Dear Friends,
Earlier this week, Washingtonians stood up across the state to cast their ballots and make sure their voices were heard. It’s an honor to be on your ballot once again, and I was excited to vote for so many incredible candidates in this primary election.
Now, following a strong turnout, we are celebrating a strong victory for Democrats across the state. While we should take this time to celebrate the results of our primary election, we still have a lot of work to be done before the general election in November.
There are so many doors we need to knock on, so many great candidates that we need to rise up and show our support for to ensure that we come through strong in November and continue our course on this positive path Washington is on.
I am so honored to be serving you in Olympia once again, and I am committed to our district, our communities, and our neighborhoods. I will always work to ensure that my family and yours are better off tomorrow than we were yesterday.
That is the role of public servants, and I am excited to continue investing in our needs to ensure we have a strong economic foundation, strong workforce development, and a healthy and safe place to call home for generations to come.
Now, as we look ahead to November, I want to take a moment to celebrate some of the candidates we’ve been talking about the past few months. Congratulations to each of them for their success on Tuesday! I do hope they can count on your support as we head into the fall.
Keep reading for more on this Fantastic Friday.
“Stay Safe, Stay Healthy”
Rep. Debra Lekanoff
Representative Bill Ramos in the 5th LD
In the 5th LD, I’m pleased to support Bill Ramos as he runs for re-election!
He was elected into the People’s House alongside me in 2018 and has been a strong ally as we have worked to ensure our communities are safe and affordable, our schools are properly funded, and our environment is taken care of.
From 2005 to 2013, Bill worked for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as a Community Planner with emphasis on developing and managing the Tribal Transit Program and Rural and Small Urban Area Transit Systems. As Federal Tribal Liaison, he worked with 56 Tribes in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska to help start or improve public transit on Tribal Lands.
Bill is an incredible advocate for the people of Washington, and I hope he can count on your support! Learn more and support Representative Ramos here.
Representative Lisa Callan in the 5th LD
One of the candidates I’d like to highlight for you is the incredible State Representative Lisa Callan in the 5th LD!
Lisa has been in office alongside me in Olympia since I was first elected, and she’s always been a strong voice for our public schools, uplifting children across Washington State, promoting affordable housing, and she has long been a champion for Washington’s small businesses.
She serves as Vice-Chair of the Capital Budget Committee, as a member of the Children, Youth And Families Committee, and the Education committee in the State House. She is co-chair of Washington State’s Children & Youth Behavioral Work Group in partnership with the health care authority
The more leaders like Lisa that we can have in Olympia, the better. I’m proud to support her campaign, and I hope she can count on you as well. For more information about Lisa, and do donate to her campaign, click here.
Representative Dave Paul in the 10th LD
In the 10th LD, I saw many of you recently as we came together for an event supporting his campaign, Representative Dave Paul running for re-election!
Dave has been an incredible Representative in the Peoples’ House, advocating on your behalf and working tirelessly for the benefit of the 10th LD, Washington State, and the country. It’s an honor to work alongside him, and I’m proud to support his campaign.
Dave Paul is a longtime educator and champion for children, public schools, active military and veterans, sustainable economic growth, the environment, and the protection of women’s, LGBTQ, and minority rights.
I’m thrilled to serve alongside him as we continue working on your behalf – learn more about Dave and his campaign here!
Staying Cool in the Heat
If you’re anything like me, then you’ve been absolutely struggling through this most recent heat wave. We’ve been seeing incredibly high temperatures across the country, and right here in the 40th LD.
Not only is this a wake up call to ramp up our action on climate change and the environment, but it is also a reminder that we need to be careful and take care of ourselves during these times of incredible heat.
There are a number of things that we can do to help protect ourselves against the heat – staying hydrated, avoiding extended time in direct sunlight, and utilizing Washington’s cooling centers that are located throughout Western Washington.
Be sure to take care of yourself this weekend, Washington!
State Senator Emily Randall in the 26th LD
Emily Randall is running to continue representing the 26th LD in the State Senate, and she will do an incredible job working for the people of Washington.
Emily has spent her time in office advocating on behalf of all Washingtonians, always working to ensure that we all have access to affordable healthcare, that college is accessible and affordable to all who want to further their education, and so much more.
In 2018, Emily won a historic election to become the first Latina elected in the 26th District. Since elected, she has focused on delivering results to expand our local economy, improve access to high quality education, and to lower healthcare and prescription drug costs. She is running for re-election to continue her work finding solutions that put people first.
It’s been a pleasure serving alongside Emily since we were both elected in 2018, and I’m excited for the great things we’ll continue to accomplish together. For more information about Emily and her campaign, click here.
