OneAmerica Votes Endorsements

Sen. Patty Murray has been a consistent and strong progressive voice in the U.S. Senate. She's seeking re-election to continue fighting for our basic rights and a better quality of life in Washington and beyond.

Murray was first elected in 1992 and has been a champion for veterans, working families, women, and economic opportunities for all. Before her tenure in the Senate, Murray worked as a preschool teacher, on the Shoreline School Board, and in the Washington state Senate.

During her time in Congress, Sen. Murray has worked hard to keep our communities safe from gun violence, protect abortion access at the federal level so that everyone has reproductive freedom, and expand access to affordable childcare. This year, she voted in support of the Women’s Health Protection Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and a slate of other progressive bills that invest in working communities so that our country is a place where everyone can thrive. Murray has earned an impressive and diverse coalition of endorsements from local and national organizations, elected leaders, and unions.

Sen. Murray faces Tiffany Smiley, a triage nurse running on a MAGA Republican platform. Smiley has never held public office but she previously worked on Capitol Hill. Her Trump-inspired agenda aims to divide us while she seeks to cut funding from our most essential services and repurpose it for a needless border wall and more militarized police forces. Working Washingtonians need real solutions so that we can access the basics like gas, groceries, rent, and prescription medicine – not MAGA rhetoric and tax breaks for the wealthy.

Sen. Patty Murray is a national leader on many of the most important issues facing our country. She has earned your vote for re-election.

Natasha Hill is running for Congress to be a progressive advocate for everyone in the 5th District, not just the wealthy few. She grew up in Spokane utilizing community resources like SNAP and later experienced homelessness and food insecurity while pursuing her law degree. Now Hill wants to ensure that no one should have to struggle through poverty to get an education in America. Hill currently owns her own law practice and has also served as an adjunct law professor and a member of the Spokane County Redistricting Committee.

Hill is running to focus on addressing the disparities between working people, seniors, and families and the extraordinarily wealthy corporations that have dominated politics and the economy for decades. Hill wants to make the child tax credit permanent, expand rural health care options, and raise the minimum wage so that any American can meet their basic needs on forty hours of work a week. She also wants to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and overturn obstacles to the vote for youth and people of color. In our Spokane committee's interview with Hill, she expressed strong support for strengthening unions, codifying the right to abortion, and reimagining education, health care, and the criminal legal system.

Hill is challenging Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who is running for re-election to the office she has held since 2005. With a 95 percent record of voting with Trump during his presidency, McMorris Rodgers is one of the most damaging lawmakers in Washington. She voted yes on Trump's border wall, supported his trillion-dollar corporate tax cut, and was the only representative from Washington to vote for Trump's bill to cut $800 billion from Medicaid. She voted against raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and has refused on multiple occasions to hold town halls to answer to her constituents for her votes. McMorris Rodgers also voted against extending benefits for military veterans exposed to toxic pit burns, questioned the FBI's search for Trump's unsecured and critically classified documents, and stated that she believes the 2020 election had "significant irregularities," despite mountains of evidence to the contrary.

McMorris Rodgers has consistently stood in the way of abortion rights, including attempting to defund Planned Parenthood and its many services to the community. In an early September, she accused Democrats of fearmongering about a national abortion ban; two weeks later her colleague Lindsey Graham introduced one in Congress.

The district needs progressive representation to make meaningful advances in the lives of people here and across the country. For her bold platform in this time of crisis and widening inequity, as well as her broader organizational support, we recommend Natasha Hill for U.S. Representative of the 5th Congressional District.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal is running for re-election in the 7th Congressional District. She has a long history of civic leadership on immigration reform, economic justice, and civil liberties. Rep. Jayapal founded OneAmerica (formerly Hate Free Zone) in 2001 and built it into the largest immigrant rights organization in the state and a national model. She also played a key role on the Mayoral Advisory Committee that created Seattle’s $15 minimum wage, and this year secured $31 million in federal funding for community projects in the Seattle area, including housing, sciences, education, and the environment.

