A few of them Dems (Image: 43rd District Democrats)
The path to November’s ballot including a decision on Biden vs. Trump and a vote on the city’s $1.55 billion and counting transportation levy runs through this summer’s primary election.
This week, that path ran through the 43rd District Democrats as the political group dedicated to promoting the Democratic party and working to increase participation through education held its endorsement meeting and gave the nod to a handful of candidates including a choice in the key citywide race for Position 8 on the Seattle City Council.
While the candidates anointed by the group Tuesday night will need to win much wider support in their citywide, countywide, and statewide races, the 43rd Dems organization representing Seattle neighborhoods including Capitol Hill, Madison Park, Eastlake, Belltown, and voters in the downtown core hasn’t been the worst measuring stick for the political mood of the wider city and densely populated region.
Here is a look at the candidates who won the 43rd Dems’ backing headed into the August Primary.
Alexis Mercedes Rinck
Seattle City Council Position 8
Alexis Mercedes Rinck is a Queer Latina who hopes to fully fund city services and get corporations to pay their fair share in taxes. She said she came before the 43rd Dems “as a living testament” to investments in early childhood support and education, and that she understands the importance of investing in youth and city services as someone whose family used these services.
Tanya Woo, appointed to fill the position on an interim basis earlier this year, cited her involvement with the Chinatown International District’s community. She highlighted how she’s built affordable housing through the Louisa Hotel, and that the hotel charges a percentage of residents’ income so that they can afford to pay rent.
“I’m working on legislation on how we can do that for the entire city,” Woo said.
Saunatina Sanchez said she helped restart the Capitol Hill Community Council in 2007 and previously served on the planning team for Capitol Hill Pride.
Tariq Yusuf said “social services have been repeatedly cut…and our politicians have consistently opted for half-humane half-measures.” He said his family relied on social programs, like Pell Grants and food stamps, which allowed him the chance to go to college.
Yusuf said the current city council majority is putting the priorities of the wealthy above the average Seattleite.
Rinck received a majority of the votes and an endorsement.
Shaun Scott
43rd District State Representative Position 2
Shaun Scott of the Statewide Poverty Action Network who lost a 2019 race to represent the University District on the Seattle City Council is an early favorite for the 43rd where he has the blessing of retiring incumbent and state political veteran Frank Chopp who is set to retire after three decades in Olympia.
“We are ready as a district to unite behind a proven progressive with a track record,” Scott said Tuesday night.
Democrat Daniel Carusello is running against Scott and said he’s not blind to the notion that his opponent has a more well-known name. He cited his bachelor’s degree in political science, and noted how his differing strategies would allow for greater accomplishments given the current state budget.
Controversial homelessness services group WeHeartSeattle’s Andrea Suarez also says she is running as a Democrat. She had a rough night during the endorsements as you’ll read about in the Governor section, below.
Scott received an endorsement by a vote of 39-5.
Bob Ferguson
Governor
Although the 43rd Dems unanimously voted to remove Mullet from the list of endorsements at the beginning of the meeting, WeHeartSeattle’s Suarez said she initially raised her hand to keep Mullet on as an option.
“I’m a political outsider. I’m here to learn and figure out what the heck’s going on,” Suarez said.
Not long after, Suarez became frustrated with the meeting procedures and was muted due to disrespectful behavior.
Rep.Nicole Macri spoke in favor of endorsing Bob Ferguson and said as acting Attorney General, he has been leading on issues Washingtonians care about.
“He’s been a national leader on protecting reproductive rights,” Macri said. “Our state is facing big challenges and Bob has the experience to bring results.”
Macri said we often think of Washington as a safe state for Democrats, but the average margin of victory in the last two races without an incumbent was 1.5%.
“Polls call this race a toss up,” Macri added.
Ferguson received 38 votes for endorsement, while one person voted for “none.”
Commissioner of Public Lands
Dave Upthegrove said he would be breaking a glass ceiling by becoming the first LGBTQ+ person in this position if elected.
“I am the progressive candidate in this race,” Upthegrove said. “I’m the only leading candidate not taking corporate timber money in this state.”
Upthegrove said he brings a lifetime of relevant experience working in the environmental field and has a deep commitment to environmental and Tribal justice, and racial equity.
Patrick DePoe is from the Makah Tribe and highlighted his lifetime experiences with Washington lands.
“When we’re talking about the importance of our natural resources, I don’t think I need to get into too much detail as to what this means to our Indigenous communities,” DePoe said. “It’s 2024 and it’s unfortunate to see that there’s not one Washington state Tribal member elected into office. We need to do better.”
DePoe said the environment is part of Indigenous individuals’ heritage, culture and ceremony. He highlighted how he was brought up with these teachings, and asked folks to step out of their comfort zone to open a door that has been closed for so long.
DePoe was outvoted by 17-36, with Upthegrove receiving the 43rd Dems endorsement.
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Candidate Chris Reykdal is the democratic incumbent in this race, and he mentioned how he built a civil rights team to ensure the protection of Transgender and LGBTQ+ youth, and sexual education. He said he’s working to rewrite learning standards, since children are overwhelmed with mis and disinformation.
“We’re going to be the first state in the country, beginning at age five, why people want their eyes on screens, what it does to them,” said Reykdal on safely using social media.
Reykdal received 37 of the votes over Reid Saaris, who received one vote.
Attorney General
Manka Dhingra said she’s spent her career fighting for Washingtonians in the courtroom and state senate, including survivors of violence, women and the LGBTQ+ community.
“I’m running for Attorney General to protect the people of Washington, no matter what you look like, where you come from,” Dhingra said.
