Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates Endorsements

Attorney General Bob Ferguson is running for governor on his impressive record of advocating for all Washingtonians. He has served as attorney general since 2012 and has won some of the biggest and most consequential legal cases in Washington's history during that time.

Ferguson has an impressive record of success in litigating against the Trump administration and greedy corporations. When Donald Trump attacked access to contraception, Ferguson took him to court and won. Ferguson has sued the federal government to clean up the Hanford nuclear facility more quickly and has defended the Affordable Care Act from the Trump Administration, helping preserve care for 825,000 Washingtonians. Other wins include protecting statewide water quality from Trump's pro-pollution environmental policies, securing over $1 billion from opioid manufacturers to fund treatment, and fighting back against child detention laws.

All of these wins echo Ferguson's priorities in running for governor: to continue fighting to improve health care access, protect consumers, and strengthen the rights of working families in Washington. If elected, he plans to scale up behavioral health care. Recognizing that currently "our jails are collectively our largest mental health provider," he is committed to a large number of interventions in our communities including prevention, adding more health providers, and more peer service support. He's also committed to breaking up corporate monopolies and reducing the cost of living, establishing Washington as a clean energy hub, and exploring high-speed rail infrastructure.

Republican and former U.S. Representative Dave Reichert is running against Ferguson. Reichert served Washington’s 8th Congressional District in the House for 14 years. During that time, he took some bad votes against climate protections and health care affordability and voted for a national abortion ban, among other anti-abortion votes. He also previously served as the elected King County Sheriff, and worked on the prominent Green River Killer case.

While Reichert is adept at sounding more moderate than some of his MAGA colleagues, his policy positions tell the truth, particularly when speaking to friendly crowds of Republicans behind closed doors. Earlier this year, Reichert said that he opposes marriage equality, which Washington voters passed in 2012 and became the law nationwide in 2015. More recently, Reichert finally admitted that he plans to vote for Trump this November and cited his signed MAGA hat as evidence of his Republican credentials. Finally, Reichert questioned humans' impact on climate change, despite the overwhelming scientific consensus. Reichert is clearly out of step with the values of most Washingtonians.

Bob Ferguson is an accomplished progressive who leads with integrity and grit. He is the best choice to be the next governor of Washington.

Democratic incumbent Mike Pellicciotti is running for re-election to Washington state treasurer. Pellicciotti was first elected to the position in 2020. Before that, Pellicciotti served as a representative for Legislative District 30 in the state House, an assistant state attorney general, and a deputy prosecuting attorney for King County.

In public office, he has advocated for transparency and public accountability. He has never accepted corporate campaign donations and previously worked to make the Legislature’s records open for public view. As a treasurer, he has prioritized economic security and prosperity for all, especially working families and retirees. In office, he has worked to strengthen budget reserves, increase pension funds, and manage debt costs.

Republican Sharon Hanek is challenging Pellicciotti in this race. Hanek is a certified public accountant and serves as the vice chair of the Pierce County Planning Commission. Hanek has run for office unsuccessfully several times before, including losing by more than 17 percent statewide in her 2012 run for state Treasurer. Hanek is the founder of My Family My Choice, a far-right group aligned with Moms for Liberty that wants to ban books and promotes conspiracy theories about public schools. We can't afford to give Hanek a statewide platform for her dangerous, far-right agenda.

Pellicciotti has been a reliable Democratic leader in the Washington state treasurer’s office and he has earned your vote for another term.

Nick Brown is a former U.S. attorney for Western Washington running to protect the climate, our democracy, and Washingtonians' civil rights. Before his appointment by the Biden Administration in 2021, Brown worked as the general counsel for Gov. Jay Inslee. He also served in the US Army as a judge advocate general (JAG) officer, where he represented soldiers and the Army in legal matters, followed by working as a prosecutor. Brown has also served as chair of the attorney general’s Advisory Subcommittee on Civil Rights.

As the first Black U.S. attorney in the state's history, Brown notes that Washington is experiencing the highest number of hate crimes in 20 years. He wants to use the attorney general's office to implement laws that prosecute domestic terrorists, especially the burgeoning white supremacist movements that have threatened local leaders and committed violent hate crimes.

In our interview with Brown, he identified his top three priorities as strengthening the operations of the office, holding local jurisdictions accountable for upholding the law, and environmental enforcement. He emphasized his work with the attorney general's office as a special assistant attorney general and said that he would strive to build a more representative office and ensure they resolve problems with legal standards that led to the office receiving a fine last year. One of Brown's biggest accomplishments as an attorney was helping write Initiative 1639, Safe Schools and Safe Communities, which makes it illegal for anyone under 21 to own a semi-automatic rifle. He later defended the law against the NRA. Building from that success, Brown wants to continue to enforce laws against deadly weapons and defend the state against voter suppression, wage theft, and more. Brown also wants to enforce environmental laws strictly and uphold strong consumer protections by, for example, pursuing the ongoing investigation on monopolistic practices by landlords and rental companies to keep prices inflated.

Republican and Pasco attorney Pete Serrano is running to bring a conservative agenda to the attorney general's office. Serrano is the board president and general counsel of an organization that fights commonsense gun laws and public health mandates, and he was recently elected mayor of Pasco. He states that while he disagrees with these laws he will follow the state Constitution, but the Seattle Times also reported that he intended to remain "actively engaged" with the organization in a Facebook video on the organization's page. If elected he promises to "Make Washington Safe Again" and make the office more transparent. Serrano is not a progressive choice in this race.

Brown is the clear choice in the race to be the next Attorney General of Washington.

Incumbent Chris Reykdal is running for a third term in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Reykdal has been a strong champion for public education as superintendent, during his six years in the Legislature, and in 14 years on local school boards or in leadership positions at educational institutions.

The superintendent's office provides resources and guidance on language access, student safety, school district budgeting, and meeting student needs to Washington's 295 public school districts and 6 state-tribal education compact schools. In office, Reykdal has worked to reduce learning gaps, raise educator salaries, increase free meal access, and expand dual and tribal language learning programs.

In our interview, Reykdal acknowledged that the pandemic and declining birth rates have affected enrollment rates in public schools. Despite this challenge, he was proud that districts have made gains in other areas like retaining teachers of color. He identified the decrease in state funding, relative to inflation, as a fundamental challenge facing public schools. He reiterated his commitment to advocating for the Legislature to increase funding per student and allow districts to fund special education. He also expressed his commitment to keeping schools public, rejecting vouchers, and improving mental health support for students. This year, OSPI offered legislation to increase paraeducator pay to attract and retain these critical classroom supports. Finally, he cited his experience running a large state agency for the last eight years as a key strength compared with his less experienced opponents.

Gig Harbor School Board member David Olson is challenging Reykdal on a reactionary right-wing. Like many conservative school board directors, he welcomes conservative, politically-motivated censorship that would block access to books and multicultural programming. Olson also wants to employ strict guidelines in our schools that penalize students who are struggling the most. According to The Seattle Times, he told the Washington Republican Party convention "that if every high school graduate opted for the skilled trades instead of pursuing a four-year degree, universities 'could all go bankrupt and that would save America.'" Olson's extremism and conspiracy theories are completely disqualifying for someone looking to lead our state's public education system.

Reykdal has strong support from educators across the state and has earned your vote for re-election.

State Senator and attorney Patty Kuderer is running for Washington insurance commissioner. She has served the 48th Legislative District since 2015 when she was appointed to the state House before being appointed to fill the Senate seat vacancy in 2017.

Kuderer has been one of the most active sponsors of progressive bills in the Legislature. This year, she was the primary sponsor of a successful bill to ensure NARCAN is available in Washington schools. As a secondary sponsor, she helped to pass a slate of progressive bills, including ensuring that valid ballots are not unduly rejected, limiting the ability to bring firearms to public places like zoos, transit stations, and libraries, and aligning state and federal financial aid programs. Kuderer is now campaigning for insurance commissioner on a progressive platform that includes exploring universal health care, reducing auto insurance costs, expanding cancer screening for firefighters, and improving access to climate change insurance for homeowners and businesses.

