Washington Housing Alliance Action Fund 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.

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.

Rep. Marcus Riccelli is running unopposed to replace retiring Sen. Andy Billig in the 3rd Legislative District, state Senate seat. Riccelli has served this district in the state House since 2013, where he has distinguished himself as a progressive advocate for helping meet residents' basic needs, rebalancing our tax code, and finding creative policy solutions that benefit all Washingtonians. Outside of the Legislature, he works as a community relations manager for the Community Health Association of Spokane.

Riccelli has consistently sponsored progressive legislation to fight for a better Washington for all. This past session, he helped to pass bills to streamline voter address changes, protect abortion and reproductive health care providers from harassment, and make it easier for working families who are eligible for food assistance to access early learning and childcare programs. He was also the primary sponsor of legislation to reduce the costs of health care and prescription medicine so that all residents can access the care they need, not simply the care they can afford. In this race, he is campaigning on a progressive platform emphasizing housing solutions, workforce development, reproductive freedom, affordable health care, and public education investments.

Riccelli has earned your vote to represent the 3rd Legislative District in the 3rd Legislative District.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Progressive Rep. Chipalo Street is seeking a second term in House Position 2 representing the 37th Legislative District. He is a strong community leader who co-founded a program to bring tech education to underserved Seattle students, served as a board member of the Institute For A Democratic Future, and volunteered as a former public policy impact council member for United Way of King County. Professionally, he works as a principal program manager for Microsoft’s office of the chief technology officer.

This past session, Street helped pass a slate of progressive bills as a secondary sponsor, including legislation to reduce barriers to early learning and childcare for working families, to fund zero-emission school buses, and to permit professional licensing for Washingtonians regardless of immigration documentation status. He has yet to update his campaign priorities in this election cycle but Street's record demonstrates he will continue bringing a community-centric approach to the Legislature if he is re-elected.

Libertarian challenger Matt McCally has no campaign website or information available as of late August. We will continue to monitor this race and update McCally's information if it becomes available.

Chipalo Street has earned another term in the state House. He deserves your vote for Legislative District 37, Position 2 to continue bringing bold progressive ideas to the Legislature.

Progressive Rep. Julio Cortes is seeking a second term in Legislative District 38, Position 1. Outside of the Legislature, Cortes manages communications and marketing for the City of Everett. He is a strong community leader who currently serves on the Everett Arena Public Facilities District board and previously worked with Cocoon House to support families and children experiencing housing insecurity.

Rep. Cortes has led with a thoughtful understanding of the root causes of community issues and a commitment to addressing them compassionately and effectively. This session, he helped to pass a number of critical bills as a secondary sponsor, including legislation to provide 100% clean energy school buses, expand the wage discrimination protections in the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act, and streamline access to early learning and childcare programs for low-income and working Washington families. Now, Cortes is campaigning to invest in workforce development and small businesses, expand affordable housing, provide wraparound services to Washingtonians struggling the most, and address our upside-down tax code so everyone pays their share.

Democratic challenger Annie Fitzgerald is a disability activist and private investigator. She is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and has grown up with disabilities that she says shaped her life. As of late August, the policies section of her campaign website was empty, but Fitzgerald states that she holds progressive political views and wants to bring about change if elected.

We recommend Julio Cortes for another term in Legislative District 38, Position 1.

Rep. Alex Ramel is running unopposed for re-election to Position 2 in the 40th Legislative District. Ramel has been a strong progressive leader in the Legislature since his appointment in 2020 and re-election in 2022. He 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.

As a climate expert and former environmental organizer, Ramel has worked hard to protect Washington's clean air and water. This year, Ramel sponsored bills to upgrade the districts' energy systems in state-owned buildings and mitigate wildfire risk through electric utility planning. He also supported last year's successful bill to expand "middle housing" options like duplexes and triplexes to alleviate the state's immense need for affordable homes. Finally, he helped secure millions in funding for local projects like the Lopez Island Food Hub.

Ramel has been an outstanding advocate for progressive causes and has more than earned your vote to continue serving the 40th Legislative District.

Rep. Nicole Macri is running unopposed for re-election to the 43rd Legislative District, House Position 1. First elected to the House in 2016, Macri is a strong progressive who has worked as an advocate for those with mental illnesses and people experiencing homelessness. She is currently the deputy director at the Downtown Emergency Service Center, where she has worked since 2002, and has won multiple awards for her civic leadership on affordable housing.

This year, Macri's accomplishments include passing bills to fund zero-emission school buses, prohibit book bans in schools by individuals, and require decarbonization planning for Puget Sound Energy. In previous sessions, she's worked hard to ensure that all Washingtonians have greater access to affordable housing, preserve abortion care access, and cap the cost of insulin at $35.

