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 higher 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, pass abortion rights 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. 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. Before 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.

Elected in 2018 as the first Democrat to hold the seat, Schrier has consistently brought her community values and professional health expertise to Congress. Unlike her Republican opponents, 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 provide funding for early education, extend the child tax credit, reduce the cost of child care, and combat 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 fresh groceries.

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.

Stephanie Gallardo is a progressive teacher and first-generation Chilean American challenging Rep. Smith this year. She lived on the University of Washington campus until she was 10 years old while her parents were finishing their education. She has taught history in the Tukwila School District and was elected to serve on the Washington Education Association board.

Gallardo's lived experience has shaped her platform and campaign for office. She supports Rep. Jamaal Bowman's Green New Deal for Public Schools Act, which would invest billions in green retrofits for school buildings, hire hundreds of thousands of new educators, and improve accessibility on campuses. She would also back Sen. Cory Booker's legislation to provide comprehensive and medically accurate sexual health education for all students.

Foreign policy is Gallardo's other top priority. During our interview, she stated that her family's escape from Chile as political refugees showed the danger of our country's "expansionist foreign policy." If elected, she would add her name to Rep. Jayapal's bill to prohibit the U.S. from aiding Saudi Arabia in their war with Yemen. She also wants to redirect some of the historically large defense budget that Smith writes to invest in education and fighting climate change. On community safety, Gallardo expressed support for revoking immunity for gun manufacturers, banning assault weapons, and prohibiting the military from transferring powerful equipment to law enforcement.

Gallardo's platform and experience offer a clear contrast for voters looking for a progressive alternative, particularly on foreign policy, to Rep. Smith.

Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson is running as a nonpartisan candidate to bring an independent 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 as a nonpartisan candidate 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 nonpartisan, 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.

While Hobbs spoke more about using cybersecurity to protect our elections, Anderson leaned on her professional expertise to describe ways to expand our democracy. She believes, for example, that the state should redouble its efforts to reach voters with disabilities. By using a secure, expert-vetted electronic ballot similar to those used for overseas military voters, Anderson sees a path forward to reach those who don't always have access to vote.

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. She supports grants for local jurisdictions that are interested in trying ranked choice voting so that it's not unduly expensive for local governments, and so that auditors can learn more about how to manage and implement it.

Anderson offers voters an experienced option if they are looking for an independent to administer our state's elections.

Claudia Kauffman is a former state senator running in the 47th Legislative District. She previously held this seat from 2007 through 2011.

Kauffman is running again to uplift the need for early learning, affordable housing, climate action, and more. She 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. A member of the Nez Perce Tribe, Kauffman would be one of very few Indigenous lawmakers, including incumbent Rep. Lekanoff and potentially candidate Chris Stearns.

In our interview, 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 were high on her environmental agenda. Kauffman also 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 most notable endorsements come from a wide roster of elected Democrats in the House and Senate.

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 and needy families.

As part of her commitment to the well-being 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 two far-right Republicans this year. Private security guard Jessie Ramsey is running on a MAGA Republican platform that includes expanding privatized police forces, returning to failed "broken windows" policing, and arming school staff.

The other Republican in the race, Kyle Lyebyedyev, 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 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. He is the first Native American elected to Auburn City Council, and if elected would be one of only two Indigenous lawmakers in Olympia, along with Rep. Debra Lekanoff.

Although he doesn't have a full list of policy proposals available on his website, Stearns states that he wants to advance workforce development, protect civil and women’s rights, and safeguard forests, salmon, and natural resources if elected.