Washington Housing Alliance Action Fund Endorsements

Incumbent Rep. Davina Duerr is running for re-election to Position 1 in the 1st Legislative District. Duerr joined the House in 2019 when she replaced Derek Stanford who moved to the Senate. Prior to joining the Legislature, she served as deputy city mayor from 2016 to 2019 while on the Bothell City Council, where she still serves in an at-large position. She also chaired the Bothell Landmark Preservation Board for eight years and founded the M.I.L.K. Money campaign at the Northshore Schools Foundation to support students experiencing homelessness.

In the Legislature, Duerr has sponsored an impressive slate of progressive legislation. Most recently, she supported bills to make sure all Washingtonians pay their share in taxes and to reduce gun violence caused by homemade guns. Duerr has worked to increase affordable housing options, invest in public schools, and ensure environmental protection.

Duerr's opponent is Republican John Peeples, who unsuccessfully ran for Seattle City Council in 2019 and state representative in the 43rd Legislative District in 2018. This year, he is running again largely to fight against public health requirements that kept Washingtonians safe during the pandemic. Peeples does not have elected or community leadership experience.

Duerr has been a strong and consistent progressive leader in the House and deserves re-election to Position 1 of the 1st Legislative District.

Incumbent Democrat Rep. Timm Ormsby is running for re-election to Position 2 in the 3rd Legislative District. He was first elected to the seat in 2003 and has worked on a wide range of progressive issues during his tenure in office. Outside of the Legislature, Ormsby is the president of the Spokane Regional Labor Council and has worked for a number of labor organizations.

In the House, Ormsby's policy goals include taking action on climate change that supports job growth and sustainable community development. Recently, he supported legislation to keep our communities safe from high-capacity firearms, as well as a bill to ensure cities and counties include affordable housing in their growth plans.

Ormsby is running against Republican Natalie Poulson, a special education teacher who was one of a handful of Finch Elementary School teachers and administrators who refused to wear masks in class last year. Poulson is a Trump Republican who would promote misinformation in our schools, support militarized police forces in our communities, and offer tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy while working families continue to struggle to pay rent, afford medicine, and put food on the table.

Rep. Ormsby has been a strong progressive leader and he deserves your vote for re-election to the 3rd Legislative District in House Position 2.

Rep. Bill Ramos is running for re-election for 5th Legislative District, Position 1 to keep bringing people-first leadership to the district. He first joined the Legislature in 2019 after previously serving on the Issaquah City Council and working as a transportation consultant.

Ramos is running to continue working to make our communities safer by strengthening police accountability measures, investing in public infrastructure, and protecting our local ecosystems. He is also prioritizing economic security and living affordability for the district by expanding housing options and addressing our state’s upside-down tax code.

Ramos has already made progress on these issues in Olympia. In particular, he voted for the historic Move Ahead Washington package that will invest in increased transit access alongside much-needed upgrades to our transportation infrastructure.

Ramos faces a challenge this year from Kenneth Moninski. He has spent his career in the aviation industry, running communications and media businesses. In 2020, he ran unsuccessfully for this same position on a shallow and conservative platform with an endorsement from the NRA. In this election, Moninski's campaign focuses on cutting the funding needed to deliver quality schools, affordable health care, and good-paying jobs that ensure all of our families can thrive.​

Bill Ramos is the clear choice for House Position 1 in the 5th Legislative District.

Democrat Lisa Callan is running for re-election to Position 2 representing the 5th Legislative District, where she has served for the past three years. Before that, she served as both an elected member and president of the Issaquah School Board and worked in the private sector as an engineer and project manager.

Callan has worked hard for positive change in Washington, including improving economic security for working families and investing in our youth and public education. This year, she was named an Advocate for Affordable Housing by Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County for her work to expand housing options for all. Callan introduced two bills to protect students’ mental health as well as legislation to promote safety from surgical smoke for both health care workers and patients. In this race, she has earned broad community endorsements due to her consistent leadership and progressive values.

Republican Chad Magendanz is running once again for the Legislature, this time challenging Callan. He is a former Microsoft program manager who previously served as the president of the Issaquah School Board and in the state House from 2013 to 2017. Magendanz stepped down to run for state Senate in 2016, losing to Sen. Mark Mullet, and then ran again for state House in 2018 and lost to Rep. Bill Ramos.

While in the Legislature, Magendanz maintained a conservative track record, including being the sole East King County legislator of either party to vote against a transportation bill that would have reduced traffic gridlock on the I-405 corridor. Magendanz is running to cut corporate oversight laws that protect workers, consumers, and the environment. Magendanz was proud of his "A" rating from the National Rifle Association during his last campaign, which raises questions about his willingness to keep our communities safe from gun violence.

Rep. Callan is the clear choice in this race and deserves to be re-elected to Position 2 in the 5th Legislative District.

Clyde Shavers is a first-time candidate running for the 10th Legislative District, Position 1. He is a U.S. Navy veteran who previously served as a public affairs officer and now works as a reserve officer.

Shavers’ top campaign issues are addressing the housing crisis and prioritizing environmental sustainability. He has been a leader in helping people in his community access stable housing options, both at law school where he founded the Yale Coalition to End Homelessness, and in Mount Vernon where he volunteered with the Skagit Friendship House. Additionally, he has focused his legal advocacy on finding climate solutions so that all American communities have access to clean drinking water, healthy forests, and safe air, now and for generations to come. If elected, Shavers also wants to work towards quality education, affordable health care, reproductive freedom, and support for veterans.

Shavers is challenging Republican Rep. Greg Gilday, an attorney and realtor who has pushed a very conservative agenda since joining the Legislature in 2021. This year, Gilday voted against legislation to protect Washington’s environment for future generations and opposed a bill to keep our communities safe from gun violence. He fought against comprehensive sexual health education for students and he wants to redirect funding away from community services that help Washingtonians afford the basics in order to further militarize and expand police forces.

Shavers is facing allegations late in the cycle that he exaggerated some of the details of his military service. Although we do not condone such actions if true, we still believe that he would be a better representative based on Gilday’s track record.

Clyde Shavers is the best choice in this race for House Position 1 in the 10th Legislative District.

Democratic Rep. Dave Paul is running for re-election in the 10th Legislative District for Position 2. The incumbent first joined the Legislature in 2019 after working for Skagit Valley College for more than a decade.

Paul has been an advocate for working families and improving our transportation system in office. He was a co-sponsor of last year’s Working Families Tax Credit which puts cash directly into the hands of working Washingtonians. This session, he supported the Move Ahead Washington package to improve public transportation infrastructure and access. Looking forward, Paul wants to invest in giving Washington’s youth the educational and mental health resources they need to succeed.

Republican Karen Lesetmoe is challenging Paul for state House. She is a real estate broker and Navy veteran. Lesetmoe does not have a detailed agenda but she pits her campaign against the state's economic recovery programs that help keep working families afloat. Lesetmoe has echoed Republican talking points about crime while ignoring the investments our communities need to be safe.

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.