Dhingra added how she’s protected voting rights, reproductive rights and gender-affirming care. She said someone in this position must be a strong litigator and legal fighter, which she has a proven track record of.
“Given what is happening at the national level, we must protect the rights of immigrants, refugees. We must protect the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals,” Dhingra said. “No ones going to fight harder for reproductive freedoms and LGBTQIA rights than I.”
Vivian Song spoke for candidate Nick Brown and said he’s worked to end the death penalty in the state and increased background checks for semi-automatic rifles.
“He has the broadest legal experience in this race,” Song said.
Dhingra received the endorsement by a vote of 32-19.
Secretary of State
No one spoke in favor of Steve Hobbes or Marquez Tiggs for the Secretary of State position, but Hobbes ended up receiving an endorsement.
Congressional District 9
“I bring personal and professional experience in climate action, addiction treatment…and real community empowerment,” said Melissa Chaudry, candidate for Congressional District 9. “My mission is to help America move past discrimination at home and hegemony abroad.”
Chaudry received an endorsement instead of Rep. Adam Smith, who was not present. Earlier in the meeting, the group debated a Palestine Proclamation directed towards Smith for what has been described as harmful remarks that was reported by the Guardian.
Others!
Early in the night, the group unanimously voted to remove nominations for Mark Mullet, Bill Boyd, John Pealinger and Allen Lebovitz in order to reduce the list of candidates to consider. Several candidates are also running unopposed and received endorsements from the 43rd Dems including Pramila Jayapal for Congressional District 7; Denny Heck as Lt. Governor; Mike Pellicciotti for State Treasurer; Pat McCarthy for State Treasurer; Patricia Kuderer for Insurance Commissioner; and Paul Crisalli for the King County Superior Court.
The primary is Tuesday, August 6th. Ballots will be in the mail to voters the week of July 15th.
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I do not understand why they removed Mark Mullet from the nomination list. He is a legitimate candidate for Governor, currently serves in the State Senate, and has informed opinions about the challenges facing our State. Maybe someone could explain, for me and Ms. Saurez, why his nomination was taken down.
43 dems are the same group that endorsed people outside their party (Sawant) It’s been taken over by socialists and is like the stranger voting guide – a list of who not to vote for.
Nailed it!
Agree! Haven’t we had enough of far-left politicians? Shaun Scott is one of those.
He isn’t removed because he’s not a legitimate candidate. He got removed because every single person on the endorsement list requires that at least 1 person in attendance speak up for them. No one spoke for Mullet so he was removed. Suarez later said she wanted to endorse him so he was added back in.
Thanks for the explanation, i should have showed up and spoken for him.
Shaun Scott is great! Got my vote. All my friends are voting for him too.
All my friends will be voting for his sensible opponent.
Shaun Scott is a Marxist. No thanks.
Marxist-sympathizing, cult-like group. If you’re happy with the direction of Seattle and King County the last ten years, vote for these authoritarians.
Sorry, what exactly did Suarez say or do that was disrespectful behavior?
The 43rd Dems continue to churn out some of the worst candidates. This group has become the incubation chamber for Socialist, Marxist candidates. If you want to connect with local comrades that celebrate anti-American rhetoric, you’ll fit right in like a sickle and hammer.
You can always run.
He would need to be able to define the terms he throws around first and then maybe move here.
Read their platforms and compare them to classic Marxism or Socialism. Its not difficult.
Nice try at gaslighting
So we have a “Democratic Party” caucus that ignored the actual Democrat in the race (Andrea Suarez) for a socialist— who does not even belong to the Democratic Party. Shaun Scott is an abolitionist: he wants neither police nor prisons. As you look at the bullet holes in the shops on Broadway, the graffiti, the dead bodies piling up, and the boarded up and smashed windows in retail districts throughout the city, take a clear-eyed look at our present and our future.
Property owners are now forced (if they want to protect the safety of their tenants and property) to spend tens of thousands a year on private security firms. Many Seattle businesses can no longer get insurance due to the number and expense of damage claims, and parts of the city are effectively uninsurable. The city’s tax base, from which “alternatives to policing” are supposed to be funded along with detox and drug rehabilitation and “equity” is crashing. If your preference is to tear down all existing businesses and structures of our capitalist based city, we are making great progress towards that goal.
Unfortunately, Shaun Scott and others like him have provided no credible path towards capitalism’s replacement. If you have a power vacuum created by a culture so anti-police that no one will fill the police force, those who step up to fill the vacuum will be either the vigilantes or the people with power in the criminal sector. This is what we are seeing with the street takeovers for racing, which left people shot and indiscriminate bullets flying. This is what we see when a citizen tries to stop someone from spraying graffiti, and they are beaten to a pulp and sent to Harborview. The degradation of Capitol Hill happened under Kshama Sawant. Sean Scott is just Kshama 2.0.
Andrea Suarez has created an extraordinary non profit in We Heart Seattle. She has brought people of all political persuasions together in common cause of cleaning up the city AND helping addicts and unhoused people find the resources they need to become productive and free of addiction. She understands at ground level the problems our state and cities face and she will make a very fine legislator. She deserves consideration in Capitol Hill media, and I would love to see in-depth interviews here of her and the other candidates running.
I agree with everything you’ve written. Thank you.
Why don’t you write about the great Republican candidates. You liberals are so into racial equity, how about you write about a great black man named Semi Bird who is running for Governor so he can clean up this state for the better and actually make it affordable unlike these possers running. You guys keep voting for the same nonsense and we keep getting higher taxes, higher gas prices, higher groceries, higher cost of living. You would think common sense would kick in eventually.