In following the politics of this crazy year, here is my pics for both environmental and other races as I see it in the state.
President of the United States: Kamala Harris
Once again, we are faced with the anti-environmental insanity of Donald Trump. Donald Trump appears to be mentally unfit for the job as well as someone who has been convicted of over 30 crimes many of them serious against our country. A man who does not believe in climate change, and is working under the Project 2025 guidance that will remove scientific people in the government and replace them with his personal hacks, remove all climate change references in government documents and close down major scientific efforts to monitor it. No one should be voting for Donald Trump no matter what you think of Kamala Harris. She will be a vastly better president and already has shown what she’s capable of by passing legislation during the Biden administration, called the infrastructure bill, which is and has provided jobs for hundreds of thousands of people including blue collar jobs across this country and put infrastructure projects in play in our community as well as all over the United State. She has proven herself a supporter of all of us.
Governor of Washington State: Bob Ferguson
If anyone has ever shown himself to be a supporter of the citizens of the state, it is Attorney General Bob Ferguson. He fought the Trump administration to a standstill as it tried to bend the constitution to its will over and over again. Bob has done the right thing for us, the people. While his opponent is an honorable Republican, it is unfortunate that he’s not running as an independent to clearly remove himself from the stain of the MAGA insanity that is today’s Republican party. Bob Ferguson has fought for the environmental protection of our state, in such well-known battles as forcing the United States Navy on Whidbey Island to deal with their noise issues. We need him in the governor’s role.
State Representative District 24 -Adam Bernbaum
Adam has a number of years of experience here on the Peninsula working as a field organizer for Derek Kilmer and also as an aide to State Senator Kevin de Wege. He knows his way around Olympia’s halls of power. He is Washingtonian, he comes out of a union family, he’s a graduate at the University of Washington and has pledged to work hard for environmental issues along with healthcare and housing priorities. He is supported by a lot of good organizations. Adam has on many elections knocked on doors all over the two counties for the candidates he worked for and supporters. He knows the electorate. His opponent is too focused solely on criminal justice issues.
U.S. 6th Congressional District: Emily Randall
Emily is a newcomer to running in our district, but she’s not new to politics. She’s highly regarded. solid support for union and LGBTQ issues. While I don’t always support all union positions, they do run the Democratic Party, and any politician running needs their support. I have no problem voting for Emily and expect good things from her. She has convinced the local Democratic Party she is the right choice.
Commissioner of Public Lands: Dave UptheGrove
A long time environmental leader in the state legislature and recently in King County politics. His opponent wants to turn over old growth logging to the logging industry.
State Senator Dist 24: Mike Chapman
Long time local political leader. Worth returning to office. Votes to support environmental legislation. No debate on this choice at all. Mike is a leader and listens. Easily accessible to anyone wanting to have him hear them out on issues.
State Representative Position 2: Steve Tharinger
Steve is one of the best people we have had in the State House. He has fought for healthcare and environmental legislation over and over again. He helps craft the State Budget. This appears to be his last election. Let’s send him back.
Jefferson County Commissioners:
Heather Dudley-Nollette and Heidi Eisenhower
Heidi is running unopposed for good reason. Heather has a good challenger for her position, but her long time work in this county and in Port Townsend has shown her to be a local leader worth supporting. She brings small business background, has worked a lot on the receiving end of the County’s problematic building permitting process. It’s my belief that she will bring a more realistic approach based on having to deal with the actual issues that many of us face. So many politicians we have had in this county have never run a business and its attendant issues of payroll, hiring, taxes and reporting. She has also raised a family here, been involved in school issues, also has been deeply involved in issues of housing and homelessness, our local theater, and co-founded & ran the well respected Co-Lab in Port Townsend. I support her without hesitation.
Initiative I-2117 – NO
The Seattle Times has a good analysis of why you should vote no, on I-2117. I agree with their point of view. This initiative was backed and paid for by a right-wing hedge fund manager who opposes climate change protection. Climate change is here, now. Increasingly devasting wildfires, streams getting so hot that our beloved salmon cannot spawn anymore, and on and on. These affect us all. It is what government is supposed to do for it’s citizens. We need to continue to work to strengthen our efforts to protect *all* citizens from the changes happening and escalating in our state. Vote No.