Progressive incumbent Rep. David Hackney is running for a second term representing the 11th Legislative District in Position 1. Before joining the Legislature, Hackney spent 25 years as a practicing attorney, including at the U.N., and worked at a handful of progressive organizations that focused on environmental protections and workers' rights. In 2019, he was appointed to the Washington State Human Rights Commission by Gov. Inslee.

This past session, three of Hackney's bills were signed into law. His legislation protected the sensitive information of currently or formerly incarcerated Washingtonians, created a tax exemption for organizations maintaining affordable housing, and increased access to electricity as a transportation fuel for all Washingtonians. Hackney is running for re-election to continue investing in a clean energy future, tackling the housing crisis, and building safe and economically secure communities.

His challenger this year is Republican precinct committee officer Stephanie Peters, who is running under the extreme Election Integrity Party mantle. Her main priority is to question election security, echoing the messages of MAGA Republicans who are trying to overturn the will of the people in the last presidential election. As of late October, Peters does not have a functioning campaign website to detail her priorities.

Rep. Hackney is by far the best choice in this race for his experience and his effective first session as a legislator.

John Zingale is a first-time candidate running for the 18th Legislative District, Position 1 to bring a progressive voice to the seat vacated by Rep. Brandon Vick. Zingale is a middle school social studies teacher in the public school system. He has earned state and local awards as an educator who focuses on civic engagement and he serves on educational boards.

Zingale’s campaign priorities are based on the everyday conversations he has with students and families in the district. He is running to bring municipal broadband to the region, invest in our schools to prepare all our kids to succeed, and help local businesses thrive. Zingale also believes we need to build more affordable housing options, create more living-wage jobs, and break the cycle of generational poverty by addressing the high cost of living with community services.

Stephanie McClintock, a member of the Battle Ground School Board and chair of the Clark County Republican Party, is also vying for the 18th Legislative District seat. McClintock is running on a typically conservative platform to cut public funding that helps improve schools, transit, parks, and community services while spending more further militarizing and expanding police forces. McClintock is also campaigning on divisive rhetoric about school curriculums and wants to erase some of our communities from the history books.

Zingale is the best choice in this race and deserves your vote to bring progressive leadership to House Position 1 representing the 18th Legislative District.

Duncan Camacho is an ICU nurse and a Democratic candidate for the 18th Legislative District, House Position 2. Camacho was a paramedic before earning his nursing degree and he now works in neuro and trauma intensive care units. Camacho additionally serves in a union leadership role at his hospital and is a member of the Washington State Nurses Association.

Camacho wants to bring his background in worker and patient advocacy as well as his expertise in health care to the Legislature. His top priorities include continuing to respond to the spread of COVID-19 with science-based policy, building lasting economic security for working families, bringing living-wage jobs to the area, and investing in public education so all Washington students can thrive.

Also in this race is Greg Cheney, an attorney who previously worked as a legislative advocate for corporations before attaining his law degree. Now he is running for Legislature on a vague, typical Republican platform. Cheney claims he wants to focus on public safety but, like his conservative colleagues, his solution is to send militarized police forces into our communities instead of funding the care, security, services, and infrastructure we need.

Duncan Camacho is the clear choice for Position 2 in the 18th Legislative District and he deserves your vote in this race.

Sen. Marko Liias has been of the state's best progressive advocates for youth and future-focused transit. He was first elected to the Mukilteo City Council in 2005 before being appointed to the state House in 2007, and finally the state Senate in 2014.

As the Democratic Senate floor leader, Liias has led the fight for LGBTQ+ equality and created a student loan bill of rights. In the 2022 session, Liias led on a major transportation package that will expand trails, fund ferries and high speed rail, and let kids ride free on public transportation across the state. He also sponsored bills limiting the sale of high-capacity gun magazines and expanding student loan forgiveness. His past legislative accomplishments include passing a ban on the inhumane practice of conversion therapy and creating a new state financial aid program for undocumented students.

After running for Edmonds City Council last year and losing to Will Chen, Republican Janelle Cass is now challenging Liias for state Senate. Her housing plans would not produce enough homes to offer relief to renters and homeowners in the district who are struggling with rising costs. The homelessness policies Cass proposes focus on attempting to arrest our way out of the problem.

Our communities need a leader who believes everyone deserves a fair shot at a home with a door that locks and access to services. Liias has been a strong force for progress in the Legislature and is by far the best choice in this race.

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 where he proved to be a capable and thoughtful leader.

In Olympia, Peterson has had a hand in passing several important progressive bills. This year, Peterson sponsored legislation to limit the sale of ghost guns and restrict guns in certain public locations like school board meetings. He also sponsored the wealth tax, which would finally make Washington's extremely wealthy pay their share for the resources that we all use, and he supported the middle housing bill to expand housing around transit.

In previous years, Peterson was a sponsor of Breakfast Before the Bell, which provides meals for hungry students. In 2018, he was the primary sponsor of the Secure Drug Medicine Back Act, an innovative program to limit the usage of unused and expired prescriptions in Washington communities.

Peterson faces a challenge from Republican Amy Schaper. She has previously stated that she opposes reproductive freedom and comprehensive, age-appropriate sexual health education. In this race, she is running on a typically conservative platform that does not serve the needs of the community.

Peterson is the clear choice for Legislature in this race.

Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self is running for re-election to the 21st Legislative District, House Position 2. She is a mental health counselor in the Everett School District and an active member of the community focusing on childhood education and strengthening health services.

Since joining the House in 2009, Rep. Ortiz-Self has emerged as a progressive champion for improving the health and wellbeing of youth and families across Washington. She is co-chair of the state’s Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee and serves on the National Council of State Legislators' Education Committee as well.

This year, she was the prime sponsor of the bill to prevent the state from contracting with private prisons, and also supported the successful bill to reduce the sale of high-capacity gun magazines. Previously, Ortiz-Self was the prime sponsor of bills to increase student access to counselors and provide resources for homeless college students. If re-elected, she wants to continue strongly funding education, increase resources for mental wellness, and pass more evidence-based gun violence prevention legislation.

Ortiz-Self's opponent is Republican Petra Bigea, who unsuccessfully challenged Ortiz-Self in 2018. She is running on a vague MAGA Republican platform to prioritize corporations and the wealthy and to chip away at some of our civil rights. Like many Republicans this year, she is trying to turn us against schools and teachers by injecting politics into the classroom and seeking to deny students an honest and accurate education.

The district needs a serious representative who will protect the health and opportunities of everyone. Rep. Ortiz-Self has earned your vote in this race.

Beth Doglio is running for Position 1 in the 22nd Legislative District to highlight the need for climate action, affordable health care, and more.

Doglio was first elected to this seat in 2016 and stepped down in 2020 to run for Congress in the 10th District. During her congressional run, she expressed her support for a Green New Deal and Medicare for All, and she earned the sole endorsement of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Prior to running for office, Doglio worked as the Climate Solutions campaign director and was the founding executive director of Washington Conservation Voters.

While in the Legislature, Doglio advocated for numerous climate and environmental bills, as well as legislation to protect sexual assault survivors and increase funding for affordable housing. If re-elected, Doglio would work to make greater investments in housing for the vulnerable, uphold the ban on assault weapons, increase wages for working people, and more.

