As filing week has now past, we are sure of the 2026 lineup for the 5 most significant Supreme Court races in Washington’s history. We know that Judge Ian Birk is facing off against Sean O’Donnell, and this race will go straight to the November ballot as there are only two candidates. It makes it all the more important that we help Ian keep his momentum going, and that we help him continue to build a fundraising lead on his opponent while continuing to grow endorsements.
As this race really kicks into gear, Ian is racking up endorsements and continuing to build on his early momentum. He now has five former and current Supreme Court justices endorsing him, as well as over 100 judges elected from all 39 counties in Washington State. This includes an overwhelming majority of appellate judges, who know what it takes to do this job. This support is undoubtedly bolstered by the over 200 opinions that Ian has written and that clearly demonstrates the breadth and quality of his work. This stands in stark contrast to the fact his opponent has not written any appellate opinions. In addition, many organizational endorsements are also pouring in.
But filing week did bring a new challenge. Because Ian is not on the ballot until November, and all four of the other races are on the primary ballot in August, it’s very important that we help him now and keep his campaign moving forward. His campaign is now limited to a maximum contribution of $2,400 per person, despite the fact that there is still a necessity of running a very expensive and challenging statewide campaign. We have to keep moving Ian’s campaign forward to prepare for a very challenging election environment against a wave of conservative business money being raised by Full Court Press and Rob McKenna. Now is the time to step up again and help.
This is the most monumental race in recent times for civil justice, and it is an opportunity as the court gets remade to get a new generation of civil justice champions. Ian will lead that charge.
Please take this opportunity to step up and help right now. If you have already contributed, now is a great time to add to that amount. If you haven’t endorsed or would like to host an event for Ian, please reply to this email to let us know. Let’s keep growing that momentum and heading toward a great outcome in November.
All the best,
Tom Vertetis
Larry Shannon