Republican state Senator Phil Fortunato is also running for the commissioner position. Fortunato was first elected to represent the 31st Legislative District in Olympia in 2016 as a representative before being immediately appointed to an open Senate seat. Outside public service, his professional background is in erosion control and stormwater management. In the Legislature, Fortunato was the primary sponsor of many far-right bills, including legislation to strip abortion rights for some Washingtonians and to oppose commonsense gun safety policy. If he's elected insurance commissioner, Fortunato wants to remove regulations that keep health care costs lower. He is vehemently opposed to universal health care policies that would allow all Washingtonians, regardless of income status, to access the care and medicine they need.

We recommend Patty Kuderer for Washington insurance commissioner because of her strong background in public service and clear vision for the office.

Derek Stanford is running unopposed for re-election for the 1st Legislative District Senate seat. He served nearly 10 years as a state representative before earning an appointment to the state Senate to replace Guy Palumbo in 2019. Stanford runs an analytics and statistical consulting business outside of the Senate.

During his time in the Senate, Stanford has focused on education, mental health funding, and improvements in the district. This year, he was the prime sponsor of two successful bills to fund more paraeducators in Washington schools and crack down on predatory loans from out-of-state banks. Locally, Stanford has helped secure funding for important projects like supportive housing in Kenmore and infrastructure at UW Bothell, on top of $28 million for youth behavioral health and $140 million for emergency housing and rental assistance statewide.

Stanford has earned another term in the Senate representing the 1st District.

Davina Duerr is running for re-election to House Position 1 representing the 1st Legislative District. Duerr replaced Derek Stanford in the state House in 2019 when he moved to the district’s Senate seat. Before that, she worked as the deputy mayor and city council member in Bothell. Duerr also previously founded the M.I.L.K. Money campaign to support Northshore students experiencing homelessness.

In office this past session, Rep. Duerr was the primary sponsor of several bills to promote environmental justice and climate protections. One of the bills, which came through a collaboration with local environmental leaders, established that climate concerns must be considered in building plans. Her priorities include supporting public schools, reducing gun violence, and expanding affordable housing options for all income levels.

Mark Davies, a typical party-line Republican, is challenging Duerr on a platform that would take the district backward. He spent more than 30 years at Boeing and has also been an active community member with his local Boy Scouts, church, and Habitat for Humanity. Davies was motivated to run because he and his wife, who has a disability, are struggling with the rising cost of living. Unfortunately, he does not have progressive solutions to the question of affordability. Instead, he wants to reduce public revenue, maintain our regressive tax system where working people pay more than their share, and oppose efforts to reduce health care costs.

Rep. Duerr has been a reliable progressive advocate in the House and deserves another term in Legislative District 1, Position 1.

Democrat Rep. Shelley Kloba is running unopposed for another term representing Legislative District 1, Position 2, which she has held since her first election in 2016. Kloba previously served on the Kirkland City Council and the Kirkland Parks Board. She has been a long-standing community advocate and worked with the King County Domestic Violence Initiative and the King County Cities Climate Collaboration.

In Olympia, some of Kloba’s top priorities have included data privacy, economic opportunity, and equitable education. This past session, she helped pass a slate of progressive bills as a secondary sponsor, including legislation to streamline voting address changes, tightening loopholes for licensed firearm dealers to prevent gun violence, and expanding wage discrimination protections in the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act. Her track record makes it clear Rep. Kloba will continue to be a reliable Democratic voice in Olympia.

Vote Shelley Kloba for another term in Legislative District 1, House Position 2.

Erasmo Ruiz Gonzalez, a Democrat and Bethel School Board director, is challenging incumbent Republican Jim McCune for state Senate representing Legislative District 2. Gonzalez is a social worker and educator. He was raised by immigrant farmworker parents and wants to bring this experience to the state level to be a champion for working families and farmers.

In this conservative district, Gonzalez is a moderate Democrat who wants to invest in rural infrastructure, protect our natural resources, increase police budgets, and strive for unity and bipartisanship in decision-making. If elected, he wants to address the rising cost of living to ensure that all Washingtonians can afford the basics like rent, groceries, gas, and medicine. Gonzalez also wants to support American manufacturing, increase government accountability, fund critical infrastructure projects, and invest in workforce development.

Gonzalez is challenging Republican Sen. Jim McCune, who is running for re-election to the state Senate seat where he has served since 2021. Before that, McCune served on the Pierce County Council and represented the district in the state House for nine years. Outside of office, McCune owns a small business selling salmon products. McCune aligns himself with MAGA politics and even previously promoted Trump’s dangerous hydroxychloroquine cocktail as a viable treatment for coronavirus in a taxpayer-funded council newsletter. Since joining the Senate more recently, he has taken some bad votes to oppose background check reform that prevents gun violence, funding for basic student needs, and assistance programs that help Washingtonians get back on their feet.

We recommend Erasmo Ruiz Gonzalez to bring community-minded leadership to the state Senate.

Rep. Bill Ramos, who currently represents the 5th Legislative District in the state House, is running for the district’s state Senate seat. The seat opened up with Sen. Mark Mullet’s decision to run for governor. Ramos joined the Legislature in 2019 and served on the Issaquah City Council before that. Outside of elected office, he has worked in transportation consultation.

In the House, Rep. Ramos has been a strong advocate for community safety through police accountability, environmental protections, and public infrastructure upgrades. This year, he sponsored a bill to establish a commission to fight domestic violence. In this campaign, he is running on a progressive platform focused on ensuring all communities have accessible health care, strong public transit, clean air and water, fully funded local schools, and affordable housing.

Ramos is running against former Republican representative and teacher Chad Magendanz. He served in the state House representing the 5th Legislative District from 2013 to 2017, before he narrowly lost a Senate race to Mullet. Magendanz also challenged Lisa Callan for state House in 2022 and similarly lost the race. Now, Magendanz teaches computer science classes in Bellevue.

Magendanz originally planned to run for Superintendent of Public Instruction in this election where, in a campaign interview, he referenced “trans ideology” and “critical race theory,” echoing far-right conspiracy theories about our schools. He has yet to release a detailed platform in this race as of mid-July, but he has a demonstrated conservative track record in his past public service roles. He is not a progressive choice and has been repeatedly rejected by the voters of Legislative District 5.

Ramos is the clear choice for state House in this race.

Victoria Hunt is a third-term Issaquah City Council member who is running for Legislative District 5, Position 1 to protect the environment, secure reproductive rights, and modernize our state housing laws.

In our interview, Hunt highlighted her background in urban planning and her Ph.D in ecology as two strengths of her candidacy. She wants to build more infrastructure for electric vehicles, have developers pay impact fees for increased resource use from development, and center more construction around transit. Hunt also saw that when Issaquah residents had access to beds at a Motel 6 for short-term stays, people were better able to bounce back from hard times and homelessness. She supports statewide policies to provide full-time caseworkers, permanent housing, and other resources to help keep people in their homes.

Hunt believes the state must do a better job of working with cities in order to build homes more quickly and reduce the cost of housing. She wants to leverage her experience as a city council member to help the Legislature strengthen relationships and improve communication with local officials to achieve our housing goals.

Former state representative and Republican Mark Hargrove is also running for the 5th Legislative District seat. Hargrove served four terms since 2011, but unfortunately, he used his position to curtail Washingtonians' rights and resources, including opposing marriage equality and the Washington Voting Rights Act, voting against raising the minimum wage and paid sick leave for all workers, and sponsoring bills to restrict funding for abortions.

Hunt has earned the most support from our progressive partner organizations and is the best choice in this race.

Democratic incumbent Lisa Callan is seeking re-election to Legislative District 5, Position 2, where she has served since 2019. She has also served on the Issaquah School Board, including a stint as president, and for Boeing as an engineer and project manager.

In the Legislature, Rep. Callan has focused on creating economic opportunity and security for all Washingtonians through strong investments in education and strengthening support for working families. As a secondary sponsor, she helped pass a slate of progressive bills including one to bring zero-emission school buses to our students, one establishing a Native American apprenticeship program, one to strengthen the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act by preventing wage discrimination, and one to reduce barriers to early learning and childcare programs for working families. Her top priorities in this race include strengthening our public schools, reducing the cost of living, supporting small businesses, and improving community safety.

Challenging Callan is Republican Patrick Peacock, a senior industrial security specialist at Boeing who has previously worked in military intelligence. He lacks leadership experience outside of his military career, and last year, he unsuccessfully challenged an incumbent director on the Tahoma School Board. He has yet to release a detailed campaign platform beyond high-level conservative principles.

Lisa Callan has earned your vote for another term representing Legislative District 5 in House Position 2.

Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair is challenging Republican incumbent Ron Muzzal for the Legislative District 10 Senate seat. St. Clair has served as a county commissioner since 2018 and has spent her three-decade-long career in social work, including as a director of large social service organizations. She is also a proud volunteer foster parent.

On the Island County Commission, St. Clair has been a strong advocate for affordability and environmental protections so that county residents of all income levels can build sustainable futures. She is running on a pragmatic Democratic platform in this race while continuing to value bipartisanship, affordability, and community service. St. Clair’s top priorities include reducing corporate price gouging, advocating for reproductive freedom, ensuring prescription drugs and health care are affordable, protecting air, water, and local ecosystems, and supporting veterans. St. Clair also wants to bridge first responder and law enforcement resources to address the fentanyl crisis with compassion.

Ron Muzzall, the Republican incumbent, is running for another term in the state Senate. He was first elected in 2019 and works in the agriculture industry as a farm owner and manager. In his first year in office, Muzzall failed to provide strong leadership during the coronavirus pandemic and the following economic downturn. Last year, he voted against an abortion shield law that protects Washington state health care workers when they provide abortion care to patients from Washington and from out of state. In the 2024 legislative session, he voted against key bills to protect consumer data privacy and opposed bills that would reduce gun violence through stronger background checks.

We recommend Janet St. Clair for the state Senate position representing the 10th Legislative District to continue leading with community needs at the state level.

Clyde Shavers is running for re-election as state representative for the 10th Legislative District in Position 1. He is a U.S. Navy veteran who previously served as a public affairs officer and now works as a reserve officer.

In his first term, Rep. Shavers focused on several of the big issues he campaigned on, including addressing the housing crisis and prioritizing environmental sustainability. He was the prime sponsor for a successful bill that loosened limits on food bank funding for necessary items like diapers and menstrual products. Shavers also sponsored bills to expand hydrogen and fusion power to reduce our reliance on dirty fossil fuels.

Shavers is a member of the Capital Budget committee and states that he's proud to have supported a budget that funds clean drinking water infrastructure in Island County, the Camano Lutheran Childcare Center, and housing services for people with developmental disabilities.

Conservative Carrie Kennedy is another conservative challenger in this race. Kennedy is a self-described “Navy wife” who previously ran for the state Legislature and U.S. Congress. Her campaign website contains no platform details in this race as of early June, but her 2022 campaign included disavowals of both racial justice and COVID safety policy. With her lack of community leadership experience and strong MAGA alignment, it is clear Kennedy is not a good choice.

While Shavers faced some controversy during his previous hard-fought campaign, his solid track record during his first term in Olympia has earned your vote for re-election.

Democratic Rep. Dave Paul is running for re-election in the 10th Legislative District for Position 2. He joined the Legislature in 2019 after working for Skagit Valley College for more than a decade. As a member of the Transportation and Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committees, Paul has worked hard to improve Washingtonians' career opportunities and connectivity to work, play, and school around the state.

This year, Paul led efforts to cap the cost of life-saving inhalers and epinephrine injectors at $35 a month and to implement the 988 behavioral health crisis and suicide prevention system.  Locally, Paul helped secure funding for the Central Whidbey Fire and Rescue's new station, outreach and services for rural youth mental health in Island County, the new La Conner library, the Anacortes Family Center, and Ebey’s Landing preservation. His strong track record of improving life in the district and his progressive vision for another term have attracted impressive endorsements in this race, including from a number of our partner organizations.

Republican Gary Wray is challenging Paul for state House. Wray is the immediate past president of the Building Industry Association of Washington, a conservative group that advocates for big developers and opposes protections for working people. Wray's platform repeats many of the usual Republican Party talking points about attacking the LGBTQ+ community and fear-mongering about crime. We deserve a leader who won’t pit us against each other for what makes us different, but who advocates for our shared needs, like housing, health care, and clean air.

Paul has been one of the most thoughtful leaders in Olympia during his first two terms, reaching across the aisle to get things done for the district. We enthusiastically recommend Paul to continue representing the 10th Legislative District with strong community-centered leadership in the House.

Democrat Bob Hasegawa is running unopposed for re-election to the state Senate. Hasegawa was first elected to the House in 2005. He is a labor advocate and founding member of several labor boards, including the Asian-Pacific American Labor Alliance AFL-CIO and the Washington State Labor Council. 

Hasegawa has been a consistent advocate for establishing a state bank. This past session, he supported progressive bills to include LGBTQ+ history in our schools, to purchase electric school buses across the state, and to legally protect Washingtonians from certain forms of sexual assault such as removing a condom nonconsensually. Now, Hasegawa is running on a platform to reduce the gap between Washington’s most and least economically prosperous, address homelessness while working towards affordable housing for all income levels, secure health care as a human right, and invest in public transit and the small business community.

Vote Bob Hasegawa for another term in the 11th Legislative District’s Senate seat.

Incumbent Rep. Steve Bergquist is running for re-election to Position 2 in the 11th Legislative District. Bergquist is a former deputy majority floor leader and currently serves as the vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee. Outside of the Legislature, he teaches high school in the Renton School District and previously owned a small business.

As an educator, one of Bergquist's biggest legislative priorities has been improving outcomes for Washington's students. In past legislative sessions, he has introduced bills to help with shortages in school staffing and provide career advancement opportunities for public school paraeducators. More recently, he introduced a House bill to make big investments for our youth, including nearly $100 million for school supplies, school meals, special education, and more. With these funds, meals in places like Tukwila and Renton will be fully funded for every school. Bergquist was also the prime sponsor this year of a bill aimed at expanding the College Bound Scholarship program, ensuring that students have a strong footing for higher education and a great career. He has also worked hard to make Washington more affordable for everyone by sponsoring bills that will help finance affordable housing developments and support economic recovery for small businesses.

Bergquist is facing a challenge from Libertarian Justin Greywolf, a software professional with no prior elected or community leadership experience. His platform lacks vision and clarity, espousing broad ideals without specific policy ideas. District residents deserve a representative who will work towards tangible goals in Olympia that will raise the local quality of life.

Bergquist is by far the best candidate in this race for House Position 2 in Legislative District 11.

Marla Keethler is running in the newly redistricted 17th Legislative District for state Senate. Keethler is a broadcast journalist and currently serves as the two-term mayor of White Salmon, where she's prioritized infrastructure efforts like replacing the aging Hood River Bridge and restarting the Jewett repaving project. She has a track record of bridging gaps in local resources to raise the quality of life in Southwest Washington.

Keethler's campaign emphasizes finding common-ground solutions to childcare, housing, infrastructure, and public safety. In local interviews, she has said she wants to build partnerships in the region that could help bring in more education providers and expand the resources available to local schools. Keethler is proud of the work she's done locally to update the city's housing code to allow more affordable types of homes and bring more opportunities for affordable housing. Keethler emphasizes that her nonpartisan background as mayor could help serve as a bridge to improve collaboration in lawmaking.

Keethler is challenging Republican Sen. Paul Harris. He has occasionally broken with his party on important issues, including sponsoring bills that would raise the age for buying tobacco products to 21 and opposing some of this year's dangerous ballot measures. However, his record is disappointing on other priorities, including opposing bills to protect access to abortion care. In addition, Harris voted against allowing survivors of domestic violence to seek help virtually during the pandemic. More recently, he opposed capping excessive rent increases, establishing a behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention system, and expanding basic assistance like laundry and reduced-price meals for foster and homeless youth. 

Marla Keethler is a dedicated public servant who will bring strong leadership to Olympia. She is the clear choice for state Senate representing the 17th Legislative District.

Democrat Terri Niles is running for House Position 1 in the newly redistricted 17th Legislative District. Niles is the past vice president of the Oregon Nurses Association and has worked for 20 years as an ICU nurse. She has served as a Clark County charter review commissioner and president of the Clark County Democratic Women, among other community leadership roles.

If elected, Niles wants to find common ground on issues that affect everyone in the district. She wants to improve access to health and reproductive care, expand affordable housing, and reduce the cost of higher education while offering access to apprenticeships, giving the next generation the runway they need to succeed. She supports crisis intervention care that improves and supplements the city's current response to behavioral health calls. Niles' campaign vision for the 17th District is widely supported by an impressive number of our progressive partner organizations, elected officials, and local leaders.