Doglio is running against Republican Loretta Byrnes. Leading up to the primary election, her campaign policies were broadly about reducing regulations on businesses, and she attributed an entire slate of social topics - the housing crisis, mental and behavioral health, and criminal reform - to an issue of “dependency.” Much of Byrnes' campaign post-primary election is focused on education, but her positions go against research on youth wellness and education experts. She does not approve of social learning, which helps kids develop healthy friendships and interpersonal skills. Byrnes also does not want universal preschool, which is sorely needed for working parents, nor does she approve of comprehensive sexual health education, which provides age-appropriate, medically accurate education about sex and healthy relationships.

Doglio's work as a progressive leader in many areas during her previous two terms in office would be an asset to the district. Beth Doglio is the clear choice in this race.

Rep. Jessica Bateman is running for re-election to the state House after an outstanding first term of supporting housing solutions and Washington families. Before her election to the House in 2020, Bateman served on the Olympia City Council, on the city's planning commission, and as deputy mayor.

This year Bateman was the prime sponsor for the "middle housing" bill, which sought to expand housing options near transit. She was also a sponsor for accountability on ghost guns and prohibiting open carry in local government buildings where city council and school district board meetings take place.

Bateman's challenger Republican Kate Plager is running on a vague agenda, one that is both conservative and lacking any deeper knowledge of the district or policy details. She states that she will reduce "wasteful" spending and continue to provide the same level of services, without evidence of what is wasteful or would be cut. Like other Republicans this cycle, she references being a law and order candidate in a fear-driven attempt to garner votes without a foundation of what she would improve for the community.

Bateman's strong work on community safety, housing, and more has made her one of the rising stars in the Legislature. Rep. Bateman is by far the best choice in this race.

Rep. Tarra Simmons is running for re-election to 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' previous campaign in 2020 focused on criminal justice and legal reform, as well as fighting for more robust support for working people. In just her first two years in office, she has delivered in a big way. Her first piece of legislation in 2021 was automatic voter registration for formerly incarcerated people. In the 2022 session, Simmons sponsored legislation limiting ghost guns, voted to make the wealthy pay their share into our communities, and supported increasing housing options near transit. If re-elected, she wants to continue building on her success in expanding access to free and reduced-cost health care, restoring civil rights, and funding education.

Her opponent, Republican Janell Hulst, is running on a party-line Republican platform this election. She wants to repeal police accountability measures passed in the Legislature, weaken oversight for corporations, and remove age-appropriate sex and health education from schools. She also is firmly against protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ youth and has no interest in helping flip our state's regressive tax code. This year, Hulst also attended a Kitsap County Public Health meeting to argue against doctors and public health officials trying to protect the community from the latest COVID omicron surge.

Hulst's anti-science stances and pushes against the civil rights of her potential constituents put her at odds with Simmons, who has been a strong advocate for restoring civil rights, health care access, and the district's youth. Simmons is the clear choice for the 23rd District.

Rep. Steve Tharinger is running for re-election to the 24th Legislative District in House Position 2. Since 2010, Tharinger has been a progressive leader for the district, passionate about providing affordable health care options to all Washingtonians and unwavering in his advocacy for innovative policies that protect the environment.

This year, Tharinger sponsored bills to keep our communities safe by restricting ghost guns and prohibiting firearms in school board meetings. He also passed legislation to expand the paid family and medical leave program and increase youth access to behavioral health care.

Tharinger's opponent is Republican Brian Pruiett, who is making a second attempt to unseat Rep. Tharinger. Much of his platform is just rants about the governor and Democrats using an endless stream of Republican talking points. Some of his more absurd policies include producing a "polite society" by arming more people and rolling back police accountability. His plans to address homelessness and people struggling to afford rent include the helpful statement, "don't be underemployed." Notably, he also opposes increasing funding for public schools to ensure our kids have everything they need to succeed.

Like many Republicans running this year, Pruiett is trying to divide and scare on crime instead of providing our communities the care, security, and support we need. Our communities are safe when everyone, no matter what they look like or what zip code they're in, has opportunities for affordable health care, a great education, and fair wages.

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

Emily Randall is one of the Legislature's strongest advocates for expanding access to health care and protecting reproductive freedom. Prior to running for public office in 2018, Randall worked at Planned Parenthood, where she advocated for improving health outcomes for local underserved populations.

Randall has been a productive legislator responsible for writing and passing a host of bills during her four years in office. Her accomplishments include raising the minimum wage for people with disabilities, eliminating disparities in medical training, and extending postpartum health care coverage. She also sponsored legislation that would have protected health care access for families in rural areas.

Randall is running for re-election to reduce the cost of higher education and expand job training programs for graduating high school seniors. She also wants to expand access to affordable health care for Washington families.

In stark contrast to Randall's record of building consensus to pass legislation, her opponent, Rep. Jesse Young, is one of the most extreme MAGA Republicans in Olympia. Young sponsored several bills aimed at eliminating abortion access long before the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. After the 2020 election, Young traveled to Arizona to promote Trump's election conspiracy that sought to overturn the will of the people. During the height of the pandemic, he promoted dangerous, anti-science lies that put lives at risk.

Beyond his radical policy positions, Young also displayed serious lapses in judgment and character while in office. In 2017, Young was banned from managing legislative staff because of "a pattern of hostile and intimidating behavior" in his office. If elected to the Senate, Young can be expected to continue pushing a radical agenda that's far out of step with the people of the 26th Legislative District.

As abortion and health care come under attack by conservatives both federally and at the state level, it is imperative that senators continue to expand coverage and make sure that health care is accessible for all. We strongly recommend a vote for Sen. Emily Randall in the 26th Legislative District.

Sen. Yasmin Trudeau was unanimously selected by the Pierce County Council in late 2021 to replace Sen. Jeannie Darneille when she resigned to take a role in the state Department of Corrections. Trudeau is now running to complete the remainder of the Senate term representing the 27th Legislative District.

In her brief time in office so far, Trudeau has sponsored a large and ambitious slate of bills aimed at supporting youth, expanding health care access, and keeping people in stable housing. Some of the legislation she passed includes allowing unaccompanied, homeless youth to provide their own consent for health care, requiring landlords to accept both electronic and non-electronic payment for rent, and requiring insurance to cover donor breast milk. If re-elected, Trudeau has pledged to continue working hard to make life more secure for working families. She believes the Senate should continue making investments in behavioral health, housing, climate, and transportation policies, and she hopes to lead the charge.

Trudeau faces a challenge from Republican precinct committee officer and administrative manager Ashley Ray. She has only a bullet-point list of priorities on her website that outlines her conservative agenda while offering little information about her actual policy goals. She also repeats common talking points from Trump Republicans this year who want to deny students an honest and accurate education. Overall, her agenda falls short of what the district needs to recover from the pandemic and be a safe and thriving place for all.

Trudeau is the clear choice in this race for her experience and strong leadership in the Senate.

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

Jinkins 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 since Roe v. Wade has been overturned by the conservative Supreme Court majority. 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.

