On a national level, the upcoming 2020 Election is being characterized as the most important election of our life time. While the outcome of the presidential election is very import, equally, if not more important, are the local elections that will take place further down the ballot. The State of Washington, specifically Washington’s African American community, is at a critical crossroads when it comes to a number of political issues like education, jobs, housing and criminal justice. With that in mind, The Seattle Medium is issuing early endorsements in the following races that we believe are critical to the political, economic and social empowerment of our community. The remainder of our endorsement will be out next week.
Congressional Races
U.S. Rep. District 10
Marilyn Strickland
As the former Mayor of Tacoma and Former President and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Strickland knows the complex issues facing our region and has the progressive vision on how to not only address them but to solve them. With a proven track record of passing legislation that deeply impacts her constituents, Strickland is by far the best choice to represent the 10th District in Congress.
State Races
State Supreme Court, Justice Position 6
G. Helen Whitener
During a time when we see the importance of having highly qualified people serving as judges, the people in Washington State have an excellent opportunity to retain a judge on the State Supreme Court who not only has the professional experience and qualifications, but who is also very involved in the community and truly believes in giving back through community service.
Legislative Districts
District 11, State Rep. Pos. 1
David Hackney
District 26, State Rep. Pos. 2
Joy Stanford
District 28, State Senator
T’wina Nobles
Voters in the 28th Legislative District have the opportunity to send a true champion of the people to the Washington State Senate in T’wina Nobles. As the CEO of the Tacoma Urban League, Nobles has a unique perspective on how to address issues affecting disenfranchised and underserved communities, especially during tough economic times. In addition to being a former educator, small business owner, mentor and University Place School Board Director, Nobles’ life experiences will bring real life issues and solutions to the table when discussing policy and budget items at the state level.
District 29, State Rep. Pos. 1
Melanie Morgan
Tough and effective are how we’d describe State Rep. Melanie Morgan of the 29th Legislative District. Morgan is passionate about improving the lives of her constituents and is relentless in her pursuit of commonsense legislation that supports health care, seniors, housing and underserved communities in our state. Well respected by her colleagues for her ability to build consensus on issues, Morgan recently served as the Deputy Majority Floor Leader in the state house.
District 30, State Rep. Pos. 1
Jamila Taylor
Jamila Taylor has a unique understanding of what affordable, quality and accessible healthcare really means. In addition to living with two adult family members who suffer from chronic illnesses, Taylor has had to overcome her own personal medical debt associated with spending five days in the ICU and having to pay for expenses not covered by her health insurance. She’s also been on the front lines of youth violence prevention, advocating the safety of domestic violence survivors and seniors at risk of exploitation. Voters in the 30th District will benefit from her passion and life experiences as she advocates for affordable housing, equity and public safety in Olympia.
District 30, State Rep. Pos. 2
Jesse Johnson
Despite his late appointment to the Legislature last session, Jesse Johnson hit the ground running and passed more bills than some seasoned members of the state house. A champion for education, small businesses, healthcare and working-class families, Johnson has proven that he is an instrumental part of current and future direction of our state. A vote for Johnson is a vote for progress and leadership in Olympia.
District 37, State Rep. Pos. 2
Chukundi Salisbury
Salisbury, in his first run for public office, presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for voters in the 37th District to elect a candidate with a broad base of knowledge on almost any political issue one can think of that truly cares about the future of his community. As the son of a civil rights activist, he’s been on the front lines of police reform and accountability all of his adult life – serving on the board for Mothers for Police Accountability and on the Seattle Police African American Advisory committee.
In addition, Salisbury, who works as a conservation program director for the City of Seattle, is highly knowledgeable on environmental issues, is a small business owner in the district, mentors and provides employment opportunities for youth, and he understands how to accelerate and manage job and population growth without perpetuating gentrification or destroying the local fiber of our community. Salisbury is truly a representative of the people in every sense and voters in the 37th District would do well to get behind his candidacy.
District 47, State Rep. Pos. 1
Debra Entenman
In just two years, St. Rep. Debra Entenman has established herself as one of the most effective and influential members of the State Legislature, and has, with a doubt, earned another term in office. She has passed bill after bill, and has represented the interest of her constituents and underserved communities across the state with substance and humility. When you ask Entenman about her success in the legislature, she will simply tell you that she’s “just doing her job.”
