Jefferson County

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.

Rebecca Parson is a progressive activist, small business owner, and former instructor at Johns Hopkins University running for Washington's 6th Congressional District. Parson also challenged Rep. Kilmer in 2020 and came in third in the primary, earning 13.5 percent of the vote. She got her start in activism as a housing organizer and has been a leader with the Tacoma & Pierce County Democratic Socialists of America and Tacoma Indivisible.

Parson is running on an extremely progressive platform that includes a Green New Deal with 100 percent renewable energy by 2030, protecting and expanding Social Security, national rent control, and Medicare for All. Possibly the boldest part of her ambitious platform is her plan to repurpose vacant homes to house people experiencing homelessness. During our interview, she said she wants the federal government to purchase many of the 11 million vacant homes. For those who don't wish to sell, she wants to make it "financially onerous to have an empty home."

When asked about how she plans to make change in our often-gridlocked Congress, Parson pointed to Rep. Cori Bush as an example of someone who is both writing legislation and making change through direct action. If elected, she would organize more direct action and use her platform to draw attention and build support for progressive issues over time.

While we struggle to see a path forward for some of her more bold ideas, she does offer an alternative to voters who are looking for a much more progressive and outspoken alternative to Kilmer.

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.

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. Though she says that if elected she will better serve families, 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 for community needs and removing medically-accurate sexual health education for students point to a regressive agenda that would drag our state backward.

Veteran Matthew Rainwater is seemingly even more conservative than Forde. His campaign is focused on smear language - railing against Black Lives Matter and Antifa - without many details on what priorities he believes the Legislature should enact. Like Forde, he supports the regressive status quo of our tax code that keeps the wealthiest from paying their share for the services we all need and use, like transportation, education, and more.

While we have been disappointed in some of Chapman's stances, including his previous inaction on police accountability, he far outmatches his conservative opponents in providing a forward-looking vision for the district. Vote Mike Chapman for Legislature.

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 banning guns in certain locations like 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 has two opponents this year. Republican Brian Pruiett is making a second attempt to unseat Rep. Tharinger. Much of his platform rants about the governor and Democrats using an endless stream of Republican talking points. Notably, he 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 us about crime instead of providing our communities the care, security, and support we need. Rather than supporting proven strategies to reduce gun violence and address homelessness, Pruiett wants us to believe that the solution is more guns and putting even more people in jail.

The other challenger in this race is Darren Corcoran, a retired military member and a self-described moderate Democrat. He does not note any community leadership or political experience but is running on some solid values, including protecting the right to abortion and strengthening gun safety laws.

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. Pouring in more guns and adding more militarized police is not the solution, and Pruiett's fear-driven agenda would deepen mistrust.

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

Democratic incumbent Greg Brotherton is running for re-election to continue serving as the Jefferson County commissioner for District 3. Brotherton was first elected to the seat in 2018. Outside of public office, Brotherton re-opened the Quilcene Village Store and served on the Quilcene School Board.

Brotherton is running on a platform to address the housing crisis to make sure all Jefferson County residents have a roof over their heads. To build housing security, he wants to expand affordable options while investing in services for those experiencing homelessness. Brotherton is committed to continuing to strengthen public health and following the science in policymaking around the pandemic. Brotherton also wants to prioritize climate action and public infrastructure investments. His re-election campaign has earned the support of a number of elected leaders and community members.

Brotherton has two Republican challengers in this race: Marcia Kelbon and Jon Cooke. Kelbon is an attorney who has worked as a startup executive and an engineer with the Navy. She identifies as a moderate and an independent but is running as a Republican with a platform of eliminating the regulations that protect workers and consumers in favor of growing profit margins as well as placing business interests above public health and science when it comes to pandemic guidelines.

Cooke is an elected Quilcene School Board member, a teacher, and a former county GOP chair. He is running on a conservative platform to cut funding from community services that help people in Jefferson County meet their basic needs. Instead, he wants to pour more money into law enforcement budgets to further militarize and grow the police presence in our neighborhoods.

Greg Brotherton is the best choice in this race. He deserves your vote to keep serving Jefferson County as the District 3 commissioner.