Jinkins' opponent this year is Republican Jalonnie Givens-Jackson. He describes himself as a MAGA enthusiast and liberal gang member turned conservative activist. His policy points are mostly slogans: Authorize Policing, Accountability in Government, and Family Structure is Everything. Givens-Jackson states that he wants to "fully arm law enforcement" and roll back police accountability measures made at the state level. He also wants to see the capital gains tax repealed - one of the few measures that will finally make the state's ultrawealthy pay their share.

Givens-Jackson's plans to empower the state's richest residents and continue to pour money into militarized police don't speak to the needs of the vast majority in the district. Speaker Jinkins is an integral part of progressive advocacy in the state and has worked hard to improve life for all in the district and the state. She has earned your vote for state House once again this year.

Rep. Mari Leavitt is running for re-election for the 28th Legislative District, 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.

As a legislator, Leavitt has focused on improving education and advocating for veterans and military families. During her time in Olympia, Leavitt supported legislation to combat the climate crisis and passed bipartisan legislation to support military families, helping veterans qualify for commercial drivers' licenses and guaranteeing in-state residency status for members and their families pursuing higher education. She has also sponsored legislation this year to address lead in drinking water, help juveniles contacted by law enforcement secure legal representation, and support emergency shelters. If re-elected, Leavitt wants to continue her work supporting affordable housing, education, and more.

Leavitt's opponent in this race is former sheriff's deputy, Marine, and current Pierce College professor Gabe Sachwitz. As of late October, Sachwitz still has no concrete details available about his platform. His official voters' guide statement says that he will address crime and the cost of living, though not how he plans to address them.

Leavitt has been a strong advocate for the district and is the best choice in this race.

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 2018, she has been an advocate for representation and equity in Olympia where she has served as the deputy majority floor leader.

In previous legislative sessions, Morgan was the lead sponsor of legislation prohibiting race-based hair discrimination, preventing gun violence, and establishing the Washington State Office of Equity. More recently, Morgan helped ensure that $200 million was invested in the community for violence prevention programs, legal aid, and reentry support, especially for communities hurt by the war on drugs. Morgan has secured 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. As someone who has personally experienced homelessness, she was an important sponsor of this year's middle housing bill, which would have increased housing options around transit if passed.

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.

Also in this race is Republican Brett Johnson, an Air Force veteran and sawmill and furniture business owner who has also served on the Sound Transit Citizen Oversight Panel, among other roles. Johnson also ran unsuccessfully last year against Kiara Daniels for Tacoma City Council,  As of late October, Johnson has still not released a detailed platform or list of priorities if elected. 

Voters deserve more transparency than Johnson has offered about how he would represent them in Olympia. Morgan has earned strong support from our Progressive Voters Guide partner organizations and is the best choice in this race. 

Sharlett Mena is running for the open 29th Legislative District, House Position 2 seat. Though she lost after a formidable run in the 2020 election to the current representative, Steve Kirby, his retirement after 21 years in the Legislature brings a new opportunity for her impressive candidacy.

Mena has a deep background in both public service and community organizing. She currently serves as Special Assistant to the Director of the Washington State Department of Ecology and has also worked in the governor's office. She co-created Voter Turnup in 2021, an organization led by people of color to spur voter turnout and civic engagement. Notably, she also serves on the boards of Progreso, Planned Parenthood, and Fuse Washington, which produces this guide.

Mena wants to take bold action to combat the climate crisis equitably, reduce homelessness, invest in transportation, and increase affordable housing. She sees reforming our upside-down tax code to finally make the wealthy pay their share as a key to our state's future.

Running against Mena is nurse practitioner David Figuracion. He does not have elected or community leadership experience and is running on a standard conservative agenda. His campaign materials focus on stoking fears of lawlessness, repealing age-appropriate sexual health education, and opposing making the wealthy finally pay their share with legislation like the wealth tax. His only endorsement is one from an anti-choice PAC fighting against reproductive freedom for all Washingtonians.

Sharlett Mena has strong progressive credentials and is ready to hit the ground running in Olympia. She is the best choice in the 29th Legislative District.

Sen. Claire Wilson was elected to the Senate in 2018 and serves as the assistant majority whip. Prior to her election, she spent 25 years as an administrator of early childhood education at the Puget Sound Educational Services District and has served in many community leadership roles, including on the PTA, Citizens for Federal Way Schools, and the Building Better Futures Board, among others.

This year, Wilson sponsored bills to invest in transportation, including ferry upgrades and free rides for kids on transit, as well as the successful gun safety measure of limiting high-capacity magazines. She also sponsored legislation to make Washington's extraordinarily wealthy residents finally pay their share for resources we all use. As an expert in education and youth, Wilson also sponsored a bill that will expand accessible and affordable child care and early education programs.

Wilson faces a challenge from former state representative and Federal Way Council President Linda Kochmar. Her 40-word, bullet-point agenda provides little detail on what she plans to do if elected. In the few words offered she alludes to revoking police accountability measures passed in the Legislature. Her record shows her opposition to making the wealthy pay what they owe our communities, and her legislative record received a "D" grade from Pro-Choice Washington. Kochmar is one of the more conservative members of the Federal Way City Council, going so far as to oppose hazard pay for grocery workers at the height of the pandemic.

Wilson has been a solid legislator and a mover of progressive policies in the Senate, especially for kids and families. She deserves your vote in the 30th Legislative District.

Jamila Taylor is running for re-election to the 30th Legislative District, House Position 1. 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 has worked on youth intervention programs and other violence reduction efforts. Taylor was elected chair of the state Black Members Caucus this year, where she advocates for racial equity for all Washingtonians.

In her first term, Taylor sponsored successful bills to restrict the open carry of guns in public places like school board meetings, establish the state's first statewide digital equity plan, and create a system to locate missing Indigenous people. She was the prime sponsor of legislation that will expand scholarships for community and technical college students. She also supported increasing housing options near transit to alleviate the state's housing crisis. If re-elected, Taylor wants to work on crime and violence prevention, affordable housing access, and health care.

Taylor's opponent Casey Jones states that he is a Federal Way police commander with 23 years in law enforcement who, unsurprisingly, wants to increase prosecution. Unfortunately, law and order is the only campaign agenda point on his website. Aside from a desire to reduce police accountability measures passed recently in the Legislature, Jones offers no further vision for the district. This doesn’t speak to an interest in the majority of work that a legislator needs to do to keep their communities healthy and whole, including protecting our water and air, supporting great schools, addressing the housing crisis, and more.

The 30th District doesn't need more abrasive and divisive rhetoric. As we continue to recover from the pandemic, the district needs someone who can bring together communities and write legislation that works for everyone. Taylor's standout first term has shown that she is a progressive and capable legislator, and she has earned your vote in the 30th Legislative District.

Chris Vance is challenging Trump Republican Sen. Phil Fortunato as an independent. Vance has previously served in elected office both in the state Legislature and as a member of the Metropolitan King County Council. He was the former chair of the state’s Republican party and now works for King County in communications and serves as a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center, a Libertarian think tank.

Vance is an outspoken voice against the MAGA Republican trend in the local party he used to lead. His campaign priorities include making sure all public schools have the resources they need for students to thrive and improving our transit system. Unfortunately, he also wants to direct resources away from the things that make our communities safe and strong like affordable housing, accessible health care, and clean parks, and instead use those funds to expand and militarize police forces.

