MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Good morning fellow Democrats,
What a couple of weeks we’ve had in Democratic politics here in Washington state! Gov. Inslee announced he’s not running for another term, Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz have announced their campaigns to succeed him as governor, state Senator Patty Kuderer announced her run for Insurance Commissioner, and state Senator Manka Dhingra has kicked off her campaign to succeed AG Ferguson as our state’s top lawyer. With all this change on the horizon, you might be wondering, “What does this mean for the Washington State Democrats?”
Well, it’s simultaneously a huge deal that doesn’t change much about our day-to-day work. Our mission hasn’t changed: in partnership with Senator Maria Cantwell, we’ll build the same organizing powerhouse of the Coordinated Campaign that has led to double-digit wins for our statewide candidates for the last six years. After all, that’s what flipped two Congressional seats from red to blue, delivered an historic third term for Governor Inslee, and consolidated Democratic control of every statewide executive office for the first time in recent memory. Once the voters choose who will represent our party in the general election, we’ll stand ready to keep the governor’s seat in Democratic hands regardless of who advances past the primary.
But at the same time, competitive primaries for so many statewide offices present an incredible opportunity for our state party. While maintaining neutrality throughout the process, we’ll be able to bring in new Democrats to our fold and engage a whole new generation of voters excited by our wealth of inspiring candidates. And although we don’t make endorsements at the state level, each of our local party organizations will weigh in on these compelling races, so there’s never been a better time to get involved locally!
WORKING FOR WASHINGTON
Last Friday marked a day of awareness for the ongoing crisis affecting Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women. To bring more resources and attention to the cases from our state, Senator Cantwell discussed with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland about how the federal government can aid in investigating and resolving those cases. For more, check out the Senator’s interview with KHQ.
A MOMENT OF HOPE
Earlier this week, I flew to DC for the White House’s celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month and drew such inspiration from the diverse leaders from across the country who showed up and showed out for the event. I kept thinking that if I could somehow go back in time and tell the version of myself who cut her teeth as a field organizer on President Obama’s 2008 campaign that the White House would even hold such an event – much less that I’d be an invited guest! – I’m not sure I would have believed it. Our party has come so far in respecting and valuing the diversity of our coalition in just the time that I’ve been working in politics. It’s hard to believe sometimes, but it’s a valuable reminder that change is possible within our lifetimes.
DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS
Jay Inslee, Washington’s Departing Governor, Sees Greener Pastures Ahead | The New York Times
Gov. Inslee’s leadership brought us incredible progress on so many issues and kept us safe during the unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for making our state a beacon of hope in this divided country, and wish him the best of luck in his next pursuits after leaving the governor’s mansion.
WA Attorney General Bob Ferguson announces campaign for governor | The Seattle Times
The race to succeed Gov. Inslee is off to a hot start, with AG Ferguson kicking it off last week. You can learn more about his campaign at his website here.
Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz is also vying to succeed Gov. Inslee, and announced her campaign this week. You can learn more about Hilary’s campaign at her website here.
State Party Updates
In case you haven’t seen, we’re looking to add talent to our incredible state party staff! We’re accepting applications for Executive Director and Communications Director, so let anyone in your network who might be interested know that they are invited to apply before Monday’s deadline!
Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!
With gratitude,
Chair Shasti Conrad Washington State Democratic Party
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