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.

Democrat Shaun Scott is running for this seat with a very progressive platform that supports working people. Scott is currently the policy lead at the Statewide Poverty Action Network and has also worked as a former campaign staffer for U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal and as a Washington state field director for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign.

Scott's policies are centered around the need for a collective response to Washington's biggest challenges. His platform features extensive information on reenvisioning public safety, strengthening civil liberties, improving the social safety net, and more. A few standout policy ideas include establishing a statewide guaranteed basic income, implementing statewide rent control, closing loopholes for corporations, and enacting social housing. His proposals also include pursuing zoning reform to make housing more affordable and expanding climate workforce development programs.

Democrat Andrea Suarez is the founder of We Heart Seattle, a problematic right-leaning group that has dehumanized people experiencing homelessness without offering real solutions. There's an entire website dedicated to the harm that the nonprofit has done, claiming that with all their $1.5 million in charitable donations, Suarez's group has invaded people's privacy by posting their photos on social media without consent, destroyed homes and belongings, and provided no long-term solutions. Former We Heart Seattle president Kevin Dahlgren, who used the nonprofit to post videos of homeless people and encampments to criticize progressive local leaders, was indicted on charges ranging from identity theft to stealing property. Suarez is indeed not a licensed social worker or case manager. When asked about licensing by KIRO News, Suarez replied, "I don’t know, did Jesus Christ have a license?”

If elected, Suarez states that she wants law enforcement officers to receive more training, protect reproductive rights, and promote affordability. Suarez's right-leaning values on some important issues would be a significant step backward for the progressive 43rd Legislative District.

Scott's progressive agenda has received a broad slate of strong endorsements, from Rep. Frank Chopp to many progressive advocacy organizations. Shaun Scott is the best choice for state House from the 43rd Legislative District.

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. She currently serves as chair of the Finance Committee in the House, where she plays a lead role in working to close tax loopholes and balance our state's upside-down tax code.

First elected to the House in 2020, Berg spent her second term continuing her advocacy for youth, families, and an affordable Washington. This year she was the prime sponsor for Yori's Law, which aims to reduce child drowning deaths through increased access to swimming lessons and water safety awareness. She also sponsored bills to fund special education and worked previously to modernize transit, eliminate lunch co-pays for hungry students, and make menstrual products available for free in public school bathrooms.

Berg is running against Sam Sim, the Snohomish County Republican Party's Community Outreach chair. Sim owns a teriyaki business along with an app-based food delivery service and a sauce line. In this campaign, he opposes the capital gains tax, which only applies to fewer than 4,000 wealthiest people in the state who make more than $250,000 in profits from the sales of stocks and bonds. He also mentions supporting "parental rights," a catchall term that conservatives in Washington have been using to remove any discussion of race from schools and to ban books.

April Berg has earned your vote for state House from the 44th Legislative District.

Rep. Darya Farivar is running for re-election for the 46th Legislative District, Position 2. She has worked as the public policy director with Disability Rights Washington, an organization that provides free services to people with disabilities and protects the rights of people with disabilities statewide. Farivar has also served as co-chair of the Seattle Women's Commission, policy chair of the State Special Education Advisory Council, and a board member of Peyvand, which supports Iranian students at UW.

As the youngest member of the Legislature and the first Iranian American woman to ever serve, Farivar has focused on fulfilling her campaign promises to make progress on affordable housing, criminal justice reform, and a higher, equitable standard of living. This year she introduced and championed three bills signed into law, including one that clarifies that task forces and advisory groups working on issues from underrepresented communities should have at least three people from that community on the panel. Farivar also passed a bill that protects the survivors of childhood sexual abuse by extending the statute of limitations on reporting the abuser, and another for antitrust protections that put heavier fines on big corporations who break the law. She also sponsored many bills that aim to increase housing availability, like one to increase "middle housing" in single-family neighborhoods, and other bills to protect voting.

Challenging Farivar is Republican Simone Barron. She is the founder and director of Restaurant Workers of America, an "astroturf" group that promotes the interests of the restaurant lobby. Barron speaks proudly of testifying against raising the minimum wage for the restaurant industry at the federal, state, and local levels. She is also a Fox Business News contributor. In this race, Barron lists public safety, supporting small businesses by "restoring reasonable labor policy," and reducing the cost of living as priorities, though she doesn't give specifics past this.

Barron would likely be a barrier to economic progress for working families, while Farivar has a demonstrated track record for helping Washingtonians of all walks of life secure their civil rights, housing, and more. Farivar is by far the best choice for state House from the 46th Legislative District.