Since her election to Congress in 2016, Jayapal has resisted the Trump administration and conservative extremists at every turn and provided a voice for progressives across the country. She has supported the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the Dream Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for young DACA recipients. She also introduced legislation to expand collective bargaining and provide relief to workers and businesses during the pandemic. More recently, she has called for a national women's strike in response to the Supreme Court's ban on abortion and the curtailing of reproductive freedom across the country. Jayapal is also seeking to codify a transgender bill of rights to protect our country from the erosion of trans civil rights.

Her opponent, Republican Cliff Moon, founded Moon Construction Company and is running because he believes Congress needs more "normal" people. Unfortunately, he echoes Republican Party talking points about the 2020 election, opposes stronger gun safety laws, and he supports building a divisive border wall. Moon states that he's open to exploring a federal ban on abortion after 15 weeks in a move to limit the reproductive freedom nationwide. While Jayapal is seeking to broadly improve the lives of her constituents with affordable housing, upgrades to infrastructure, and expanding childcare, Moon is focused on the conservative agenda of pouring more money into militarized policing. 

Jayapal is highly experienced and responsive to her constituents, and has held more than 100 town halls during her time in Congress. As chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, she has been one of the strongest progressive advocates in Washington for the needs of all in this country. Pramila Jayapal has earned your vote as a national leader for progressive causes.

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.

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.

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.

Former House representative Kristine Reeves is running for the vacant seat left open by the retirement of Rep. Jesse Johnson this year. She currently serves on the Washington State Gambling Commission and is the former director of Economic Development for the Military and Defense sector for Washington state.

In the Legislature, Reeves was a champion for paid family and medical leave, gun safety, linking students with apprenticeships, and making child care more affordable. She is motivated to address affordable housing and homelessness by using her experience growing up as a foster child and being homeless herself at times. Reeves also wants to see child care workers compensated more fairly, advocate for military families and veterans, achieve greater climate action, and protect abortion rights by closing fake "crisis pregnancy centers" that pretend to offer abortion services.

Reeves is running against Ashli Tagoai, a lawyer and former communications director for the Washington State Republican Party. Like many MAGA Republicans running this year, Tagoai is trying to divide and scare us about crime instead of providing our communities the care, security, and support we need. Rather than supporting proven strategies to reduce gun violence and address homelessness, Tagoai wants us to believe that the solution is just to put even more people in jail. She also has no desire to balance our state's upside-down tax code and would allow corporations and the wealthy to avoid paying what they owe our communities.

While Reeves has been progressive on several issues, she's taken a more cautious approach to others, including voting against taxing polluters. She was also one of only three Democrats to vote no on eviction protections in 2019, especially notable in this district because eviction disproportionately affects Black and Latino residents. While we hope that Reeves will vote differently on these issues, Tagoai's far-right agenda would drag the 30th Legislative District backward. Reeves is by far the best choice in this race.

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.

Incumbent Rep. Tina Orwall is running unopposed for re-election to the 33rd Legislative District, Position 1. Before joining the Legislature in 2009, Rep. Orwall worked for the City of Seattle’s Office of Housing and in the public mental health system.

Rep. Orwall has been a consistent Democratic voice since assuming office. One of her top priorities is public safety, and she is proud of legislation from this session that strengthens police accountability, introduces a new behavioral health hotline, focuses resources on missing Indigenous women, and improves community gun safety. If re-elected, Rep. Orwall will continue prioritizing funding economic recovery from the pandemic for working families and small businesses, directing resources to mental and behavioral health issues, and addressing the high cost of living.

Orwall has earned your vote.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos is running for re-election to the 37th Legislative District, Position 1. Santos formerly worked in banking, politics, and nonprofit management before joining the Legislature in 1998. She is a moderate Democrat and the longest-serving representative of color in Washington’s history.

