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As D3 candidate field crowds, Ashiofu hopes unique perspectives on housing, health, and transit will change the race

(Image: andrewforseattle.com)

With the race for District 3 now wide open and sure to draw an expanded field of candidates after the decision from incumbent Kshama Sawant to step aside at the end of her term, some candidates will defy easy categorization. Andrew Ashiofu hopes his unique viewpoints as a Black, HIV+ political and social activist with an immigrant perspective will set him apart in the race for D3.

He also knows where the shoe pinches.

“There’s an African adage, the person that wears the shoe knows where it pinches the most,” Ashiofu says.

“I’m going to come from a renter’s perspective. Yes. And I know how difficult it is to sustain rent, the increase in rent and all. So I would want laws to protect renters. And when we talk about single family units, we want to know what is it that is worrying them. So the first step is let’s listen to what’s their worry.”

Growing up in Texas to Nigerian parents and with a life path that included a time living homeless in Chicago before a career as a flight attendant, Ashiofu today is a Capitol Hill resident living his beliefs and working in his communities. He is chair of the Washington State Stonewall Democrats, co-chair of the Seattle LGBTQ Commission, and a board member for People Of Color Against AIDS Network and Gay City.

He sees his campaign as a mission to bring his perspectives to all of the district, challenging voters to find solutions to help those who need it the most. And to do it all with a bit of flowers and bees — not honey.

“People say you need to honey to attract (the voters) but I say that is not how it works. You need a flower and bees. Then you make honey.”

Some of Ashiofu’s ideas — social housing, restructuring the police system, health and transit equity — will sting but his hope is to help more of District 3 to see the needs and support more radical solutions than they might normally have been comfortable with.

(Image: andrewforseattle.com)

You may have already met Ashiofu during outreach work at the Capitol Hill Farmers Market trying to drum up support for I-135 to create a Social Housing Developer at City Hall.

“I have had the privilege of living abroad and also traveling to nearly all the continents except Antarctica,” Ashiofu said. “And I have experienced and have seen the impacts of social housing and how that has helped create housing. My three ‘A’s’ around housing are affordability, accessibility, and availability.”

With seven or so months until the August primary where only two will go through, candidates like Ashiofu have started stacking up their key letters and early platforms. Like Ashiofu, they are getting their first 150 qualifying campaign contributions in order to be part of the Democracy Voucher public funding process.

Others joining the race include Ry Armstrong, a first time candidate with connections to the arts and LGBTQ communities, and Joy Hollingsworth, another first timer but with a deeper bench thanks to her strong connections to the Central District and Black communities as well as the city’s cannabis industry.

Incumbent Sawant, of course, will sit this race out as her political group Socialist Alternative will set its work in District 3 aside to focus on the creation of a new national party to take on the “Democratic establishment” including the growing ranks of the Democratic Socialists of America.

Meanwhile, another major candidate will launch their campaign later this week.

For Ashiofu, his run for D3 will be his second major race in two years. Last year, he vied for the District 37-Position 2 seat in the Washington House of Representatives, finishing in a distant fourth place.

The lesson, Ashiofu says, is that, when it comes to politics, winning is not everything.

“I’m coming from this immigrant lived experience, a person challenging in a district that is very strong in history on civil rights liberation. I’m changing and shaking that foundation,” Ashiofu said.

“People say, ‘You lost the race.’ I tell them no. I learned from the race.”

Learn more at andrewforseattle.com.

 

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Luba Tabolova
Luba Tabolova
1 year ago

Another Sawant? No, thanks. Next…

Violet
Violet
1 year ago

Not seeing any new ideas here – that’s ok, I mean after all, so many have been working on these issues a long, long time and tried a variety of things. But has he done anything? How long has he been in Seattle? What’s his experience?

Derek
Derek
1 year ago

I like him! Don’t care what these sock puppets on here say, we need a good Sawant-esque replacement. Need the smooth transition!