Also in this race is Republican and Washougal mayor David Stuebe is also in the running to replace Rep. Harris in the Legislature. Stuebe was first elected to the Washougal City Council in 2021 and named by his fellow council members as mayor pro tem that same year, If elected, he says that he plans to retain his seat as mayor. He has no policy platform or candidate website available as of early June.

As a longtime health care worker who wants to expand opportunities for good jobs, accessible care, and a strong education system to everyone in the district, Terri Niles is the best choice for the 17th Legislative District in House Position 1.

Democrat Adrian Cortes is running for the state Senate seat representing Legislative District 18. He joined the Battle Ground Planning Commission and later was elected to Battle Ground City Council, serving as mayor in 2020 and 2021. He has also worked as a special education teacher in the Camas School District for almost a decade.

Cortes believes the right path forward for the district is through supporting students, working families, and the community. One of his top priorities if elected is affordable housing. He's aiming to advocate for a variety of policies that will help people stay in their homes and build homes faster, including developing multifamily housing, enacting rent stabilization, making changes to permitting, and funding homelessness prevention. As a teacher, Cortes believes in providing equitable services for students with disabilities, protecting free and reduced lunch, securing more education funding, and supporting the library system.

Brad Benton is also running for the 18th District Senate seat. The son of former Trump administration official Don Benton and a Republican himself, the candidate's positions are unsurprisingly regressive. He wants to exclude light rail from an I-5 Bridge proposal project and states that he's "disgusted" that sex education is taught in schools. He has not had elected experience in a community role since high school.

Cortes would bring to the Legislature a passion to work with local leaders across the political spectrum to solve the state's biggest challenges. Cortes is the best choice in this race.

Union member and Democrat Deken Letinich is challenging Republican incumbent Stephanie McClintock for Legislative District 18, Position 1.​​ Letinich is an assistant political and legislative director for the Washington and Northern Idaho District Council of Laborers. 

Letinich is running to raise the quality of life in Southwest Washington by tackling safety and affordability. He wants to address the cost of living while making childcare and housing more affordable. If elected, Letinich would also improve community safety by investing in road improvement and clean water protections while defending reproductive freedom. In this race, he has been endorsed by key progressive organizations and unions.

Incumbent McClintock is a former member of the Battleground School Board and former chair of the Clark County Republican Party. Despite her role on the school board, McClintock has spent her first term in the Legislature fighting against inclusive and practical policies in Washington schools. Specifically, she voted against bills to prevent discrimination in public schools. She is a pro-business conservative who also voted against protecting worker health care in labor disputes, the right for workers to refrain from attending political or religious meetings held by their employers, and collective bargaining for state employees.

We recommend Deken Letinich for House Position 1 representing Legislative District 18.

Democrat John Zingale has worked as a teacher for more than a decade in the district, earning him state and local awards as an educator who focuses on civic engagement. He's running for the 18th Legislative District's House Position 2 to provide opportunities for working-class families to thrive through strong workplace protections, health care access, and more.

As an education professional, Zingale understands the immense benefits a strong school system can have for youth, families, and communities. If elected, he wants to invest in more robust career training and rebalance funding for public schools so that they rely less on property taxes. Zingale also wants to create incentives for sustainable building and reasonable zoning regulation changes to create a better life for those in the 18th District. He sees universal healthcare as a key public good -- one that keeps everyone healthy, productive, and able to avoid the threat of medical debt.

Also in this race is Republican John Ley, who is running to reverse the capital gains tax on the extremely wealthy, overturn the Long Term Care Act, and cut the state's budget while somehow funding even more police and education. In 2022, Ley pled not guilty to two charges of felony voter fraud when he used a friend's address to run for office in an open seat near Battle Ground.

John Zingale ran a solid race as a first-time candidate in 2022, and he has returned with a strong platform that has earned him the support of many progressive advocates. He is the clear choice for state House from the 18th Legislative District.

Democrat Andi Day is challenging incumbent Sen. Jeff Wilson for the 19th Legislative District Senate seat. Day was the elected chair of the board of directors of the Washington Tourism Alliance in 2021 and currently works in independent tourism consulting.

Day wants to invest in critical infrastructure in the district, protect abortion care access, reduce gun violence, and invest in education. She believes rural voices deserve a seat at the table and will work on a bipartisan effort to make gains for the district. Day has earned a strong roster of endorsements from local Democrats, unions, and elected officials.

In contrast, incumbent Jeff Wilson made national headlines after being arrested last year in Hong Kong for carrying an unregistered gun in his carry-on bag. In the Legislature, Wilson has voted against nearly all gun safety legislation, including prohibiting firearms in places like libraries and schools and prohibiting the sale of ghost guns. He also voted against creating a state Department of Housing, opposed helping youth leaving foster care with a financial transition plan, and voted against controlling bee-killing pesticides.

Andi Day is by far the best choice for state Senate representing Legislative District 19.

Democrat Terry Carlson is challenging Republican Rep. Joel McEntire for House Position 2 representing the 19th Legislative District. Carlson is a member, organizer, and recording secretary for the International Association Machinists/Woodworkers Union W536, as well as vice president of the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Central Labor Council.

Carlson is running with a labor and community-focused platform that has been widely endorsed. If elected, he wants to strengthen corporate ccountability, fortify workers’ rights, and pave the way for working-class jobs in energy, natural resources, and small business sectors. Carlson also believes in reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ civil rights, high-quality public education, and a healthy working democracy. Despite being a gun owner himself, he staunchly advocates for strengthening commonsense gun safety laws in our state. 

Conservative incumbent Joel McEntire is running for a third term. McEntire is a Marine reservist and program mentor for Western Governors University who has made a political platform out of obstructionism and divisive, far-right rhetoric. In his current term, McEntire voted against protecting abortion providers from retaliation and codifying our reproductive rights into law. He has also voted against bills to make our communities safer from gun violence, increase affordable and accessible "middle" housing, and reduce our state’s carbon emissions to create a cleaner climate for future generations.

Terry Carlson is the best choice for Legislative District 19, Position 2.

Democratic Rep. Strom Peterson is running for re-election to represent the 21st Legislative District in House Position 1. Prior to joining the Legislature, Peterson served on the Edmonds City Council for six years and now serves on the Snohomish County Council.

In Olympia, Peterson has had a hand in passing several important progressive bills, including sponsoring legislation to limit the sale of ghost guns and to provide meals for hungry students through the Breakfast Before the Bell program. He was also the primary sponsor of the Secure Drug Take-Back Act. This year, Peterson sponsored important bills to strengthen the Voting Rights Act and to create a basic income pilot program. He is proud to have been the primary sponsor of the successful Economic Security for All program, which allocates grants to families and individuals below 200 percent of the federal poverty level to uplift individuals and families to self-sufficiency, especially people of color and rural residents.

Peterson's platform includes bold action on housing to establish permanent supportive shelters, fund workforce housing, and invest in affordable options for all income levels. He also wants to protect reproductive freedom, increase behavioral health support, strengthen gun violence prevention laws, and expand addiction treatment options. 

Peterson faces a challenge from former Democrat Riaz Khan. He crossed party lines and registered as a Republican this year, stating in an interview with the Everett Herald that "his values no longer align with the Democratic Party." Khan is a former Mukilteo City Council member and resigned from his seat as vice-chair of the 21st District Democrats right before filing as a Republican this year. Though his campaign website is not functioning as of late August, in the same article, Khan promoted single-family housing instead of solutions that would improve affordability for all residents. He also expressed his opposition to a 2021 law banning single-use plastic bags and said he disagrees with progressive proposals to balance our tax code so that the wealthy and corporations pay their share.

Strom Peterson's progressive track record and support from our partner organization have earned him another term in Legislative District 21, Position 1.

Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self is running for re-election to the 21st Legislative District, House Position 2. She has served families and children throughout her career as the regional coordinator for the Illinois State Board of Education and former director and founder of the Comunidad Unida Project, a center for Latino families and youth. Ortiz-Self also serves as chair of the Washington State Latino Democratic Caucus and secretary of the executive committee of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators.

Since joining the House in 2015, Ortiz-Self has put her expertise to work improving the lives of students and workers in her district and beyond. This year she was the primary sponsor for successful bills to help workers who've filed wage complaints and to provide dual and tribal language education. Ortiz-Self also sponsored bills to enhance the College Bound Scholarship program, provide free school meals for all students, remove barriers to hiring paraeducators, and more. 

