2026 Endorsements 

Endorsed candidates are sorted by legislative district number. Find your district here!

 

Ezquiel Morfin — 14th LD, State Representative

Ezequiel is a working-class father, electrician, and lifelong community advocate from Toppenish running for State Representative in the 14th Legislative District. Raised in the farmworker and immigrant rights movement, he spent years with the United Farm Workers organizing members, representing workers before state agencies, and advocating in Olympia for farmworker protections. 

A skilled tradesman, he has worked as an electrician, foreman, business owner, and inspector, and he knows firsthand the strain of rising housing, healthcare, and utility costs. A proud Mexican-American father of four, Ezequiel is running to make the Yakima Valley a place where families can afford a home and raise their children without constant financial stress. If elected, he will fight to lower costs for working families, defend immigrant communities when federal policies fail, and ensure state government works for working people, not corporations or political insiders.

 

Chelsea Dimas—14th LD, State Representative

Chelsea is a longtime servant leader, communications professional, and proud daughter of Indigenous immigrants from México (Nahua and Purépecha) with a long family history of hard-working campesinos.

Chelsea has spent most of her life fighting for her gente (people) by being on the frontlines with them, demanding rights and protections for farmworkers, immigrants, reproductive freedom, the LGBTQ+ community, and other vulnerable populations.

From the Yakima Valley to the state legislature and across the nation, Chelsea strongly believes that everyone deserves a seat at the table to have a say in the decision-making process. With more equitable policies and diverse representation, she believes we can truly create a future where ALL Washingtonians thrive.

Chelsea was the first openly Queer, Indigenous Latinx woman running for office in the city of Sunnyside in 2021 and is now the first (again) to be running as State Representative, in the NEW District 14.

 

Teresa Mosqueda — King County Council

Teresa Mosqueda is a progressive labor democrat and third-generation Mexican-American, she has built a record of passing policy through coalitions of labor, business, housing, transit, and environmental advocates. As chair of the Health, Housing and Human Services Committee and the regional Board of Health, she expanded worker protections, opened the door to more affordable and multi-family housing, and increased funding for hospital services and public health food inspections. She also led passage of progressive revenue to invest in housing, economic resilience, and equitable development, earning national attention. 

On the Seattle City Council, she doubled affordable housing investments and strengthened protections for domestic and hotel workers. Before elected office, she spent nearly a decade at the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, helped pass statewide paid sick leave and a higher minimum wage (I-1433), and led the Children's Alliance coalition behind Apple Health for Kids. If re-elected, she will keep working to build healthier, more affordable, and more accessible communities across southwest King County.

 

Rebecca Saldana — King County Council

Rebecca is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant who worked as a farmworker before becoming a machinist at Boeing, and a mother who was a social worker. She grew up understanding both the challenges working families face and the power of community and unions to improve people’s lives. That foundation led her to become a union organizer, working alongside janitors and farmworkers to win better wages, safer workplaces, and dignity on the job.

On the County Council, Rebecca will continue her fight to lower costs, build more housing, strengthen public safety through prevention and care, and ensure public investments create good union jobs. She will work to make King County a place where working families can afford to live, where communities are safe and healthy, and where every person—no matter their background—has the opportunity to thrive.

 

Julio Cortes — 38th LD, State Representative

Julio Cortes’ family immigrated to Washington from Mexico, setting roots in Wapato, Washington. In this close-knit community of primarily immigrant farmworkers is where he really learned the meaning of community and service. His parents were part of the immigrant farm working community and taught my sister and I the meaning of hard work, perseverance and pride.

His early work with homeless youth and their families had a profound impact that inspired him to continue his career in public service. In his current position, he works relentlessly to ensure transparency and find ways to enable the community to share their voices and opinions about City projects. Since the pandemic, he’s also been part of the economic recovery team at the city and have led and supported a variety of projects to support our businesses. 

His experience has led me to the call to serve in a greater capacity and to advocate for a community that has given so much to him. He is a forward-thinking, innovative, inclusive, and environmentally conscious leader who places great emphasis on collaboration and equity. As your representative, he will continue to place transparency at the forefront of all I do by actively listening to constituents and placing their needs above all else.

 

Monica Stonier — 49th LD, State Representative

Monica Stonier has spent more than twenty years in Washington classrooms. She still works as an instructional literacy coach at Pacific Middle School while serving as House Majority Floor Leader in Olympia.