Fortunato typifies the extreme Republicans Vance opposes. On the first day of the legislative session this year, Fortunato was escorted off the legislative campus for refusing to follow basic COVID-19 protections. Later, he falsely told constituents that COVID safety guidelines have caused more deaths than the virus itself, which has claimed 1 million lives. Fortunato has also promoted far-right conspiracies that seek to overturn the will of the people in the 2020 election and he recently said that the state’s equity efforts were racial “segregation.”

Residents of the 31st Legislative District deserve a representative who will put community needs above extremist ideologies and conspiracy beliefs. Though he is not a progressive, Chris Vance is the best choice in this race for state senator.

Democrat Rep. Cindy Ryu is running for re-election to the 32nd Legislative District, Position 1. Ryu was originally elected in 2011 when she became the first Korean American to join the state Legislature. Before that, Ryu also made history as the first Korean American woman mayor in the country when she served the City of Shoreline.

Ryu has been an advocate for public education, transportation, small business owners, and the environment in the Legislature. Recently, she sponsored a slate of progressive bills including legislation to prohibit guns at school board meetings, city council meetings, and election offices. In the last few weeks, Ryu reaffirmed her support for reproductive freedom for all Washingtonians.

Ryu faces a challenge this year from Lori Theis, the former director of Alliance for the Advancement of Canine Welfare. Theis is one of several extreme conservatives this year running as a member of the "Election Integrity Party." Her main reason for running is to question election security, echoing the messages of Trump Republicans who tried to overturn the will of the people in the last presidential election.

Ryu is by far the best choice in this race.

Rep. Lauren Davis is seeking re-election to Position 2 representing the 32nd Legislative District. She joined the Legislature in 2019 and additionally leads the Washington Recovery Alliance, a nonprofit that helps those experiencing addiction and mental health issues. In her free time, Davis also serves on the Public Policy Committee for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Washington State.

In the Legislature, Davis has voted with other progressives on important bills that prohibited the sale of high-capacity firearm magazines and set new carbon neutrality goals for the state. Recently, she sponsored legislation to connect people who are experiencing mental health crises with treatment and resources rather than criminalization. Davis’ top priorities include affordable housing, gun violence prevention, addiction recovery, and quality education from K-12 to public universities.

Davis's challenger is Republican Anthony Hubbard. He does not have a working campaign website or priorities listed as of mid-October and has no professional, elected, or community leadership experience in his official voter's guide statement. Though he's running as a Republican, his language is a near copy-paste duplicate of the extreme Election Integrity Party candidates this year. Their priority is to question election security alongside the Trump Republicans who tried to overturn the will of the people last presidential election.

Rep. Davis is by far the best choice in this race.

Incumbent Sen. Karen Keiser is running unopposed for re-election to the state Senate from the 33rd Legislative District. She serves as the president pro tempore of the state Senate and as the chair of the Labor, Commerce & Tribal Affairs Committee. Before joining the Legislature in 1995, she spent 25 years working for the Washington State Labor Council.

In Olympia, Sen. Keiser is committed to improving the affordability of prescription drugs, strengthening workplace safety and security, and expanding accessible housing for all. This year, she was one of the sponsors of a bill to address our state's upside-down tax code. Keiser also recently voted in favor of a bill to prohibit guns in certain government and voting spaces as well as legislation to set new environmental protection goals for the state.

If re-elected, Sen. Keiser wants to work on getting Washingtonians access to high-quality public education, economic security for families and small businesses, and affordable health care. Keiser has earned your vote for state Senate.

Rep. Mia Su-Ling Gregerson is running unopposed for re-election to Position 2 in the 33rd Legislative District. The former Sea-Tac mayor and city council member has served in the House since 2013 where she has prioritized improving public infrastructure and social services. Rep. Gregerson is proud of serving as the vice chair of both the House Members of Color Caucus and House Appropriations Committee.

Gregerson has been a champion in Olympia for equity, voting rights, and housing affordability. This session, she succeeded in passing the Digital Equity Act, a bill to address the digital resource divide between students so that all of Washington’s kids have a chance to prosper. If re-elected, Gregerson wants to bring access to reliable broadband to all Washingtonians, increase affordable housing options, and work to combat the climate crisis.

Gregerson has earned your vote for state House.

Incumbent Sen. Joe Nguyen is running to continue bringing strong progressive leadership to the state Senate from the 34th Legislative District, where he has served since 2018. Outside of the Legislature, he has spent almost a decade at Microsoft as a senior program manager. He is running to put people over politics and keep helping Washingtonians access the resources they need to thrive.

This year, Nguyen sponsored a bill to prohibit the sale of high-capacity firearm magazines and keep our communities safe from gun violence. He also supported Move Ahead Washington, a historic policy package that will upgrade the state’s public transportation while making it more accessible for all and reducing our environmental impact. Throughout his first term, Nguyen’s priorities have included working toward environmental justice, balancing our state’s upside-down tax code, reforming our broken criminal legal system, and making sure all Washingtonians have equitable opportunities.

Nguyen faces a challenge from Republican John Potter, a paraeducator with the Highline School District and a member of the Teamsters Local 763. Potter would bring extremely conservative views to office if elected. He has a transphobic opinion of gender-affirming health services and wants to revoke our freedom to decide whether and when to grow our families by trying to ban safe, legal abortion. Potter’s approach to the housing crisis is to vilify our neighbors struggling to secure stable housing while cutting funding for the community services so many of us rely on.

Joe Nguyen has fought to make our state a place where all families and communities can thrive. He deserves to be re-elected and is the clear choice in this race.

Environmental advocate Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon is running for re-election to Position 2 in the 34th Legislative District. Fitzgibbon worked as a legislative staffer and served on the Burien Planning Commission before joining the Legislature in 2010.

Fitzgibbon is running for re-election to build on his impressive track record of success. He played a leading role in passing clean fuels legislation that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lead to cleaner air. In addition, he supported legislation to cut plastic bag pollution, reduce gender pay disparities, and improve gun safety laws.

This session, Fitzgibbon also passed bills to streamline the permitting process for salmon recovery projects, increase the construction of affordable housing, and expand coverage of paid family and medical leave. His other priorities in office include addressing mass incarceration and inequities in our criminal legal system, expanding voting rights, and investing in public transportation.

Software engineer and Republican Andrew Pilloud is running against Fitzgibbon to roll back many of these progressive victories. He does not have elected experience but volunteers with a robotics program. Pilloud's thin platform mentions mental health and addiction as the drivers of homelessness without addressing the cause that local housing experts have pointed to for years: the lack of affordable housing options. Pilloud also makes vague statements about criminals and a confusing statement about abortion that implies that he does not fully support the freedom of Washingtonians to decide whether and when we have children.

Rep. Fitzgibbon has been one of the most effective progressive legislators in Olympia and has earned your support for another term.

Rep. Noel Frame is running for the state Senate on a strong and progressive record of action in the state House. First elected as a representative in 2016, she previously served as the Washington state director of Progressive Majority, where she worked to recruit and elect progressive candidates from underrepresented communities. She has spent her time in Olympia advocating for working families, funding our public schools, and rebalancing our state's upside-down tax code.