Initiative I-2109 – NO
Keep the Capital Gains tax. This should be a no brainer. Washington unfortunately has the most regressive tax system in the nation, with low income people paying a much greater share of their income than the wealthiest. It is why our logging of state owned lands is needed at all, which has been an environmental nightmare. This Capital Gains tax, paid by those making huge gains in *non earned income* (think huge gains in stock market investments or property value increase) not the pay you make at a job. This should stay in place if not have even better methods of taxing the wealthiest. Even Bill Gates supports paying more in taxes for his capital gains! Again, the Seattle Times has a good argument about why you should vote no.
Initiative I-2066 – No
This is a tricky one. Over the last 30 years, the public has been fed a huge media blitz to convince us that by moving to natural gas to get off coal power, would be an *environmental benefit*. Their PR firms constantly talked up how environmentally friendly natural gas was, both in its refining and its greenhouse gas emissions. A number of environmental organizations also supported the idea. Of course, it is a great product for getting off a coal fired plant, as was done in Chehalis, but to put it into every household as gas heat, gas stoves and other gas appliances, is not a great idea. Methane, given off by natural gas, is very bad for human health, the environment and global warming (search Google for the melting of the artic for a reason). Fracking, which is how we are getting a lot of this gas, is an environmental nightmare that pollutes our water with their wastewater. While we do not have the electrical capacity today to support going all electric at the present, only 10% of Washington total emissions is in gas. Washington law already guarantees energy choice and allows people to have natural gas if they want it.
Opponents make the argument that I-2066 would prohibit penalties for using natural gas in construction, limit the ability of building codes to discourage the use of natural gas, and keep utility officials from making planning decisions that make natural gas cost-prohibitive.
Initiative supporters have branded it a “ban” on natural gas bans. (see KUOW article below)
They are supported by over 200 organizations and many city governments.
The Washington Building Industry Association and the trade organization representing restaurants opposes the implementation of the bill and has sponsored I-2066. It seems, on the surface, like a worthwhile idea to pass I-2066 and go back to the drawing board and come up with a longer-term bill that industry and the public can approve. However, this initiative, backed by the oil and gas industry seems like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
By the way, I replaced my gas stove and gas water heater (an old model from the 90s) this year, so my electric bill is definitely higher, but no longer need gas in our house (other than a rare use in our gas fireplace, maybe a couple of times a year). And if we went solar it would be better yet.
The Seattle Times argument in favor of passage is here.
An overview of why to vote no is here.
The list of organizations and supporters to say NO is huge.
Initiative 2124 – No
Rolling back the Washingtons’ Long Term Healthcare Insurance program. While the current bill is not perfect, this initiative is not the answer. Let’s fix the bill.
The No coalition is made up of MS Society, AARP, Washington State Nurses Association, The League of Women Voters, Planned Parenthood, and the Leukemia Society, plus many others. Need we say more?
Superintendent of Public Education: Chris Reykdal.
I am supporting Chris Reichel, even though I feel that he has totally failed to do his job as superintendent of public education. If there was a way to replace him without the voter box, I would be totally in favor of it. If there was ever a year that I would recommend voting for a Republican, this is it. But unfortunately, the Republicans are running a Maga person who wants to close down our universities and supports biblical teaching in public schools. There is a move afoot to make the superintendent role a cabinet level position and take it out of being a voted-on position. I would support that move it with the next governor.
Lieutenant Governor: Denny Heck
Solid leadership by Heck.
Attorney General: Nick Brown
Secretary of State: Steve Hobbs
U.S. Senate: Maria Cantwell
I am not a fan of Maria Cantwell, she is far too much a blind supporter of military spending , but she’s done a decent job of supporting the right side of environmental issues over the last number of years in the Senate. She’s a reliable choice, though I think we could easily do better. However, the Republican choice is vastly worse.
Secretary of State: Dean Hobbs
State Treasurer: Mike Pellicciotti
State Auditor: Pat McCarthy
Supreme Court Position 2: Sal Mungia
Sal is one of the most highly respected jurists in the state. A no brainer vote.