35th 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.

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is challenging Republican incumbent Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler to represent Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. Perez identifies as a working-class Washingtonian and she 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 progressive platform to champion the needs of working families and 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.

Perez is the clear choice in this crowded race. She deserves your vote to represent the 3rd Congressional District and fight for progressive change at the federal level.

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.

Rep. Marilyn Strickland is seeking re-election to continue serving 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. Strickland has broad support in this race including endorsements from news publications, progressive organizations, community groups, and elected leaders across Washington and the country.

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.

Progressive Julianne Y. Gale is running for the Washington state Senate in the 35th Legislative District, the seat currently occupied by the retiring Sen. Tim Sheldon. Gale currently manages the Skokomish Indian Tribe’s youth program and has previously worked as a union construction worker, teacher, and grassroots climate advocate. She identifies as a queer, American-Chinese Jew and believes both her personal and work experiences of bringing people together will allow her to represent all the residents in her district if elected.

As a co-founder of Mason County Climate Justice, one of Gale’s top political priorities is climate justice. If elected, she would pursue regenerative foresting and clean water to ensure sustainable environments and jobs for generations to come. Having lost stable housing herself for a time, Gale also wants to make sure that Washington is a place where all people can access housing security and affordable health care.

Gale is running against Republican Rep. Drew MacEwen, who has represented the 35th Legislative District in the House since 2012. Now, he is running for the state Senate to prioritize the private sector while cutting funding to social services. In the last session, MacEwen voted against commonsense gun safety legislation and opposed a bill to put Washington on track with better energy code standards.

We strongly recommend Gale to represent residents of the 35th Legislative District in the state Senate with her vision for putting the community first.

James DeHart is running for the 35th Legislative District in Position 1. DeHart has worked for a variety of state agencies in his career in public records management, such as the Department of Social and Health Services, the Department of Transportation, and more. He is also involved with community orchestras and served as the musical director for a 2019 Broadway Olympia production.

DeHart is running on a progressive platform to invest in public infrastructure including school buildings, roads and bridges, transportation, meal programs, and high-speed broadband. If elected, he will also focus on climate solutions and specifically wants to look at energy alternatives that will benefit both residents and our environment. DeHart identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and wants to make sure that people of all marginalized communities, especially Washingtonians of color, have equal access to jobs, housing, and voting.

Also in this race is Republican incumbent Rep. Daniel Griffey who is running to remain in the seat he was first elected to in 2014. Outside of the Legislature, Griffey works as a lieutenant firefighter in central Mason County. This session, Griffey voted with the majority of conservatives to block commonsense measures to protect our communities from gun violence and to institute environmental protections. He wants to further militarize our police, even though our communities are actually safer when we have access to good schools, jobs, and housing.

James DeHart is the clear choice for House Position 1 in the 35th Legislative District.

Former American diplomat Sandra Kaiser is running for the 35th Legislative District 35, Position 2 seat as a Democrat. Kaiser served the Department of State for almost 30 years with many presidential administrations, leading public affairs and directing U.S. embassy operations. In Washington, she has worked for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Evergreen State College, and she currently works for serves as the vice president of the Capitol Land Trust board.

Kaiser is running to improve economic security for working families, invest in social services and public infrastructure, and improve our kids' classrooms. She wants to leverage her past government and communications experience with her hometown knowledge to build economic, social, and environmental sustainability in the 35th Legislative District.

There are three Republicans in this race: Patti Case, Travis Couture, and Tiffany Sevruk. Patti Case has spent the last 25 years doing public affairs work for a logging company that has faced criticism for its environmental practices. Like her fellow MAGA Republicans, she has criticized Inslee’s science-based, mask mandate which has helped us fight the spread of COVID-19 and keep our communities safer. Case is running to weaken police accountability measures while continuing to put militarized police forces into our communities. She joins other far-right candidates by opposing curriculums that teach our children both the good and bad of our country’s history so they are prepared for the future and better understand the cultures and experiences of others.

Navy veteran Travis Couture works for a manufacturing corporation that focuses on aerospace, arms, and defense, and he previously ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Legislature. In this race, he sets himself apart with an endorsement from Rep. Jesse Young, one of the most extreme MAGA Republicans in the Legislature. Though Couture claims to prioritize public safety, he opposes policies to keep our communities safe from gun violence and efforts to hold police accountable for their actions. If elected, he would cut funding for community investments that help all Washingtonians access quality schools, housing security, and affordable health care.

Tiffany Sevruk, the final candidate in this race, was elected to the board of directors for North Thurston Public Schools last year on a conservative platform. Outside of the school board, she works at a financial services firm and serves as the president of the Thurston County Women's Republican Club. Sevruk is running for the state House on a vague platform to weaken renters’ rights and cut funding for the services and resources that our communities rely on.

We recommend Sandra Kaiser in this crowded race for Position 2 in the 35th Legislative District. She is the clear choice to bring thoughtful leadership and progressive values to the House.

Paul Andrews is the current Kitsap County auditor running for a second term in office. Andrews worked as a data analyst for more than two decades before joining the auditor’s office. Additionally, he has served on a number of community boards and is a current member of the Washington State Association of County Auditors board.

