MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Happy Friday, Washington Democrats!
Washington Democrats are horrified that Muhammad Zahid Chaudry was taken into ICE detention yesterday, August 21, at the USCIS office in Tukwila. We have confirmation that Rep. Adam Smith’s office is gathering more information about this incident. Zahid is a decorated army veteran who uses a wheelchair now because of his injuries serving our country. He was also an active community member and was a leader in his local Veterans For Peace chapter.
You are encouraged to join an emergency protest at 2PM THIS Sunday at the Northwest Detention Center. RSVP here.
Programming Note
Next week the office of the Washington State Democratic Party will be closed as our leadership will be attending DNC meetings out of state and ensuring our staff take a summer break. The next Message from the Chair will be delivered on September 5th. Thank you for your patience and support!
Democrats Fighting Back
Governor Bob Ferguson made it clear at a press conference on Tuesday that he won’t be bullied or intimidated by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Responding to a letter sent earlier that threatened Washington’s elected officials with imprisonment because we don’t share private information with ICE, Governor Ferguson stood tall for our status as a sanctuary state. In this Washington, we follow the rule of law and protect our own.
Washington will not comply with illegal orders that violate state law to harass and imprison immigrants who have no criminal history. If Trump isn’t happy with that, then we’ll see him in court!
State Treasurer Mike Pelliciotti announced this week that Washington affirmed our Moody’s AAA Credit Rating – their top financial grade! U.S. News also rated Washington #1 in the nation for long-term fiscal stability for the second consecutive year. Our state’s credit ratings are now stronger than the federal government’s for the first time in history! This will save Washingtonians millions and better shield us from federal economic instability. Thank you, Treasurer Pelliciotti! This is Democrats delivering for everyone!
Also this week, I was interviewed by King5 to push back against Trump’s illegal and authoritarian Executive Order seeking to end vote-by-mail. No matter what Vladimir Putin whispers in Trump’s ear, states control their own elections – the U.S. Constitution is extremely clear on that. Republicans can’t win in free and fair elections next year so they are resorting to trying to cheat to avoid the blowback from American voters over their failed policies.
Washington state has the best elections system in the country because we meet voters where they are: in their living rooms or around their kitchen tables. We don’t force people to take time off work or secure childcare, and we don’t charge for postage so they can exercise their right to vote.
Our Secretary of State Steve Hobbs wrote this week, “Washington voters’ confidence in our election system is sensible and its popularity is undeniable. President Trump went on to make several unsubstantiated claims. In other words, Trump lies.”
SOS Hobbs has been leading the charge to secure our elections systems from outside governments, stop disinformation and misinformation before it gets to voters, and increase protections for the staff who ensure our elections run smoothly. He, and our state, will be on the front lines of this fight as Trump tries to overturn the U.S. Constitution. I couldn’t be prouder to work alongside SOS Steve Hobbs in this fight.
Washington officials question Trump’s fight against mail-in voting,
The Spokesman-Review
Leaders from around our state are fighting back against Trump’s toothless threats against our best-in-the-nation voting systems. No matter what Vladimir Putin whispers in Trump’s ear, we will safeguard our safe, convenient, secure, and popular vote-by-mail system that benefits senior citizens and rural voters by meeting voters where they are – in their living rooms and kitchen tables.
Republican lawmaker slams Dems for ‘hypocrisy’ over state budget Medicaid cuts,
The Olympian
Washington Democrats in our state legislature preserved core services despite a brutal economic outlook. Now that the public has learned about the Republican Congressional Budget that makes nearly $1 trillion in federal Medicaid cuts over the next 10 years, Republican State Rep. Travis Couture is scrambling to change the message. Washington voters know what’s what – Republicans cut health insurance for our most vulnerable neighbors so millionaires and billionaires could get a fat tax cut. Thank you, State Rep. Nicole Macri for setting the record straight!
Working for Washington
Last weekend, I had a homecoming to Oregon, where I addressed Oregon Democrats at the Nan Wood Honeyman dinner. Nan Wood Honeyman was Oregon’s first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1937. Today, Oregon’s Congressional Delegation is entirely women except for one seat.