Kristina Mitchell, who has aligned herself with the “Conservative Party,” is challenging Ortiz-Self in this race. Mitchell is a Republican Precinct Committee officer who works in youth education and engagement. Her campaign parrots exclusionary and divisive rhetoric about multicultural curriculums in our schools and our neighbors struggling to afford housing. Mitchell does not seem versed in what it takes to make change at the state level and offers criticism instead of concrete policy solutions.

Over the years Ortiz-Self has spearheaded many efforts to secure more resources for students, prevent gun violence, and lead in the House. She is the best choice in the race for Position 2.

Rep. Jessica Bateman is running to represent the 22nd Legislative District in the state Senate. A star legislator in her four years serving in the state House, she hopes to continue leading the state on housing affordability, reproductive justice, climate, and more. Before serving in the House, Bateman was an Olympia City Council member for five years, including serving as deputy mayor for two years, and an Olympia Planning Commissioner. She currently works as a policy advisor for community health centers in Washington.

One of Bateman's biggest contributions has been her tenacity in making housing more affordable and accessible for all. In 2022, Bateman was the prime sponsor of the "middle housing" bill, which sought to expand housing options near transit and require cities to allow more homes to be built. Middle housing, or housing options between large-scale housing complexes and single-family homes, is one crucial element Washington families need to reduce costs. As cities build more duplexes, triplexes, cottage clusters, townhomes, and other medium-sized options, Washington can finally begin to meet its housing deficit, lower rents, increase homeownership, and more.

Bateman has also successfully sponsored other progressive priorities, including bills to preserve access to the abortion medication mifepristone, simplify the decarbonization of buildings, grow the behavioral health workforce through in-state licensing, and create incentives to convert commercial buildings into housing.

Challenging Bateman is Nisqually member and tribal elder Bob Iyall. Iyall is the CEO of a Tribal Government Corporation and wants to bring to Olympia an urgency to act on salmon recovery. He also supports working families, environmental restoration, and economic development. Many of Iyall's stated priorities echo what Bateman has already been working on in the House, including protecting renters, building cheaper housing, and expanding behavioral health care.

Jessica Bateman has been a standout member of the House and has earned your vote for state Senate.

Beth Doglio is running for re-election to House Position 1 representing the 22nd Legislative District. She was first elected to this seat in 2016 and was re-elected in 2022 after she stepped down in 2020 to run for Congress. Prior to seeking elected office, Doglio worked as the Climate Solutions campaign director and was the founding executive director of Washington Conservation Voters.

Doglio sponsored a large number of bills this year, including legislation to begin decarbonizing Puget Sound Energy’s gas system. She furthered her climate-saving agenda with several other bills she sponsored, including funding zero-emission school buses and changing rules around unlawful solid waste dumping. She also helped expand paid sick leave and ensure the safe disposal of guns seized by law enforcement.

Doglio is facing Independent candidate and Navy veteran Steve Owens. He states that he's running to diverge from politics as usual. He is not looking for endorsements or support from groups outside the district. Some of his policies include removing the need for college from government jobs, ending the "renter class" in favor of home ownership, and de-centralizing housing away from major transit lines.

Doglio has been a force for progress in the Legislature. She has earned your vote for re-election in the 22nd District.

First appointed to the Senate last fall after the retirement of Sen. Christine Rolfes, lawyer Drew Hansen is now running to be retained by voters in the Legislative District 23. Hansen previously served as the representative for the 23rd since 2011, where he prioritized improving education and workforce policies as chair of the House College and Workforce Development Committee.

As a representative, Hansen sponsored Washington’s free college tuition law as well as the state net neutrality law. He also made national news in 2019 as the lead sponsor of the New Hope Act, which streamlines the process for formerly incarcerated community members to rebuild their lives after serving their time. He also supported bills like the Public Broadband Act. In the Senate, Hansen wants to continue advocating for criminal legal reform, education, and more.

Challenging Hansen from the right this year is Lance Byrd, who works as a program manager in IT. Byrd challenged Karen Bolton for Bremerton School Board Director in 2023 with the blessing of the far-right group Moms for Liberty, ultimately losing by more than 40 points in the election. He does not have elected or community leadership experience, but promotes misinformation about the severity and causes of climate change, conservative infringements on public education curriculums, and the elimination of some police accountability laws.

Hansen is the best choice for state Senate from the 23rd Legislative District.

Rep. Tarra Simmons is running for re-election to House Position 1 in the 23rd Legislative District. Simmons is the founding director of Civil Survival, a nonprofit organization that helps formerly incarcerated people reintegrate and become advocates for their community. She also made history when she became the first formerly incarcerated person to graduate law school and be admitted to the Washington State Bar Association.

Simmons remains a standout member of the Legislature. Her first piece of legislation in 2021 was automatic voter registration for formerly incarcerated people. Since then, she's worked hard to expand civil rights, health care, and more for Washingtonians. This year, she was the prime sponsor of successful bills that strengthen funding for the Washington Physician Health Program, which will support mental health for health care professionals as well improving patient access to care. Simmons has helped secure funding for local projects like housing with on-site services at St. Vincent de Paul in Bremerton and the Bainbridge Island Senior Community Center.

Also running in this race is Republican Kurt Robertson. He is a veteran who has taught business courses as an adjunct faculty member. He has very little in the way of campaign priorities or information on his website. In fact, he has the exact same three bullet points as fellow 23rd District candidate Jamie Miles: enforcement of the law, being pro-business, and repealing the climate-critical carbon tax. This does not give the impression he is running a serious campaign, and certainly not one that addresses the pressing needs of the district.

Simmons is the clear choice to represent the 23rd Legislative District in Position 1.

Rep. Greg Nance is running to retain Position 2 representing the 23rd Legislative District, to which he was appointed late last year. Nance is the CEO of the nonprofit Run Far Foundation and founded two organizations that have helped fund students' university educations.

In his brief time in the Legislature, Nance has prioritized improving service and increasing funding for local ferries. In particular, he is proud of securing an additional $80 million for ferry construction, maintenance, and workforce expansion. In addition, Nance supported bills to stabilize rent prices, reduce gun violence, and provide more mental health support for young people. In our interview, Nance enthusiastically supported more permanent and transitional housing to solve the state's homelessness crisis as well as more housing at every price point in the continuum. As someone who struggled with addiction in his youth, he wants to center these resources to meet people where they are and make every dollar more effective. Nance’s campaign priorities this year are improving the ferry system, funding childcare, and expanding the health care workforce.

Republican Jamie Miles is also running for the seat to protect "God, Family and Country." She has worked in the medical field as a surgeon, though she lists no elected or community leadership positions on her website. Notably, Miles has an identical platform to a fellow 23rd District Republican candidate. Predictably, the conservative bullet points she lists are focused on tearing down climate protections, prioritizing business interests above all, and offering uncritical support of law enforcement despite community demands for alternatives and accountability.

Greg Nance deserves your vote for Legislative District 23, Position 2 to continue supporting working families and transit infrastructure with energy and dedication.

Adam Bernbaum is running for House Position 1 in the 24th Legislative District which is currently held by Mike Chapman who is running for the district’s open Senate seat in this race. Bernbaum stepped down from his position as a legislative assistant for Democrat Sen. Kevin Van De Wege to run for the seat. Before that, he worked as a field organizer for Congressman Derek Kilmer, and as a policy analyst for the Council for Court Excellence, a behavioral health and criminal justice nonprofit. Bernbaum also serves on the boards of the Olympic View Community Foundation, the Nor’wester Rotary, and the Clallam County Conservation Futures Program Advisory Board.

In our interview with Bernbaum earlier this year, he pointed to three issues as the most pressing for his campaign: affordable housing, more accessible and affordable childcare, and a stabilized rural health care system. He wants to significantly increase resources in behavioral health to lower inpatient and substance abuse treatment wait times. Bernbaum supports much-needed efforts to increase the housing supply and wants to see denser housing built, including homes near transit, duplexes, fourplexes, and bigger multifamily buildings to address rising home and rent costs. He also supported short-term relief for those living in manufactured homes. The rest of Bernbaum’s progressive-endorsed platform also prioritizes climate change solutions, rural broadband, and reproductive health care. 