She is the first person of color to represent the 49th Legislative District, and the 17th before that. Her background is Mexican-American and Japanese-American. Her uncles served in the 442nd “Go For Broke” Infantry in World War II. That family story shapes the way she shows up for her neighbors.

Monica grew up in a military family, earned her teaching certificate at Western Washington University, and her master’s at WSU Vancouver. She and her husband Brandon have raised two kids in Clark County. Both are now in college here in Washington.

In Olympia, she leads her caucus on public education, healthcare access, worker protections, and behavioral health. She serves on the Appropriations, Rules, Education, and Health Care & Wellness committees. She is known for working across the aisle and getting bills across the finish line. 

 

Javier Valdez — 46th LD, State Senate

Javier Valdez is the proud son and grandson of farmworkers and laborers.

A product of public education, a longtime leader in Washington’s Democratic Party, and currently serves as one of Washington State’s representatives to the Democratic National Committee.  Javier is also former chair of both the 43rd and 46th District Democratic Party organizations.

A leader in the Latino community, Javier previously served as a board member for the Washington State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and president of Hispanic Seafair.A proud member of organized labor, Javier served for several years as the first president of the Washington State Council of County and City Employees (AFSCME Council 2), Local 21-C, and previously was a delegate to the Martin Luther King County Labor Council.

Javier was appointed to the state house in 2017 and subsequently won election in 2018 and 2020. In the state house, Javier currently chairs the State Government & Tribal Relations and also serves on Civil Rights & Judiciary and Transportation.

 

Lillian Ortiz-Self — 21st LD, State Representative

Lillian Ortiz-Self has a Masters in Counseling and a Masters in Public Administration. Her career has been spent working as a clinician and supervisor in the mental health field, and as a school counselor in the Everett School District. She has served as a State Representative for the 21st LD since 2014 and currently serves as the Majority Caucus Chair.

Ortiz-Self sponsored and championed our Dual Language Bill (HB 1228) that passed the legislature and was signed by Governor Inslee in March 2024.

 

Emily Alvarado — 34th LD, State Senate

For more than a decade, Emily has worked collaboratively to create affordable housing throughout our region, championing policies and investments that foster inclusive, healthy communities and reduce homelessness.

As Director of the City of Seattle Office of Housing, Emily oversaw citywide housing resources, including the Seattle Housing Levy, and worked to address displacement, support climate resilience, build supportive housing for homeless neighbors, protect renters, and expand homeownership.

As an executive with a national affordable housing nonprofit, Emily supports local community organizations and connects regional efforts to national movement building and policy change. An attorney, coalition-builder, and former community organizer, Emily has fought for reproductive justice, equitable community development, and economic opportunity.

 

Tarra Simmons — 23rd LD, State Representative

Tarra Simmons is a lawyer, a civil rights activist, and a national leader in the fight for criminal justice reform. Raised in Bremerton, she has faced some of the biggest barriers to success and opportunity.

As an elected official, she looks to be a voice for the community where she was born and raised her family by fighting for the things working families need to live a good life like: affordability & housing, community safety, education, and healthcare.

 

Sharlett Mena — 29th LD, State Representative

Sharlett is the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants, a public servant, and a community organizer. She is a leader in the Washington State Department of Ecology where she works with governments and stakeholders to protect clean air and water, implement climate action, and advance environmental justice. Prior to joining Ecology, Sharlett worked in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Washington State Senate, and for Washington Governor Jay Inslee. Outside of work, Sharlett has been a community organizer, leading actions for immigration reform and to advance voting rights. She is currently serving as the State Representative for the 29th Legislative District.

 

Jorge Baron — King County Council, District 4

Jorge’s vision for King County is grounded in the value that our success as a community depends on the well-being of every one of our neighbors. And his approach to policy-making is centered on the concept that those most directly impacted by public policies should be involved in the shaping of those policies.

There are two overarching issues that inform how he approaches all policy areas.  First, racial justice. He recognizes that so many of the challenges people face as a county–and as a society–are driven by the ongoing impact of systemic racism. Jorge believes it is essential to use a racial justice lens when evaluating policies in all these issue areas.

Second, he believes that people will not be able to make sufficient progress in any of these issue areas if we do not address the way that county services are funded. It is essential that we generate new urgency to work with state legislators to develop progressive sources of revenue that will support the investments necessary to tackle the challenges in all of these areas.

