda available on his site, including repealing the state's long-term care program. Boyce's desire to cut back on health care is unfortunate. According to NPR, about 70 percent of those over the age of 65 will need long-term care for everyday needs like bathing and dressing, not to mention people of any age who require a caregiver.

Despite his campaign's promise that he will fight regressive taxes, Boyce makes no mention of making the wealthy finally pay their share. The Republicans in Olympia he hopes to join have voted against a capital gains tax and other measures aimed at making corporations and extraordinarily wealthy individuals pay what they owe our communities, and Boyce would likely vote similarly if elected.

As the district recovers from the pandemic, our communities need greater investments in transit, housing, and the environment. Kauffman is by far the best choice in this race.

Rep. Debra Entenman is running for re-election to Position 1 in the 47th Legislative District. Before running for office, she served as the district director for U.S. Rep. Adam Smith. Entenman currently serves on the Renton Technical College Board of Trustees and previously served on the boards of Neighborhood House and Kent Youth and Family Services.

Entenman has had a consistent record of working to improve the lives of her constituents throughout her time in Olympia. This year, she was the prime sponsor of a bill to increase police accountability by creating an independent civilian office to investigate law enforcement incidents involving the use of force. In previous years she sponsored bills to provide youth with access to attorneys if contacted by law enforcement, limit facial recognition technology, and expand access to assistance for vulnerable families in need.

As part of her commitment to the wellbeing of all in the district, Entenman's campaign platform focuses on education, technology, public health, and the economy. She wants to increase food security for students, improve the availability of broadband internet, and make sure consumer data is safe and private. Entenman also wants to reimagine public safety using proven methods like violence reduction programs, housing, and mental health care.

Entenman faces a challenge from far-right Republican Kyle Lyebyedyev, who states that he will be "pro-Christianity," pro-guns, and anti-abortion. He challenged Entenman in 2020 on a platform that made false accusations about immigrants and refused to balance the state's upside-down code. Since 2020, his platform has remained staunchly conservative - against environmental protections, against public transit, and notably silent on making the wealthy pay their share for the resources we all use.

Entenman has been a stalwart and principled leader during her time in Olympia. As the district navigates pandemic recovery and building healthy, safe communities, it needs a serious legislator to tackle these issues. Rep. Entenman is the best choice in this race.

Auburn City Council member Chris Stearns is running for Position 2 in the 47th Legislative District to lead on protecting the environment, expanding economic opportunity, and protecting the civil rights of all who live in the district. He is the first Native American elected to the Auburn City Council and has a comprehensive record of leadership, including serving as a previous chair of the Seattle Human Rights Commission, Democratic counsel for the Committee of Natural Resources in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the first director of Indian Affairs for the U.S. Department of Energy.

In our interview with Stearns, he spoke on issues not covered by any other candidates this year, including addressing undertreated behavioral health issues like gambling addiction and the serious environmental impacts of climate change on Indigenous nations, tribes, and reservations. He also stated that he would be in favor of legislating to help flip the state's regressive tax code, which disproportionately impacts low- and middle-income people more than the wealthiest. However, we were somewhat disappointed that he would not have supported the missing middle housing bill this year, which would reduce the cost of housing by allowing more density near transit hubs.

If elected, Stearns would be one of only two Indigenous lawmakers in Olympia, along with Rep. Debra Lekanoff. If you're looking for a candidate with experience in city government as well as environmental protection, Stearns would be a good choice.

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.