Though she took a disappointing stance against comprehensive sex education in 2020, Santos has been an advocate for economic justice, civil rights, and environmental action. This year, she took important votes to advance gun safety, set new environmental goals, and create a more equitable criminal legal system. If re-elected, Santos wants to invest in education, health care, and housing so that all Washingtonians have an equal opportunity to thrive.

Her opponent is Republican John Dickinson, who does not appear to have significant elected or community leadership experience. His platform is somewhat confusing, but two of his main goals are to "legalize cannabis" and restore the Comet Lodge graveyard. If elected, Dickinson promises to only serve one term.

Rep. Tomiko Santos is the best choice in this race.

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.

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.

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.

Incumbent Rep. Brandy Donaghy is running to build on her strong first term serving the 44th District. She was appointed to the House by the Snohomish County Council in late 2021 when former representative John Lovick moved to the Senate.

Donaghy is a Navy veteran and community organizer who has been involved in emergency preparedness training. She put her professional experience to work during her first term by expanding emergency workers' ability to protect the community. Donaghy sponsored legislation to address safe staffing levels for health care workers, which aimed to improve health and safety for both patients and practitioners. She also supported legislation to allow EMTs to provide vaccines and testing outside of an emergency in response to a public health agency's request.

Donaghy faces a challenge from former Republican Rep. Mark Harmsworth. He served two terms in the state House before losing to Democrat Jared Mead in the 2018 election. While he was a representative, Harmsworth pushed a very conservative agenda that aimed to reduce access to health care and the freedom to vote. He voted against the Reproductive Parity Act, which required that all insurance plans in Washington that cover maternity care also cover the full range of reproductive health services, and also voted against the Washington Voting Rights Act. In addition, he wasted taxpayer money on a politically driven investigation into Sound Transit. If elected this year, expect Harmsworth to continue fighting against public transportation and the right for everyone to access equal treatment, whether at the doctor's office or the ballot box.

Voters rejected Harmsworth's regressive agenda in 2018 and should do so again in 2022. Donaghy will fight for our shared values and 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.

Claudia Kauffman is a former state senator from the 47th Legislative District. She is running for the Legislature again to uplift the need for early learning, affordable housing, climate action, and more. Kauffman currently serves as the Intergovernmental Affairs Liaison for the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe where she oversees the tribe's legislative agenda on a local, state, and federal level, and she is the founder of Native Action Network. A member of the Nez Perce Tribe, if elected again to the Legislature, Kauffman would be one of a very small number of Indigenous lawmakers, alongside incumbent Rep. Lekanoff and potentially candidate Chris Stearns.

In our interview with Kauffman, she pointed out how the district's history of swinging between red and blue is an open opportunity for someone with her experience to win the seat. She wants to see the Housing Trust Fund increased, and would help teachers earn higher pay alongside opening more slots for early learning. Removing salmon culverts and cleaning up superfund sites on the Duwamish River are high on her environmental agenda and Kauffman wants to see more transit-oriented housing. On public safety, she believes that there should be more communication between police and the community.

Kauffman's opponent in this race is Kent City Council member and Republican Bill Boyce. He has just a few points on his agenda available on his site, including repealing the state's long-term care program. Boyce's desire to cut back on health care is unfortunate. According to NPR, about 70 percent of those over the age of 65 will need long-term care for everyday needs like bathing and dressing, not to mention people of any age who require a caregiver.

Despite his campaign's promise that he will fight regressive taxes, Boyce makes no mention of making the wealthy finally pay their share. The Republicans in Olympia he hopes to join have voted against a capital gains tax and other measures aimed at making corporations and extraordinarily wealthy individuals pay what they owe our communities, and Boyce would likely vote similarly if elected.

As the district recovers from the pandemic, our communities need greater investments in transit, housing, and the environment. Kauffman is by far the best choice in this race.