 

Renee Hernandez-Greenfield — 26th LD, State Representative

Renee is a dedicated professional with extensive experience in early childhood education, tribal child welfare, and family services. She holds a Master’s of Science in Psychology from the University of Phoenix (2010) and a Bachelor’s of Arts in History from Occidental College (2001).Her career began in early childhood education, where she earned a Certificate of Proficiency and a Certificate of Recognition in Program Administration from Olympic College in 2011. 

Renee has worked in various roles focused on supporting children and families. She currently serves as a Family Trainer in Speech and Language at Holly Ridge Center, where she provides individualized training to children and families. Her experience also includes working as a CPS Investigator for the Suquamish Tribe, conducting investigations into allegations of abuse and neglect within tribal jurisdiction.

In addition to her work in child welfare, Renee has served as an adjunct instructor at Tacoma Community College, focusing on early childhood education and children with exceptionalities. Her leadership roles include managing early learning centers and overseeing programs like Early Head Start and Head Start, where she supported the development of children from birth to school age.
 
With a strong commitment to community-focused work, Renee is skilled in trauma-informed care, case management, and program administration. Her career reflects her passion for improving the lives of children and families, particularly in underserved and Indigenous communities.

 

Michael Alvarez Shepard — 42nd LD, State Senate

Michael is an educator, community advocate, and three-term Bellingham Port Commissioner. He has taught at Western Washington University, Northwest Indian College, and Whatcom Community College, working to support students and strengthen educational opportunity across the region.

His leadership has helped drive major initiatives in economic development, environmental stewardship, and support for the local fishing, maritime, and small-business sectors—always with a focus on delivering results that make a real difference in people’s lives.

Among Michael’s priorities are affordability for Working Families, jobs & economic opportunity, strong public safety, public education, and reproductive freedom. 

 

Diana Perez — 17th LD, State Representative

Diana is a community advocate, biologist, public lands manager, state commissioner, and currently serves as the first Latina Councilmember for the City of Vancouver where she advances equity-focused policy, housing advocacy, and inclusive economic development. Diana holds a Master’s in Fisheries Science from Oregon State University, a Bachelor’s in Wildlife Management from Texas Tech University, and an Executive Women in Leadership certificate from Cornell University. Diana grew up in El Paso, TX and moved to the Pacific Northwest to begin her professional career. 

She is a recent retiree of federal government with over 30 years of experience working with local, state, federal, tribal, profit and non-profit organizations. She has fought wildland fires to protect land and property, planned and implemented salmon habitat recovery projects, and founded the SW WA League of Unted Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council and SW WA Equity Coalition. Rooted in values of justice, environmental stewardship, and collaborative leadership, Diana is taking her experience and talent to Olympia to better serve and represent the lived realities of people living in the 17th LD.

 

Krista Perez — 29th LD, State Representative

Krista is an author, small business owner, community leader, and mother living in Tacoma with her two children. 

Krista graduated in 2016 with a degree in Law, Economics, and Public Policy from the University of Washington. Over the past decade, she has worked as a paralegal, Spanish teacher, housing navigator, economic development intern, and personal chef. She has overseen operations and green economy-based expansions of her family business and founded the nonprofit organization the Tacoma Women of Color Collective and co-founded The Community Market, a People of Color-centered market, and Perez Consulting, a diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion-based consulting business.

Among her priorities include working for affordability, childcare, supporting workers, housing, safe and healthy communities, keeping our immigrant communities safe, environment, and reproductive rights.

 

Carolina Mejia — 35th LD, State Senate

Carolina was born in Progreso, Honduras, and immigrated to the United States with my family when she was 11. She has worked with firms that focused in immigration and personal injury law, and later served as a Judicial Assistant with Thurston County Superior Court. 

Since 2021, Carolina has served as the Thurston County Commissioner and currently serves as Chair of the Board of Health.  In these roles, she worked closely with families, workers, small businesses, service providers, and community members across our region.She has also seen where too many people are being left behind, especially those in underserved communities who are working hard but still struggling to afford housing, access services, and stay healthy.

The 35th LD needs leaders who will fight for the people who are struggling most, listen to the needs of every community, and make decisions with the future of our children in mind. This is what Carolina will work for as a State Senator. She will use her voice to elevate the issues that matter most to everyone and work every day to deliver results.

 

Kim Harless — 49th LD, State Representative

Kim is a current Vancouver City Councilmember and now candidate for State Representative. She has stayed true to her roots in service: to listen, learn, and roll up her sleeves alongside her community.