Frame had a particularly productive legislative session this year. She sponsored many of the progressive bills that passed into law, including limiting ghost guns, restricting guns in certain public areas, creating a system to locate missing Indigenous people, and creating middle housing near transit. Though the bill didn't pass this year, Frame also sponsored the wealth tax bill that would make the extraordinarily wealthy finally pay their share for the resources we all use. She has supported juvenile justice reform, expanded the number of families who qualify for child care assistance, and protected us from surprise medical billing by continuing to push for a progressive Washington.

Frame faces planning and design consultant Kate Martin, who ran for Seattle City Council last year against Teresa Mosqueda, in 2019 against Councilmember Dan Strauss, and in 2013 for Seattle mayor.

While Martin filed for office as a Democrat, her values and public statements make it clear that she's not progressive. In December of 2020, Martin stated that "I joined the GOP today" and claims to have re-joined the Democratic Party only recently. However, her Facebook page is an endless stream of Republican conspiracy theories and disinformation about unions, the LGBTQ community, homelessness, and people struggling with addiction.

This race offers a clear contrast between a hard-working, proven leader in Olympia and a candidate who would block the kind of bold progressive reforms our communities need. While Martin filed for office as a Democrat, voters should know that her public statements reveal the truth about her far-right beliefs on a wide range of topics.

Rep. Frame has been a strong advocate for the district and deserves your vote.

Democrat Liz Berry is running unopposed for re-election to the 36th Legislative District in House Position 2. Berry is the former director of the Washington State Association of Justice, which advocates for the legal rights of patients, consumers, and injured workers. She also previously served as the president of the National Women's Political Caucus and on the board of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington.

Berry had a prolific first session as a legislator on many progressive priorities. She sponsored successful community safety initiatives to restrict untraceable ghost guns and to prohibit carrying guns in certain settings like school board meetings, which is especially notable as Berry was a legislative director for former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Berry also sponsored the creation of an alert system for missing Indigenous people. If that weren't enough, she worked to flip the state's regressive tax code with a wealth tax and supported important legislation to expand housing options near transit.

Berry has had a successful first term and deserves your vote.

Sen. Rebecca Saldaña is running unopposed for re-election to continue representing the 37th Legislative District in the state Senate. Previously, Saldaña worked as an organizer with several unions and served as the executive director of a progressive nonprofit. As a Chicana legislator, she co-chairs the Senate Members of Color Caucus in addition to serving as the vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Saldaña’s legislative priorities include working towards social equity and racial justice, strengthening workers’ rights, and making sure everyone can access their right to vote. She also wants to invest in public infrastructure like improved transit options and sustainable community development. This past session, she voted for a progressive slate of bills including legislation to prohibit the sale of high-capacity firearm magazines and bills to update our state’s climate goals.

Saldaña has earned your support for state Senate.

Chipalo Street is running for 37th Legislative District, Position 2 to improve education, expand economic opportunity, and close the digital divide. He works in Microsoft's office of the CTO as a senior leader on emerging technology. He also serves on the board of the Institute For A Democratic Future, which trains up-and-coming civic leaders, and he is the co-founder of the Teacher Scientist Partnership at Technology Access Foundation Academy, which teaches a computer science curriculum in south Seattle.

Street is running on a strong progressive platform that includes supporting reproductive rights, delivering affordable housing, strengthening tenant protections, fighting for clean energy and environmental justice, expanding early education and childcare access, and strengthening laws that reduce gun violence.

In our interview with Street, he was very passionate about education with an emphasis on technology. Street believes that Washington can lead the nation in STEM education and that the Legislature can do more for students by funding free two-year college. He also spoke extensively about his experience being a small landlord and how he believes that tenants and owners should work in partnership. Street emphasized that during the pandemic he was able to keep all his tenants housed despite a third of them losing work. He supports tenant protections, rental assistance, housing vouchers, and ending exclusionary zoning in transit areas, which would bring more housing options like triplexes and duplexes.

Street's notable individual endorsements include Port Commissioners Hamdi Mohamed and Sam Cho, King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski, and Tukwila City Councilmember Mohamed Abdi, who all emphasized Street's work with small businesses, civic leadership, and his values around housing.

If you are looking for a candidate who is pushing to bridge the digital divide through education in the 37th Legislative District, Street would be a good choice.

Sen. June Robinson is running for re-election to continue serving the 38th Legislative District in the state Senate. She first joined the House in 2013 and was appointed to the Senate seat first in 2020 before being elected to it by voters that same year. Robinson also spent the last 10 years working for the Seattle & King County Public Health as a program manager for the Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention section.

In the Legislature, Robinson has been a leader in economic security and public health. This year, she supported a slate of progressive bills including legislation to prohibit the sale of high-capacity firearm magazines and a bill to update our state’s climate action goals. Robinson was a primary sponsor of the capital gains tax, which would finally make corporations and the wealthy pay their share so that all our communities can access high-quality education, affordable health care, and child care.

Robinson is facing a challenge from Bernard Moody, a former marine who has spent more than 30 years in law enforcement work. Moody also challenged Robinson for this seat in 2020 when he ran on a conservative platform that was out of touch with community needs. If elected, he would support cutting funding for critical community supports, vote against policies that keep us safe from gun violence, and undermine reproductive freedom.

We need leaders in Olympia who will embrace science and put our communities first. June Robinson is the clear choice for state senator in the 38th Legislative District.

Julio Cortes is a progressive first-time candidate running to fill Position 1 after Rep. Emily Wicks retired. Cortes works for the city of Everett doing communications and marketing work. He is a leader in the community, serving on the board of the Everett Arena Public Facilities District and previously working with Cocoon House to support families and children experiencing housing insecurity.

Cortes has a strong community-focused platform in this race. If elected, he wants to make the district safer and more resilient so that everyone can have a roof over their head, food on the table, and the opportunity to succeed. Cortes specifically wants to invest in small businesses, create more sustainable, living-wage jobs, and ensure that corporations and the wealthy pay their share for the resources we all use. He believes that a key to addressing the housing crisis is investing in comprehensive wrap-around services for those experiencing homelessness in our communities. Cortes’ campaign has earned the endorsements of community organizations and local progressive leaders, including Rep. Wicks.

Cortes is running against Gary Kemp, a former union leader who is running on an extreme Trump Republican platform. If elected, he wants to send militarized police forces into our community while stripping back law enforcement accountability measures. His response to addiction in our community is to incarcerate those that are struggling most instead of investing in treatment. Kemp joins far-right Republicans who are fighting to control school curriculums so that Washington students don’t learn accurate history or comprehensive sexual health education.

We recommend Julio Cortes for House Position 1 because of his widespread community support in this race and his progressive vision for the 38th Legislative District.

Everett City Councilmember Mary Fosse is running for Position 2 in the 38th Legislative District to replace Democrat Mike Sells, who is retiring. Fosse was elected to the city council in 2021 where she has continued her advocacy for Everett’s underserved Delta neighborhood. Outside of elected office, she owns a local nursery that teaches plant workshops and she previously chaired the Delta Neighborhood Association.