Representative Alex Ramel in the 40th LD
One great candidate that I’d like to highlight for you today is my fellow Representative in the People’s House for the 40th LD, Alex Ramel!
Alex has been a strong ally and advocate for the 40th LD during his time alongside me in Olympia, and I’m happy to stand united as he runs for re-election to remain your Representative moving forward.
Alex has been a great partner alongside me in Olympia, and I hope he can count on your support as he runs for re-election!
Find out more about Alex’s campaign and donate here.
Joe Timmons in the 42nd LD
Another candidate is the incredible Joe Timmons running in the 42nd LD!
Joe has spent the last decade working in public service at the local, state, and federal levels, always advocating on behalf of communities and individuals who need our support. He will be an incredible advocate for Whatcom County, and I’m proud to give him my support!
Joe currently works in Governor Jay Inslee’s office as the regional outreach representative for Whatcom and neighboring counties. In the community, he has served on boards with the City of Bellingham and he is a board member for the Bellingham Food Bank.
The more leaders like Joe that we can have in Olympia, the better. I’m proud to support his campaign, and I hope he can count on you as well. For more information about Joe, and do donate to his campaign, click here.
Sharon Shewmake in the 42nd LD
It has been such a pleasure serving in the State Legislature beside Representative Sharon Shewmake these past four years. As a fellow mother and Representative, she has been a strong and steady voice on supporting legislation that helps Washingtonians and makes peoples lives better.
Now, she is running for the State Senate in the 42nd LD!
Sharon is a tremendous advocate for her constituents, and I am proud to endorse her campaign! Together we will continue to work on building long-term, steady economic growth that keeps our ecosystems and environments in mind, while doing everything we can to help all who call this place home.
For more information about Representative Shewmake, click here.
Alicia Rule in the 42nd LD
Also in the 42nd LD, Representative Alicia Rule is running for re-election!
She has been an incredible voice for the 42nd LD, and for all Washingtonians, during her time alongside me in Olympia. I’m proud to endorse her campaign and can’t wait to get back to work on addressing the affordable housing crisis, investing in our communities, and helping protect the beautiful natural world.
Alicia is an incredible representative, exactly the kind of person want advocating on our behalf in Olympia. Learn more about her campaign and support her here.
Chris Stearns in the 47th LD
Last but not least, we have an incredible leader in Chris Sterns running to represent the 47th LD! He has been a long time Native American political partner at all levels of government and is a leading example of the kind experience we must bring to the legislature so we may work together for our communities.
Chris is an Auburn City Councilmember and attorney who has worked at the state and federal level to advance the health and rights of Native Americans, youth, and vulnerable communities. In a legal career spanning 30 years, he has worked to advance human and tribal rights, expand clean energy jobs, champion health care access and affordability, and improve economic opportunity for tribal and other marginalized communities.
Chris, who is the first Native American elected to the Auburn Council, works with other cities in King County to coordinate on issues including affordable housing, drug dependency, salmon recovery, and racial equity.
Learn more and support his campaign here.
Celebrating the Life of Vin Scully
Finally, this week we saw the passing of a legend. For 67 years, Vin Scully was the voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers for 67 years, bridging generations and always showing an intense love for the game of Baseball.
Over the years, Vin Scully became the longest-tenured broadcaster with a single team in pro sports history, starting his career in the 1950’s when Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson took the field for the Dodgers. He called games pitched by Sandy Koufax, Orel Hershiser, and Clayton Kershaw.
“Today we mourn the loss of a legend in our game,” Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Vin was an extraordinary man whose gift for broadcasting brought joy to generations of Dodger fans. In addition, his voice played a memorable role in some of the greatest moments in the history of our sport. I am proud that Vin was synonymous with Baseball because he embodied the very best of our National Pastime. As great as he was as a broadcaster, he was equally great as a person.
If you’re interested, you can learn more about Vin Scully here.
Endorsement Shoutouts!
Working on your behalf in Olympia has been the pleasure of a lifetime these past four years, and it’s been an honor to work alongside so many great individuals and organizations as I’ve worked to represent you and the interests of the 40th LD.
Now I’m pleased to thank all those who have endorsed my second re-election campaign! It is an honor to have your support as I work on behalf of all Washingtonians.
Excited to run to continue as your voice in Olympia!
Representing you in Olympia these past four years has been such an incredible honor. I have loved getting to know each and every one of you, and it is always my goal to listen to each of you as we continue working to create a place our grandchildren’s grandchildren will be proud to call home.
It’s with that in mind that I ask you to stand with my campaign – I would love to include your name on my list of endorsements as I run for re-election this year. If you’d like to endorse my campaign, click here – it will only take a minute!
The 40th LD is an incredible place, and I am proud to have you behind me as I run for re-election to continue as your voice in Olympia.