Andrews is running to continue bringing transparent and reliable leadership to the auditor’s office. He is proud of how the office managed elections safely through the pandemic and has since both opened a new voting center and also added a handful of secure ballot drop boxes to increase voter turnout. If re-elected, he wants to keep building accessibility, equity, and security in the auditor’s office to strengthen democratic systems in our communities and deliver high-quality financial and licensing services to the county.

Also in this race is Republican Mike Simpson, an Army veteran and former Bremerton City Council member. Simpson has stoked some conspiracy theories about a ballot error that caused a special election for his council seat last February. Now, he is running without a campaign website on a platform that is full of blame and conservative rhetoric but lacks real suggestions for how the auditor’s office can best serve the county.

Paul Andrews deserves your vote to be re-elected as Kitsap County auditor.

Incumbent auditor Paddy McGuire is running for re-election to continue serving Mason County in the office to which he was first elected in 2018. McGuire is a certified election administrator and has overseen many secure elections over his career, including the country’s first vote-by-mail presidential election when he served as Oregon’s deputy secretary of state. He previously served as the deputy director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program.

McGuire saw Mason County through safe and fair elections during the pandemic and at a time of rampant right-wing conspiracy misinformation about election fraud. He also made sure that the county had its own voters’ pamphlet for the first time and he secured state funds to supplement county tax dollars to support the services of the auditor’s office. Now, McGuire wants to continue bringing integrity and consistent leadership to the office while working to keep our election secure and accessible for all Mason County voters.

Steve Duenkel, who has worked for Boeing, is challenging Mcguire this year running on an “election integrity” platform to undermine democracy and deny the clear choice of the voters in 2020. Though Duenkel shared only a vague platform in his voters’ statement, he has promoted Trump’s lies about the last presidential election elsewhere and even shared a campaign goal to stop the use of machines that complete accurate, timely, and secure vote counts across the country.

Mason County voters deserve an auditor who will counter right-wing conspiracy theories of election fraud, put the truth first, and protect our democracy from the real threat: conservative extremists who want to overturn the will of the people.

Paddy McGuire is the obvious choice in this race and deserves your vote for re-election.

Steven Drew is the Democratic incumbent running for re-election to Thurston County assessor. Drew’s work in this role has been recognized by the Washington State Association of County Assessors and the International Association of Assessing Officers. Before being elected to the assessor’s office in 2011, he worked as an insurance adjuster and small business owner. In 2018, Governor Inslee appointed Drew to the South Puget Sound Community College Board of Trustees.

In the assessor’s office, Drew worked to eliminate a backlog of appeals that had been left by the predecessor and finally have the office begin meeting statutory deadlines. If re-elected, he wants to expand on equity, accessibility, and efficiency while continuing to meet the needs of the county with timely services.

Intercity Transit employee Dave Kolar is challenging Drew for the assessor position as an Independent on a more Republican platform to cut funding to the office’s services and functions. Kolar has never held public office, lacks a campaign website, and shared little about qualifying experience in his voters’ guide statement. He is supported by local conservatives in this race.

Steven Drew has delivered quality public services in his time as the county assessor, and he deserves your vote for re-election in this race.

Democrat Mary Hall is seeking re-election as Thurston County auditor, where she has served since 2013. The Office of the Secretary of the State named her the 2020 Auditor of the Year and she serves on the National Association of Election Officials board. Before joining Thurston County’s auditing office, Hall worked as an elections manager for Pierce County and as the president of an imaging and document management software company.

Hall oversaw safe and fair elections through the height of the pandemic and right-wing misinformation campaigns about election security. She is a trusted community leader who has focused on safeguarding our democracy both by ensuring election security and by expanding voting access. If re-elected, Hall also wants to continue making the auditor’s office as efficient and accessible for Thurston residents as possible. She has earned a number of progressive endorsements in this race from elected officials at state, county, and city levels.

Sal Militello is a Republican challenging Hall for the auditor position. He runs his own IT consulting firm and is campaigning on a vague and typical conservative platform in this race. Militello’s website is not functional as of mid-July.

Mary Hall is the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote for another term as Thurston County Auditor.

Democrat Tye Menser is running for re-election as Thurston County commissioner for District 3. Menser is an attorney, chair of the Thurston County Board of Health, and commissioner with the Thurston County Water Conservancy board. He was elected as county commissioner in 2018 and has been a champion of climate action, criminal justice reform, and small business support since then.

As a commissioner, Menser has helped pass a Climate Mitigation Plan, invested in affordable housing, and created more criminal justice diversion programs. His re-election priorities include protecting our natural environment for generations to come, ensuring residents can access stable housing, creating solutions outside of policing and prisons to address social issues, and continuing to help small businesses rebound from the pandemic. Menser has earned impressive and widespread support in this race including endorsements from local unions, elected progressives, and community organizations.

Republican Vivian Easer is challenging Menser. Easer serves on the Washington State Emergency Management board and has worked in emergency preparedness and within the criminal justice system. She is running on a conservative platform to cut funding from essential community investments in housing, education, and health care while pouring more money into militarizing and expanding police forces in our neighborhoods.

Menser has earned your vote for Thurston County Commission in District 3 to continue bringing sustainable, community-focused leadership to the county.