During her first year on the council, Fosse championed an effort to secure more than $5 million dollars for a cleanup of the Delta neighborhood to ensure that all Everett residents have access to a clean, healthy place to live, work, and care for their families. She has also been an advocate for workers’ rights and climate action in office. Fosse's deep roots in the district give her a unique view into the needs of the people she's running to serve. If elected to the Legislature, Fosse’s top priority will be to support working families that are getting priced out because of the increasing cost of child care, housing, and health care.

Army veteran and Marysville City Councilmember Mark James is challenging Fosse for Position 2 on a conservative platform. James owns a coupon magazine company and previously ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Legislature in the 44th LD. If elected, he wants to direct money to further militarize our police while cutting funding for the public services that keep our communities safe like affordable health care, housing and food security, and high-quality schools. His approach to addressing addiction in our communities is based on fear-mongering and criminalization rather than the compassion and treatment we need.

Residents in the 38th Legislative District deserve a representative who will help all Washingtonians access the resources they need to live happy and healthy lives. Mary Fosse is the clear choice for Position 2.

Rep. Debra Lekanoff is running for re-election to Legislative District 40, Position 1. Lekanoff is currently the only Native American woman in the Washington Legislature. She formerly worked for the Swinomish Tribe as the governmental affairs director and now serves as vice chair of the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee.

Lekanoff is running to keep fighting to protect our ecosystems for future generations while advocating for investments in public infrastructure and economic recovery. This session, she was the prime sponsor of historic legislation that created the country’s first alert system for missing Indigenous women. Lekanoff also supported the historic Move Ahead Washington transportation bill that will make public transit in Washington more accessible and environmentally friendly.

Republican Shannon Perkes faces Lekanoff on the November ballot after receiving sufficient votes as a write-in candidate during the primary. Perkes has worked in logging, agriculture, and construction, and is now running on a very conservative platform that opposes Gov. Inslee’s progressive efforts. If elected, Perkes wants to reduce access to health care, increase militarized policing in our neighborhoods, reduce workplace protections and other regulations that keep businesses accountable, and sow doubts about election security.

Lekanoff is a strong progressive who will prioritize the environment, tribal representation, and community economic security. Lekanoff deserves your vote for re-election so she can continue building a future where all Washingtonians can prosper.

Rep. Alex Ramel is running for re-election to Position 2 in the 40th Legislative District. Ramel has been a strong progressive leader in the Legislature. The incumbent and environmental organizer previously served on the board of the Whatcom chapter of Washington Conservation Voters and now works as a climate policy advisor for an environmental nonprofit.

Ramel’s top legislative priorities include fighting climate change, making housing more affordable, preventing gun violence, investing in community-first economic recovery, and making sure all Washingtonians can afford the health care they need. One of his environmental accomplishments this session was helping to pass the Move Ahead Washington transportation package that will invest in accessible and climate-friendly transit infrastructure like electric vehicle charging stations and zero-emissions ferry technology.

Beyond the transportation package, Ramel prioritized keeping our communities safe by restricting ghost guns, banning carrying guns in places like school board meetings, and creating an alert system for missing Indigenous people. He also sponsored important policies that we hope will move forward in the years to come, including a wealth tax on extraordinarily high earners and expanding housing options near transit.

Ramel faces a challenge from Trevor Smith, a moderate Democrat and the political director of a labor union whose workers install and manage natural gas infrastructure. Unfortunately, Smith's challenge represents a push by conservative corporations and fossil fuel interests to stop Ramel from fighting carbon pollution by promoting alternatives to natural gas like electrification. Corporate and conservative PACs and people have spent more than $140,000 backing Smith's campaign to oust Ramel.

Ramel has been a champion for fighting climate change and protecting our clean air and water. We hope the Legislature follows his lead and continues to fund training for workers to pivot to cleaner sources of fuel. But with the recent attempts of a conservative Supreme Court hobbling the EPA's ability to regulate pollution, this is no time to stop climate action.

Ramel has been an outstanding advocate for progressive causes and is the clear choice to continue serving the 40th Legislative District.

Democratic incumbent Rep. My-Linh Thai is seeking her third term representing the 41st Legislative District in the state House. Before joining the Legislature, Thai served as the president of the Bellevue School District and as the vice president of the Washington State School Board Directors Association. She was the first refugee elected to the state House and is now the vice chair of the Democratic Caucus.

In office, Thai has been a staunch advocate for investments in public education to ensure all Washington kids have access to equitable resources and the chance to thrive. She also recently sponsored progressive bills such as the Working Families Tax Credit, a bill requiring the translation of prescription medicine so that all communities can receive accurate health information, and legislation to remove barriers for civil cases involving police violence. She is now running for re-election to keep fighting for students and educational resources, social equity, environmental protections, and community health.

Republican challenger Al Rosenthal is a retired Boeing engineer who now owns retail property and a commercial office. Instead of investing in addiction treatment and stable housing so we can all be safe, healthy, and secure, Rosenthal wants to divide us with fear and cast blame on our neighbors who are struggling the most.

Rep. Thai is the clear choice in this race. An unwavering community advocate, she deserves to be re-elected to the 41st Legislative District, Position 2.

Rep. Sharon Shewmake, who currently serves the district in House Position 2, is now running for state Senate representing the 42nd Legislative District. She is a professor at Western Washington University, a member of Bellingham’s Lettered Streets Neighborhood Association, and an active union member. Her background in agricultural economics paired with her progressive values have made her an effective representative for residents of the 42nd Legislative District.

Shewmake’s top priorities for the Senate include investing in good schools, living-wage jobs, clean air and water, a productive local farm industry, and safe communities. This year, she sponsored a number of commonsense bills focused on protecting marine habitats, promoting cleaner business standards, and working towards greater social equity in our state. Shewmake also wants to make sure that all residents can access prescription medication and health care services, including the freedom to make personal reproductive health decisions.

Shewmake is challenging Trump Republican Sen. Simon Sefzik, who was appointed to take over Sen. Doug Ericksen’s seat when the late incumbent passed away last December. Prior to being appointed to the state Senate at age 22, Sefzik served as an intern at the White House during the last year of the Trump administration.

Since joining the Senate, Sefzik has minimized the real issues facing our communities and used his platform to promote divisive and extreme positions. Recently, Sefzik reaffirmed that he opposes reproductive freedom at a time when abortion access is under attack nationwide. In the state Senate, Sefzik and his Republican colleagues oppose funding services that help working Washingtonians afford groceries, gas, rent, and prescription medication. He also sponsored short-sighted legislation that would have cut funding for badly needed transportation projects in Whatcom County and across the state.

Sharon Shewmake has spent the last three years working to make the 42nd Legislative District a place where everyone has the chance to thrive. She is the clear choice for Senate.

Rep. Nicole Macri is running unopposed for re-election to the 43rd Legislative District, House Position 1. Rep. Macri is a strong progressive who has worked as an advocate for those with mental illnesses and people struggling with homelessness. She is currently the deputy director at the Downtown Emergency Service Center and president of the board of directors of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance.