Also in this race is deputy prosecutor Matt Roberson, who is running on a familiar Republican platform that puts corporations before working families. He suggests siphoning money from our public schools to send students to private institutions. Roberson also wants to repeal the state's landmark law that holds polluters responsible for the emissions and protects the climate.

We recommend Adam Berbaum for Legislative District 24, House Position 1 because of his background in pragmatic leadership.

Kenneth King is a behavioral health specialist who is running to make health services more accessible and improve life for everyday residents in the 25th District. King has worked for the county’s Continuum of Care program to support our Pierce neighbors facing housing instability. He also previously served as the chair of the community-led Puyallup Watershed Initiative to care for the environmental and community health of the region.

King wants to emphasize community-based diversion and intervention programs to help people experiencing behavioral health struggles. He wants to ensure students can access the health care they deserve and feels that new development needs to incorporate environmental planning. His vision and candidacy have earned strong support from our partner organizations and local progressive groups.

King is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Chris Gildon, who was first elected to the seat in 2020 and previously served in the state House for two years. He is an Army veteran who worked professionally in the real estate industry. In office last year, Gildon voted against bills to strengthen gun violence prevention and opposed funding assistance for working families. His sparse platform emphasizes cutting public revenue and rolling back efforts to have the wealthy and corporations pay their share in taxes. As a leader of the Senate Republicans, it's clear that Gildon will continue dragging the state backward on many important policies if he is re-elected.

Kenneth King is the clear choice for state Senate from the 25th Legislative District.

Democrat Cameron Severns is running for Legislative District 25, House Position 1 to fill Republican Kelly Chambers' seat. Severns is an insurance agent and has served the community on the board of the South Hill Church, where he has led an addiction-recovery ministry. In 2022, he vied for another incumbent Republican’s seat in the 25th Legislative District in a formidable write-in campaign.

Severns is a more moderate candidate, running to bring a commonsense alternative to the district’s conservative leadership. He is a vocal advocate for environmental protections and a high quality of life for all. His campaign is built on his own experience with eviction and job loss. If elected, Severns wants to make sure that all residents of the 25th Legislative District have the same support. He is leading with the values of unity, problem-solving, and collaboration.

Challenging Severns is Republican Michael Keaton, a senior manager at one of the largest missile producers and U.S. defense contractors. Keaton has also served two terms on the Puyallup School Board. In this race, Keaton is running on a vague platform to eliminate regulations that keep our communities and ecosystems safe and to throw more people into our overcrowded jails and prisons.

Severns is the clear choice in this race for Position 1 in the 25th Legislative District.

Democrat Shellie Willis is challenging incumbent Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen for House position 2 in the 25th Legislative District. Willis has previously run for public office and currently works at a local workforce development nonprofit as the senior director of collective impact. She is also an Army veteran who is very involved in supporting servicewomen, women veterans, and military spouses, including as the chair of the Women Veterans Advisory Committee for the state. Finally, Willis serves on the board of the Puyallup Sumner Chamber of Commerce.

Willis has demonstrated a long track record of civic leadership and previously ran an inclusive campaign that envisioned prosperous and safe neighborhoods for all. She is running on a community-centric platform to address living affordability, investing in infrastructure, supporting veterans’ affairs, building true community safety, and more. Willis has earned an impressive number of endorsements in this race including from many of our partner organizations as well as local Democratic groups and progressive elected leaders.

Willis is challenging Republican Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen, who is running for a third term. A former Puyallup City Council member, Jacobsen has taken far-right positions in public office including opposing both marriage equality and reproductive health care as well as advocating for something she calls “biblical citizenship.” In Olympia last year, she voted against bills to protect private consumer data and she opposed an abortion shield law that protects Washington state health care workers when they provide abortion care to patients from Washington and from out of state.

Residents in Legislative District 25 deserve a representative in the Legislature who will bring us together to make progress on housing affordability, quality health care, and good wages. Willis is the best choice in this race.

Housing attorney Adison Richards is running for state House from the 26th Legislative District. With his background in legal assistance for the disenfranchised, Richards' campaign emphasizes a better approach to public safety and addresses the rising cost of housing. Richards previously worked at the Northwest Justice Project assisting survivors of crime, including domestic violence and human trafficking, and now works at Kitsap Legal Services in housing law. He also volunteers in the community with groups like the Rotary Club, Harbor History Museum, and the Bremerton NAACP.

Unlike his opponent, Richards promotes policies that help the middle class, including supporting tax reform that makes the wealthy pay their share, building more housing, and supporting clean energy jobs. With his experience in helping people struggling with housing instability, he knows the country's mental and behavioral health challenges require a comprehensive response. He is committed to improving public safety through community investments that raise wages, increase education options, and expand stable housing. Richards narrowly lost to Republican Spencer Hutchins in 2022 by a few hundred votes but has come back this year with a stronger platform and campaign.

Challenging Richards is former representative Jesse Young, one of the most conservative members of the state House, Young sponsored several bills aimed at curtailing people's constitutional right to an abortion long before the Supreme Court's ruling in 2022, including a bill to ban most abortions after 15 weeks. Young was also infamously restricted from having legislative staff after allegations of mistreatment in 2017. He has led some of the more controversial conservative policies, like efforts to stop a ban on high-capacity magazines. If elected, Young can be expected to rejoin the Legislature with the same far-right fervor that he held while in office.

Richards is the best choice in this race as a thoughtful progressive who has worked to improve the lives of all in the district.

Sen. Yasmin Trudeau is seeking another term representing the 27th Legislative District in the state Senate. She first joined the Senate when the Pierce County Council unanimously selected her to fill Sen. Jeannie Darneille’s seat in 2021. She was elected to the seat since and has distinguished herself as a progressive voice. Outside of the Senate, she works as the Race Equity Unit manager for the Washington State Office of the Attorney General.

In Olympia, Trudeau has made ambitious strides toward progress. Recently, she was the primary sponsor of a bill to reduce police violence by prohibiting the practice of hog-tying in the wake of the killing of Manuel Ellis by three Tacoma police officers. Trudeau was also a primary sponsor of bills to cover lactation consulting under Medicaid and offer voluntary professional licensing for providers, to increase middle housing options, to establish both Eid al-Fitr and Hannukah as state holidays, and to strengthen jury diversity so our criminal legal system functions more fairly. Her priorities have long centered on building safe and sustainable communities, including through investments in environmental protections, behavioral health services, accessible housing, food security, and more.

Republican Carole Sue Braaten is challenging Trudeau this year. In 2012, she ran for a state House seat representing Legislative District 25 but did not make it past the primary. In this race, she has yet to release a campaign platform or website as of late August.

Yasmin Trudeau is the best choice in this race for the Legislative District 27 senate seat.

Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins is running for re-election to the 27th Legislative District, Position 1. She has been a passionate and effective champion for progressive values, particularly in her fight for racial and gender equity and closing tax loopholes. Since 2020, she has served as the first woman and LBGTQ+ speaker of the House in Washington.

As speaker, Jinkins leads the House's legislative process. She consistently advocates for the wealthy to pay their share and provide the resources our communities need to thrive. Recently, she has pledged to protect the right to abortion in Washington state. In previous sessions, Jinkins sponsored bills to improve education funding and secure resources for a new health clinic in Hilltop that serves low-income patients.

Challenging Jinkins this year is Republican Ken Paulson, who has run for office twice before with campaigns in 2008 and 2010 for Pierce County Council and state Senate. He raised no funds in his previous campaigns and has no campaign information or website available this year as of late August. Paulson has been featured in local newspapers advocating for anti-stalking laws after the death of his daughter at the hands of a stalker in 2010.

Speaker Jinkins has been a keystone of progressive advocacy in Washington and has earned another term in the House.

Sen. T'wina Nobles is running for re-election for the 28th Legislative District Senate seat to continue her outstanding work in Olympia. Nobles is the president and CEO of the Tacoma Urban League, an organization that helps underserved communities navigate difficult economic times. She has worked in education for 15 years as an instructor, University Place School Board director, and PTA leader.

As chair of the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee, she has dedicated herself to improving the lives of students across the state. Nobles sponsored a bill signed into law this year that will help youth in foster care thrive by providing them access to financial literacy education and banking. She also sponsored bills this session to increase access to free meals for students in need, establish collective bargaining rights for employed students, and make financial aid more accessible for postsecondary school students. As the only Black member of the Senate, Nobles has worked hard to improve equity for all in the state.