I was honored to address our sister state to the south and share how the Pacific Northwest is going to help the rest of the country get their stuff together and start electing solutions oriented leaders who work to improve the lives of everyone. Oregon Democrats flipped a purple House seat last year – meaning the road to a Speaker Hakeem Jeffries runs right along the I-5 corridor. I want to thank everyone at Oregon Democrats who made the event such a success and I look forward to strengthening our partnership in the years to come.
This week, I also joined my fellow Emerge Alumni on a press call rallying voters in Texas and around the country to fight back against Texas Republican efforts to gerrymander their maps even more than they already are. We had a great turnout and it was amazing to see the passion and energy of Emerge participants from every corner of the nation. Emerge is an organization that helps women run for office for the first time. You can learn more about them here.
Call to Action
- Rally, Protest, and Gather
- SUNDAY – Emergency Protest to Release Zahid Chaudhry in Tacoma. Begins at 2PM. RSVP and details here.
- TOMORROW – 34th LD Dems Bend it Like Booker in Seattle from Saturday at 10AM through Sunday at 11:15AM – more than 24 hours of resistance programming following Sen. Cory Booker’s historic example. Learn more here.
- TOMORROW – Street Rally to Defend the Constitution in Kirkland from 11:30AM-1PM at 6th Street and Central Way. Sign up here.
- TUESDAY – North Kitsap Indivisible Fight for the Things You Care About in Kingston from 5PM-6PM. Sign up here.
- TUESDAY, AUGUST 26 – NWIRP Immigration Updates Webinar 5PM-5:45PM (English) 5:45PM-6:30PM (Spanish). Register here.
- FRIDAY, AUGUST 29 – Ruckus Action Team in Seattle from NOON to 2PM. RSVP here.
- Every Friday – Refuse Fascism Fridays in Everett at the Social Security Administration Office from 5PM-6:30PM. Sign up here.
- Every Monday – Mikey Mondays in Spokane outside the office of U.S. Representative Michael Baumgartner. Sign up here.
- Every Wednesday – Musk or Us Protest in Redmond from 4PM-5PM. Sign up here.
- Send us details on rallies and protests in your communities
- Email details to press@wa-democrats.org
- Donate
- If you would like to see less Washington D.C. and more Washington state in your community, please DONATE to The Real Washington Fund – our rapid response account to counter MAGA’s chaos with real organizing, real solutions, and real results. We can’t do the work of holding Republicans accountable without your support.
- Follow us on social media
Democrats in the News
‘Leave us the hell alone,’ WA Democrats tell Bondi on immigration, KUOW
Trump wants to stop people from voting by mail. Here’s what it means for Washington,
King5
“Stop threatening states”: Senator Cantwell responds to Attorney General Pam Bondi’s letter,
KXLY
Smaller, more civil crowd greets Randall at latest town hall,
Gig Harbor Now
In what world is 400 people a small crowd? But let this be a reminder that our House Republicans continue to refuse to answer to their own constituents.
New GOP ad targets Project 2026,
MSN
This confirms what we already knew, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez is one of the top targets for Republicans to flip a house seat in the country. Washington Democrats are well underway in our preparations to take on their hand-picked swamp creature, John Braun.
AG Brown sues Trump administration over energy cuts in WA,
Fox13
What I’m Reading
The Democratic Party faces a voter registration crisis,
The New York Times
Nationwide, our party has lost the edge in voter registration. We must put forward clear solutions that will benefit voters and their families, in addition to attacking the gross incompetence and reckless grifting of the Trump administration. Politics are not cast in stone, and we currently have a lead over Republicans in the generic congressional ballot, but none of that will matter if we don’t reach voters where they are and sell them on our policies to improve their lives. I am hard at work in Washington and at the DNC to make sure we reverse this troubling development.
Thanks for all you do,
Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party
In 2024, Washington Democrats led the nation with sweeping electoral victories. Now, we’re fighting to elect a supermajority in Olympia, protect our swing seats in the House, and stand up to MAGA extremism across the country.
WA Dems empowers grassroots organizing and elects Democrats up and down the ballot. Your support fuels our fight to stop Trump and defend our democracy.
We sincerely thank you for your help and support.
Washington State Democrats PO Box 4027 Seattle, WA 98194 United States