This session, she sponsored a wide slate of progressive legislation, including successful bills to restrict ghost guns and establish a statewide alert system for missing Indigenous women. She also sponsored two bills to help working people - a wealth tax to flip the state's regressive tax code and a bill to increase "missing middle" housing options near transit, like duplexes and triplexes. In previous sessions, Macri supported legislation to require the state to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and to establish the Washington State Office of Equity.

Macri has 20 years of experience in human services, championing affordable housing, and expanding health care. Her expertise and passion for expanding affordable housing options continue to be an incredible asset in Olympia. Macri deserves your vote to remain in the state House representing the 43rd Legislative District.

Rep. Frank Chopp is running unopposed for Position 2 in the 43rd Legislative District. Chopp is the former speaker of the House, where he led on increasing the minimum wage, ensuring paid family and medical leave, achieving marriage equality, and more. Since his election in 2020, Chopp has supported a wide slate of progressive bills, including making child care more affordable through the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, enacting the Clean Fuels Standard, increasing funding for supportive housing and rental assistance, and creating an alert system for missing Indigenous people.

Chopp has earned your vote for another term in the House.

John Lovick is running to retain the 44th Legislative District Senate seat. Lovick is a former Snohomish County executive and Mill Creek City Council member, and he served as the House speaker pro tem for five years. In late 2021, he was appointed by the Snohomish County Council to this seat when incumbent Sen. Steve Hobbs was named secretary of state.

During his time in the Legislature, Lovick has been a strong supporter of unions and working people. In the Senate, Lovick wrote a bill to reduce drunk driving crashes by lowering the allowable legal blood alcohol limit. He also sponsored the successful paid family and medical leave act, as well as legislation to keep our communities safe from gun violence. By sponsoring the historic transportation bill this year, Lovick has invested in not only road maintenance but also transit, ferries, sidewalks, and more, supporting transportation that everyone across the state can access. With demonstrated progressive priorities, he offers experienced leadership at this challenging moment.

Lovick's challenger, Republican Jeb Brewer, does not have elected or community leadership experience, but says he will bring a business lens to the Senate. Unfortunately, much of his conservative agenda doesn't suit the needs of the district. Rather than focusing on proven solutions driven by the community, he wants to roll back the long-overdue police accountability laws that have passed in recent years. Brewer's one-dimensional approach to transportation would short-change the options our diverse community needs to get to school, work, and recreation, especially compared to Lovick's sponsored bill. Finally, Brewer's policy on homelessness doesn't address the keystone issue that pushes individuals and families into homelessness - the incredibly high cost of housing. Criminalizing homelessness will only make the problem worse and cost taxpayers even more money.

Sen. Lovick's unique perspective has helped him sponsor and hone legislation that works for everyone in the district. He has earned your vote.

Rep. April Berg is running for re-election to the 44th Legislative District, House Position 2. She is a former small business owner, director at the Everett School District, and a planning commissioner for the City of Mill Creek.

Berg's progressive accomplishments in the Legislature include working to reduce the cost of living for families, providing COVID relief, and modernizing the transit systems that get us to school, work, and play. As an advocate for youth, Berg has sponsored legislation to eliminate the lunch co-pay for hungry students and make menstrual products free in public school bathrooms.

Berg prioritized community safety this year by sponsoring bills to ban ghost guns. In addition, she took action to protect residents and elected officials by restricting guns in certain locations where harassment is likely to occur, including school board meetings and near ballot drop boxes. Her impressive record of accomplishments includes needed transportation and infrastructure upgrades. She also supported the landmark transportation bill, which will have a big impact on Snohomish County. The bill not only funds free rides for kids on public transit but also will fund projects like the Snohomish Teen Center and the Mill Creek Library rehabilitation.

Berg's opponent in this race is Republican Ryne Rohla, an economist in the state attorney general's office. While some of his policy positions should be commended, including offering training for workers for a green economy, his platform largely skews very conservative. Notably, he opposes balancing our upside-down tax code by making the wealthy pay their share to our communities. His proposal to arrest people for being homeless if they refuse shelter, or "go to prison until you change your mind," as he puts it, is as ineffective as it is heartless when there is nowhere near enough shelters or low-income housing available. He is also anti-abortion, and though he acknowledges that repealing abortion statewide would likely be overturned, it's unfortunate that he doesn't believe that Washingtonians should have the freedom to decide when and if to have children.

During these challenging times, we need leaders who offer thoughtful solutions based on evidence, not more divisive political rhetoric. Berg is the clear choice in this race for state House.

Sen. Manka Dhingra is running for re-election in the 45th Legislative District. Dhingra was first elected to the seat in 2017 and she now serves as the deputy majority floor leader. She is a senior prosecuting attorney in King County and she has worked in crisis intervention training for law enforcement, as well as with an array of diversion courts. Dhingra also helped start API Chaya, a well-respected resource for people experiencing gender-based violence in our community.

Dhingra has worked to foster justice, healing, and community safety while in office. Recently, she co-sponsored climate action legislation and voted for three key gun safety bills: banning ghost guns, banning firearms in certain locations like schools and government events, and prohibiting the sale of high-capacity firearm magazines. In this election, she is campaigning to fight for reproductive freedom and strengthen law enforcement training and accountability resources.

Republican Ryika Hooshangi is challenging Dhingra on a reactionary platform. Hooshangi is an attorney and former diplomat who works as an elected commissioner for the Sammamish Plateau Water District. She is running to pour more funding into militarizing and expanding police forces while stripping away accountability measures that keep our communities safer. If elected, Hooshangi would oppose efforts by progressive leaders to expand health care access and rebalance our tax code.

Sen. Dhingra deserves your vote for re-election to represent the 45th Legislative District and keep working for resilient and healthy communities.

Rep. Javier Valdez is running for the 46th Legislative District Senate seat. Valdez was appointed to the state House in 2017 and was re-elected in 2018 and 2020. He also served as the first president of the Washington State Council of County and City Employees (AFSCME Council 2).

In Olympia, Valdez has worked to find equitable, progressive solutions to problems facing residents in his district. He supported legislation to prevent discrimination based on citizenship or immigration status, and he advocated for requiring the state to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

This year, Valdez sponsored several successful bills that protect our communities, including being the prime sponsor of the law to restrict ghost guns. He also sought to provide safe places for civic discourse by banning guns in settings like school board meetings and supported an alert system for missing Indigenous people.

Valdez deserves credit for sponsoring the middle housing bill, which would have provided more housing options around transit, and the wealth tax, which aimed to finally make the extraordinarily wealthy residents of Washington pay their share into education, transportation, and more. These two bills will be critical progressive priorities in the coming years.

Valdez is running against King County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Gross. His platform includes making housing more affordable and tackling homelessness in the district. There is much to appreciate about Gross' platform - he wants to end exclusionary zoning and gradually increase the housing supply with duplexes or triplexes. He also wants to see more investments in the state Housing Trust Fund and mental health care.

While Gross is progressive, Valdez has swept nearly every endorsement from a broad spectrum of progressive organizations and elected officials. This reflects both the breadth of his platforms and his experience in lawmaking and legislative leadership. Rep. Javier Valdez is the best choice in this race.