26th Legislative District

Incumbent Commissioner John McCarthy is running for re-election to the Port of Tacoma Commission in Position 1. McCarthy first became a commissioner in 1983, serving for nine years, before rejoining the commission again in 2018. His background is as a longshore worker and a Pierce County Superior Court and District Court judge. Between his former and recent port commission terms as well as his judicial leadership, McCarthy has spent nearly four decades in public service roles in Pierce County.

McCarthy’s top issues include environmental protections for the Tacoma Tideflats, job creation, and expanding trade. However, he's taken a relatively moderate approach to many of the port's challenges and missed out on some opportunities to champion environmental conservation and advocate for workers. Despite this record, he's earned an impressive slate of endorsements from progressive community leaders and elected officials.

McCarthy is a good choice for voters looking for a steady, experienced hand at the Port of Tacoma.

Cyrus Donato is running for Tacoma Port Commissioner, District 4. Donato is currently the Puget Sound Inspector for the International Transport Workers' Federation. He also serves on the Washington Advisory Committee on Trafficking, during which he fought against labor exploitation and human trafficking in the maritime industry.

If elected, Donato will prioritize growing cargo, environmental accountability, and improving public trust through ethical governance. He is a proponent of reducing congestion and pollution in the Port's systems and wants to prioritize the use of clean technology to achieve this goal. He also recognized the Puyallup Tribe's land and wants to build more local partnerships in the decision-making process.

Donato is a vocal advocate for workers' rights in the fishing industry, with a particular focus on protecting immigrants. In 2023, he was part of the team that fought for a crew of Filipino fishermen who were trapped aboard fishing vessels for almost 2 months in Westport. The crew was stranded by their abusive employers who refused to pay them wages and kept them separated from their families. Eventually, the crew was rescued and given temporary visas to assist with the investigation into the crimes of their bosses.

While we would like to see some more detailed policy proposals, Cyrus Donato is clearly a progressive and passionate advocate for workers' rights, making him our recommendation in this race.

Bremerton City Council member Jeff Coughlin is challenging incumbent Greg Wheeler for Bremerton Mayor. Coughlin is an astrophysicist and former NASA director who has been on the council since 2021. He is also an active volunteer within the community, serving as the Director of the Kitsap History Museum. If elected, Coughlin would make history as Bremerton's first LGBTQ+ mayor.

Coughlin's campaign adopts a broad and multifaceted approach to addressing the issues facing Bremerton. Some of his primary concerns include housing and affordability, environmental protection, and enhancing connectivity and mobility throughout the city. As an avid biker, he has experienced firsthand the difficulties with mobility that include missing sidewalks and unprotected bike lanes. He hopes to prioritize modern and accessible infrastructure that reduces car dependency and results in a more connected community. On housing and affordability, he proposes streamlining the process for developers to increase the supply of missing middle housing, such as duplexes and backyard cottages, rather than introducing more luxury condos that residents cannot afford.

Coughlin's approach to addressing homelessness in the area could have been more comprehensive, particularly in terms of increasing shelter capacity and expanding transitional housing options. We were disappointed to see some of the language he used on his website express disdain with the unhoused population and lacked suggestions to uplift neighbors out of homelessness and addiction. In 2023, Coughlin voted to implement a camping ban ordinance that restricted camping on certain parts of the city if shelter capacity was unavailable. Homelessness advocates argue against camping ordinances due to concerns over a lack of resources and displacement. Additionally, Coughlin's approach to public safety relies on increasing staffing for police and fire departments, but makes no mention of adding mental and behavioral health resources as alternative policing methods for our most vulnerable neighbors.

Coughlin demonstrates a strong affinity for environmental protection, advocating for expanded park services, greener infrastructure, and upgraded stormwater systems to prevent pollutants from entering the city's water. Coughlin's campaign has earned an overwhelming amount of support from local activists, the current city council, and progressive organizations across the region, including our partners at Washington Conservation Action, Planned Parenthood, and Washington Bikes.


While we do not align with all of his stances, Jeff Coughlin is a good candidate for residents seeking leadership that represents a new generation as Bremerton continues to grow. We lean toward electing him as the next Mayor of Bremerto.