If elected, Nobles wants to increase pay for teachers, reduce class sizes, and work to make schools more inclusive and equitable. She knows more needs to be done to ensure families in the 28th LD are healthy and safe, which she believes includes gun violence prevention, addiction recovery and mental health resources, and better health care access.

Nobles faces a challenge from Republican Maia Espinoza who has served on the Governor's Commission on Hispanic Affairs and is the executive director and founder of the Center for Latino Leadership, a civic engagement organization. This is Espinoza's fourth run for public office, with failed runs for Lakewood City Council, state representative, and Superintendent of Public Education. Espinoza's previous campaigns have been newsworthy for a lawsuit against her for false claims about her opponent's stance on comprehensive sexual health education, which Espinoza has stood against despite research showing healthier outcomes for students who learn about consent and their own health. She was also dinged in her 2020 race against Reykdal for falsely listing her organization as a nonprofit when it didn't meet the criteria. Her brief list of policy priorities this year includes right-wing dog whistles involving parental rights, which conservatives have used this year to try and siphon off public funding for private schools and enact book bans.

Nobles has been a standout progressive leader and has earned your vote for re-election to the state Senate.

Rep. Mari Leavitt is running for re-election for the 28th Legislative District's House Position 1. Leavitt previously worked as the deputy director of Pierce County Human Services and has also served as a PTSA board member in University Place, chair of the Pierce County Ethics Commission, and on the Mel Korum YMCA board of directors.

Since joining the Legislature in 2019, Leavitt has focused on improving education, safeguarding democracy, and advocating for veterans and military families. She sponsored successful bills this year to protect election workers from harassment and death threats, assign the Washington Military Department to help residents in extreme weather events, and provide education to schools to prevent youth drug overdoses and addiction. She also sponsored a bill to help veterans and military families access workforce training after their assignments.

Her Republican opponent is Marine Corps veteran Gabe Sachwitz. Like many conservatives, he says that laws should be examined through the lens of the Constitution, but he offers little detail about how that would affect policies he would support in the Legislature. Sachwitz also states that policies should be "widely acceptable" to the public and that legislators shouldn't support "random changes," though again he gives no specific examples of actual policies or laws with which he has concerns. As of late August, he has no concrete examples of what he would seek to accomplish as a lawmaker.

Leavitt has worked hard to expand benefits for military families, fund local projects like toxic "forever chemicals" cleanup in Lakewood, and more. She is the best and most experienced choice in this race.

Incumbent Representative Dan Bronoske is running for another term in Legislative District 28, House Position 2. In addition to his Legislative work, Bronoske has served as a Pierce County and Lakewood firefighter for two decades and is an active union member. He is also a delegate on the Pierce County Central Labor Council Delegate and a member of the Pierce College EMS Advisory Board.

In office, Bronoske has been a champion of working people and community safety. Last session, he supported bills to strengthen gun safety in our communities, add legal protections against certain forms of sexual assault, and ensure oil pipelines do not harm our ecosystems. Bronoske’s top campaign priorities include continuing to improve community safety, reducing the cost of living, and supporting local small businesses.

Republican Mark Herr is challenging Bronoske for his seat from the right. He emphasizes police and law enforcement as the main tools to address homelessness, which represents only a band-aid approach to a complex challenge. Unfortunately, Herr provides voters with few details about his campaign priorities or how he would achieve results in office.

Rep. Dan Bronoske is a strong advocate for community progress and he deserves your vote for another term in the 38th Legislative District’s House Position 2

Rep. Melanie Morgan is running for re-election for the 29th Legislative District, House Position 1. Morgan is an Army veteran who was elected to the Franklin-Pierce School Board in 2015 and worked with Young Life to create a mentorship group for young Black men, focusing on participation in STEM fields. Since taking office in 2019, she has been an advocate for representation and equity in Olympia where she has served as the deputy majority floor leader.

As someone who has experienced homelessness, Morgan has focused her efforts in the Legislature on ensuring Washingtonians stay healthy and housed. She was the primary sponsor of the successful effort to establish a state department of housing that aims to tackle the enormous need for homelessness prevention and increased housing options. She has also worked to secure funding for a new Parkland/Spanaway homeless shelter, rental assistance, and charity care for those who need medical services but are struggling to afford them. In addition, Morgan has focused on supporting bills that provide food assistance to needy families, cap the cost of insulin, and increase public transportation options in Pierce County. She boasts strong endorsements in this race from progressive leaders and community organizations.

We are concerned about recent reports that Morgan "engaged in abusive and bullying conduct" while in office. Leaders of the House Democrats are waiting for the completion of her appeal before taking any action. Pending the outcome of the investigation, at the current time of writing, Morgan is more qualified than her opponent in terms of a real strategy and experience about how to make and pass policies that affect the people of the district.

Democratic challenger Richard Miller is a realtor who is running to expand resources in schools, improve housing affordability, and make communities feel safe. However, he has no website or campaign materials available as of early June. In our interview with Miller, he confirmed that he wanted to run to support everyone in the district, reduce partisanship, and help build a sense of community. Though we agreed with him broadly on some issues, he unfortunately had no concrete policy proposals or solutions to support these positions.

Melanie Morgan is still the best option for Position 1 in the 29th Legislative District.

Rep. Sharlett Mena is running unopposed for re-election on her strong record from her first term representing the 29th Legislative District. Mena has a deep background in both public service and community organizing. She currently works at the Washington State Department of Ecology advancing environmental justice, protecting clean air and water, and implementing climate action. She co-created Voter Turnup in 2021, an organization led by people of color to spur voter turnout and civic engagement. Notably, she also served on the boards of Progreso, Planned Parenthood, and Fuse Washington, which produces this guide.

In the Legislature, Mena has worked hard to secure rights for all Washingtonians. She was the prime sponsor of the bills to improve the Voting Rights Act, ban hog-tying by law enforcement, and expand existing pay equity protections under Washington’s anti-discrimination laws.

Mena has had an impressive first term and has earned your vote to continue representing the 29th Legislative District.

Rep. Jamila Taylor is running for re-election to the 30th Legislative District, House Position 1. First elected in 2020, Taylor is an attorney who advocates for crime victims and has an extensive record of volunteer service. She previously served as the statewide advocacy counsel for the Northwest Justice Project, where she managed a network of legal aid attorneys, and she has additionally worked on youth intervention programs and other violence reduction efforts. Taylor is a former elected chair of the state Black Members Caucus, where she advocated for racial equity for all Washingtonians. She chairs the Developmental Advocacy Caucus and is the First Vice Chair of the Members of Color Caucus.

In Taylor's second term, she sponsored several important bills, including creating an investigation unit for missing Indigenous women, developing opportunities for climate-ready workforce programs, and providing free school meals for hungry students. She's also secured millions of dollars locally for youth violence prevention programs, funding therapeutic court interventions for drug-related crimes, supporting small business development, adding transit-oriented housing near the Redondo Heights light rail station, and much more.

Republican Melissa Hamilton is challenging Taylor from the right. Hamilton has worked in several positions in law enforcement, including as a records specialist and administrative assistant. Hamilton's agenda, including references to "classroom agendas outside of academics," echoes the state's larger conservative movement to ban books and prevent historically accurate discussions about race in schools. Hamilton's far-right values are clearly out of step with the voters of the 30th District.

Taylor has been a stalwart advocate for progress for all. We recommend re-electing Jamila Taylor for the 30th Legislative District, Position 1.

Democratic incumbent Cindy Ryu is running for another term in House Position 1 representing the 32nd District. She joined the Legislature in 2011, becoming the first Korean American to serve in the state Legislature. Before that, she became the first Korean American woman mayor in the country when she was elected mayor of Shoreline. Outside of elected office, Ryu runs a property management business.

Ryu is a reliable Democratic voice in Olympia with top policy focuses on public education, the climate, transit infrastructure, and small businesses. As a secondary sponsor, Ryu helped pass a slate of progressive bills this past session, including bills to strengthen voting processes, support professional licensing for undocumented Washingtonians, and enact the Nothing About Us Without Us Act to ​​promote disability justice.

Republican Lisa Rezac is challenging Ryu in this race. Rezac has attempted to paint herself as a moderate by pointing to her previous Democratic voting record. However, she actually chairs the 32nd Legislative District Republicans, leading the conservative agenda for the area. Like other right-wing candidates in this election, Rezac is running on a divisive platform that prioritizes business interests and misinformation.