Auburn City Council member Chris Stearns is running for Position 2 in the 47th Legislative District to lead on protecting the environment, expanding economic opportunity, and protecting the civil rights of all who live in the district. He is the first Native American elected to the Auburn City Council and has a comprehensive record of leadership, including serving as a previous chair of the Seattle Human Rights Commission, Democratic counsel for the Committee of Natural Resources in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the first director of Indian Affairs for the U.S. Department of Energy.

In our interview with Stearns, he spoke on issues not covered by any other candidates this year, including addressing undertreated behavioral health issues like gambling addiction and the serious environmental impacts of climate change on Indigenous nations, tribes, and reservations. He also stated that he would be in favor of legislating to help flip the state's regressive tax code, which disproportionately impacts low- and middle-income people more than the wealthiest. However, we were somewhat disappointed that he would not have supported the missing middle housing bill this year, which would reduce the cost of housing by allowing more density near transit hubs.

If elected, Stearns would be one of only two Indigenous lawmakers in Olympia, along with Rep. Debra Lekanoff. If you're looking for a candidate with experience in city government as well as environmental protection, Stearns would be a good choice.

Rep. Vandana Slatter is running unopposed for re-election to the 48th Legislative District, House Position 1. Prior to running for the Legislature, Slatter was Bellevue's first Indian-American city council member.

Slatter has served on the boards of several organizations and nonprofits, including the Children's Institute for Learning Differences, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, Global Social Business Partners, and the Cancer Center at Overlake Hospital Foundation.

In the Legislature, Slatter has focused on education and equity issues, working on legislation benefiting homeless youth, fully funding schools, and providing health care access. This year, Slatter sponsored legislation restricting ghost guns and improving public safety by banning the carrying of guns in places like school board meetings. She was also a sponsor of the missing middle housing bill, which would have expanded housing options near transit.

Rep. Slatter has earned another term in the House.

Chartisha Roberts is running to be the Clark County Councilor in District 2. Roberts has worked in the health care and transportation sectors working in human resources. She is a community leader with extensive experience working on youth mentoring, equity issues, and food bank services.

Roberts is running to put her administrative and leadership skills to use making Clark County a safe place to live where all residents have the opportunity to thrive. Her priorities include putting public health first, investing in a resilient local economy, and addressing the affordability crisis to make sure people in Clark County can access stable housing.

Roberts is running against Michelle Belkot, a veteran and federal procurement manager running on a vague, conservative platform that fails to address the most pressing needs of Clark County residents. Last year, she ran unsuccessfully for Vancouver School Board on a MAGA campaign to oppose masks and COVID safety protocols for our students and promote misinformation in our students’ history books.

We recommend Chartisha Roberts for District 2 on the Clark County Council because of her community-centric vision and the support she has earned from partner organizations.

Dulce Gutierrez is running for the open District 2 seat on the Yakima County Commission. This year, all three seats are open with new maps due to a lawsuit that alleged Latinos were disenfranchised by Yakima County's voting system. Gutierrez, a former Yakima City Council member, wants to deliver more economic opportunity, improve community safety, and expand affordable housing. She worked for seven years for the Washington State Labor Council and volunteers for the boards of the YWCA of Yakima, Planned Parenthood, and other organizations.

Her vision of the county is one in which residents' quality of life keeps up with economic change. Gutierrez wants to invest in roads and renewable energy like solar to boost business and make sure that new housing can be built. She also wants to improve water access for farmers. Gutierrez believes that new zoning changes, like allowing homeowners to add housing units to their properties, will help alleviate the housing crunch and provide income to families.

Gutierrez's opponent in this race is Republican Kyle Curtis, who is running as a moderate on a cautious platform. While both candidates say that a countywide emergency response radio system and a regional crime lab should be supported, Gutierrez goes a step further and wants to see more funding for crime prevention efforts, including recreational programs for youth. While Curtis says that the county should focus on mental health and substance abuse in working with its homeless residents, Gutierrez says that service providers are already giving assistance and more affordable housing will be crucial for helping people find permanent residences.

Gutierrez's strong experience on the city council and progressive credentials make her the best choice in this race.