Cindy Ryu is the best choice in this race.

Democrat Rep. Lauren Davis is running for another term in Legislative District 32, House Position 2. Davis has served in the state Legislature since 2019 and serves as the strategy director of the Washington Recovery Alliance, a nonprofit supporting those experiencing addiction and mental illness that she helped found.

Davis has made gun violence prevention, addiction recovery, public education, and affordable housing her top priorities in office. In the most recent session, she supported several successful progressive bills, including legislation to strengthen protections against gun violence, authorize professional licenses for undocumented Washingtonians, and expand wage anti-discrimination protections.

Republican Lori Theis is running on a conservative that echoes some of the MAGA movement's conspiracy theories. She claims to be running because of what she perceives to be corruption and "criminal enterprises" but fails to offer specific details or solutions.

Davis has earned your vote for another term representing the 32nd Legislative District.

Democrat Rep. Tina Orwall is seeking re-election to House Position 1 representing the 33rd Legislative District. Orwall first joined the state House in 2009 and she has served as the pro tem speaker in office for multiple terms. Before that, she spent 20 years as a professional in the public mental health systems and held a position in Seattle’s Office for Housing, working to connect people to direct services and resources.

During her tenure in Olympia, Orwall has been a strong advocate for survivors of sexual assault. In particular, she has worked to end Washington’s backlog of rape kits and pass legislation to support sex-trafficking victims. This year, she helped pass three progressive bills as a secondary sponsor: one providing for apprenticeship programs for Native American residents, one to strengthen the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act to prevent wage discrimination, and one to pass the Nothing About Us Without Us Act, which bolsters representative democracy in Washington at all levels of government.

Insurance professional George Richter is mounting a Republican challenge to Orwall in this race. He is running on a vague platform that criticizes Democratic leadership while seeking to promote business interests and espouse conservative values.

We recommend Tina Orwall for another term in Legislative District 33, Position 1.

Democrat Rep. Mia Su-Ling Gregerson is running for re-election to Legislative District 33, Position 2, to which she was first appointed in 2013. Previously, Gregerson served on the SeaTac City Council, including a stint as mayor from 2008 to 2015, and helped to bring the $15 minimum wage initiative to Seattle in 2014. She currently serves on the Washington State Investment Board.

Gregerson is a reliable progressive with an impressive track record advocating for accessible transit, fair wages, and voting rights. This past session, she was the primary sponsor of an unsuccessful bill to codify abortion rights into the state Constitution. As a secondary sponsor, Gregerson helped pass a slate of community-oriented bills to require and fund zero-emission school buses, establish an Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance to help refugee settlements, and expand the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act to strengthen protections against wage discrimination.

Casey Esmond, who is challenging Gregerson without a party affiliation, does not have a working campaign website as of late August. His sparse platform is both vague and conservative-leaning.

We recommend Mia Su-Ling Gregerson for another term in Legislative District 33, Position 2.

Incumbent Rep. Emily Alvarado is running for a second term representing the 34th Legislative District. Alvarado is an attorney who works for Enterprise Community Partners, a nonprofit focused on equity. She has also been a leader at a number of progressive organizations, including as the director of Seattle’s Office of Housing, an organizer with Planned Parenthood, and a board member of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance.

Alvarado had an impressive first term in Olympia. As a primary sponsor, she helped pass legislation to increase access to food assistance programs across the state. Alvarado was also a secondary sponsor of a successful bill to make it easier for low-income students to receive the Washington College Grant. Alvarado's top priority if re-elected is housing, and she sponsored a bill that was recently passed to provide rent stability so Washingtonians can stay housed. She'll also focus on universal health care, expanded childcare assistance for working families, and stronger investments in education.

Republican Radio Host/Podcaster and veteran Kimberly Cloud is challenging Alvarado. Despite having no platform in this race, Cloud states that she would implement “serious changes” if elected. Her voter pamphlet states “All Lives Matter” and stokes fears about public safety without mentioning a single policy solution. We need leaders who can bring people together to implement real solutions to raise our quality of life. Cloud is not a progressive choice.

Alvarado has earned your vote for a second term in Olympia.

Incumbent Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon is running for another term in Legislative District 34, House Position 2. He was first elected to the position in 2010 and has also worked as a legislative staffer and Burien planning commissioner.

In his tenure in the House, Fitzgibbon has been an exceptionally strong environmental advocate, helping Washington fight greenhouse gas emissions, keep air and water clean, reduce pollution, and protect salmon populations. In his most recent term, he was a secondary sponsor on the zero-emission school bus bill to provide sustainable and reliable transportation for Washington students. In addition, Fitzgibbon was a primary sponsor on legislation to help the state meet its climate goals to create a green future for generations to come.

Fitzgibbon is facing a challenge from conservative Jolie Landsdowne, the chair of the 34th Legislative District Republicans. Landsdowne parrots conservative talking points to reduce tax rates for the wealthy and companies, which would make Washington’s tax code even more imbalanced. In this campaign, she has also echoed right-wing desires to teach inaccurate science and history to Washington students.

We recommend Rep. Fitzgibbon for another term in Position 2 representing the 34th Legislative District.

James DeHart is challenging Republican incumbent Travis Couture for House Position 2 in the 35th Legislative District. He previously ran for the district’s other House seat in 2022, when he ran a progressive campaign with a community vision for the district. DeHart has worked for the Department of Social and Health Services and the Department of Transportation. Currently, he works in public records management for the Washington State Gambling Commission.

DeHart is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and a pillar of his campaign is to fight for all marginalized Washingtonians, especially communities of color, to have access to voting, housing, and good wages. He is running an inclusive and optimistic campaign centered on connecting Washingtonians with the basic resources they need to thrive. He believes health care and housing are human rights and wants to strengthen our democracy, deliver high-quality education, and reform law enforcement to better serve all communities.

Republican incumbent Travis Couture is running for re-election to Position 2 representing the 35th Legislative District in Olympia. First elected in 2022, Rep. Couture has spent the last couple of years voting against key community bills such as legislation to increase abortion access for all, to protect consumer health data, and to require basic human rights in Washington’s private prisons. Previously, Couture worked for a manufacturing corporation that focuses on aerospace, arms, and defense. If re-elected, we can expect Couture to continue pushing a conservative agenda in office that doesn’t represent the real community issues facing the district.

DeHart is the clear progressive choice for Position 2 in the 35th District.

Rep. Julia Reed is running unopposed for re-election to Legislative District 36, House Position 1 where she has served for the past two years. Reed currently works in policy consulting and has served in a number of different government roles, including with the State Department’s Special Envoy for Middle East Peace during the Obama administration. She has also served the community as a YMCA Social Impact Center board member, the former chair of the 36th Legislative District Democrats, and previously had served on the board of Fuse Washington, the organization that produces this guide.

Reed is a true progressive with bold ideas for bringing resources, opportunity, and prosperity to Washington communities. This year, she was the primary sponsor of a progressive bill to increase housing availability near transit hubs. She helped to pass a slate of community-oriented bills as a secondary sponsor, including legislation to require zero-emission school buses, to prevent gun violence through better regulation of firearm dealers, and to strengthen protection for abortion care providers who face harassment.

Julia Reed has been an important vote in the state House to move our state forward on key community issues. She deserves your vote for another term in Position 1 representing the 36th Legislative District.

Democratic Rep. Liz Berry is running for another term in Legislative District 36, Position 2. Before joining the Legislature in 2021, Berry served as the director of the Washington State Association of Justice, the president of the National Women’s Political Caucus, and a board member of the organization formerly known as NARAL Pro-Choice Washington.

Berry has had two successful terms as a strong advocate representing her community. This year, she was the primary sponsor of a series of bills aimed at closing loopholes and reducing gun violence in Washington communities. She also helped to pass progressive victories as a secondary sponsor on bills to bring zero-emission school buses to Washington students and to expand wage protections under the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act.

Berry is facing a challenge from conservative Victoria Palmer, a personal organizer and chair of the 36th District Republicans. Palmer claims to have become politically engaged during the coronavirus pandemic when she organized a “March for Freedom” to oppose Gov. Inslee’s science-backed public health guidelines. Her conservative, anti-science views are far out of step with local voters.

We recommend Liz Berry for another term in House Position 2 representing the 36th Legislative District.