She's a multi-racial, Indigenous Ópata, Mexican American, and European ancestry, raised in Vancouver, Washington. At 21, she became a mom having to navigate public assistance, public transit, grants and scholarships, and working multiple jobs to earn an environmental science degree. Those challenges taught her what it means to fight for your family and your dreams. This lived experience taught her not only about adversity but how public policy meant to help can also hinder or miss the root causes of poverty.

Across the 49th District, people are working harder than ever and still feel like they are falling behind. Kim is running because our state has the resources to do better, and because the people carrying the most weight deserve a government that fights for them.

 

Nilu Jenks — Seattle City Council, D4

Nilu Jenks is the Political and Partnerships Director at FairVote Washington, and she is a dedicated community advocate committed to building a more representative, inclusive, and participatory democracy. In her role at FairVote Washington, she works with community partners, advocates, and policymakers to advance voting reforms that strengthen accountability and ensure every voter has a meaningful voice. 

As a first-generation Iranian-American, Nilu has directly benefited from the freedoms this country provides. Having experienced marginalization firsthand, she is deeply motivated to protect those freedoms and to help realize the nation’s democratic ideals for the benefit of all communities. Her lived experience informs her lifelong commitment to equity, civic engagement, and public service. As a resident of North Seattle with deep ties to her community, she is committed to making Seattle more affordable, safer, and more responsive to the needs of everyday residents. Her lived experience drives her belief that our democracy works best when every voice is heard and valued. In 2023, Nilu ran for Seattle City Council District 5, bringing a people-centered vision focused on strengthening democracy, improving public safety through community-based solutions, expanding housing affordability, and supporting working families. While the campaign did not result in a win, it energized voters and elevated critical conversations about representation, inclusion, sustainability, and the role of local government in creating safer, more equitable communities.

 

Cindy Ryu — 32nd LD, State Senate

Cindy and her husband Cody have deep roots in their community. Cindy immigrated to Washington State in 1969 from Korea via Brunei and Manila, growing up in rural Thurston and small town Lewis Counties.

While a Shoreline City Councilmember, Cindy served as Mayor, becoming the first Korean American woman mayor in America. In Shoreline, she served as President of both the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce and its Dollars For Scholars Chapter, helped improve numerous public parks, build its first City Hall and create Shoreline’s Green Business Program. In 2024-2025, Cindy served as President of Pacific Northwest Economic Region, bringing policy makers and industry together from 5 northwest states and 5 western Canadian provinces and territories.

As a state senator Cindy will fight for public schools, public transportation, environmental protection, consumer rights, and public safety. She supports increased access to affordable housing & homeownership, and delivers practical solutions to make Washington State a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

 

Imraan Sadiqi — 32nd LD, State Representative

Imraan Siddiqi is a civil rights leader running to represent District 32 in the Washington state legislature. He is the child of immigrants and small business owners. His parents came to the United States in search of opportunities for their family. Their family story is the story of America: the promise of hope and a higher quality of life for their kids.

After starting a successful coffee shop in Arizona, Imraan was recruited to help lead the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, where he became a leading voice in civil rights, launching and supporting many campaigns—including #NoBanNoWall.

Washington’s 32nd Legislative District is full of people who work hard, care for their neighbors, and want a stable life. But right now, too many families feel like they’re one rent increase, one medical bill, or one childcare emergency away from falling behind.

I’m running to deliver urgent, values-driven leadership on the issues that shape everyday life here: affordability, protecting immigrant communities, and standing up to federal overreach.

 

Chipalo Street — 37th LD, State Senate

Chipalo Street was raised with his sister by two loving parents in a working-class African American community. He was lucky enough to discover a love of technology at his public school, a passion that pushed him to earn a Bachelors and Masters in Computer Science from Brown University. He now works on emerging technologies at Microsoft and has used his tech training to co-found the Teacher Scientist Partnership at Technology Access Foundation Academy. In addition to his work at Microsoft, Chipalo started a small real estate company that views rental homes as partnerships between the owner and tenants. Despite around 1/3 of his tenants losing work during the pandemic, he was able to ensure that all of his tenants remained housed.

He was elected to the Washington State House of representatives where he’s a staunch advocate for working people. He advocates for progressive revenue as Vice Chair of the Finance Committee and also serves on the Environment & Energy and Innovation, Community & Economic Development, & Veterans committees. Now he is running for the state senator seat in LD 37 to continue this work.

 

Jaelynn Scott — 37th LD, State Representative

Jaelynn Scott, raised in Mississippi and an ordained minister from a family with roots in the civil rights movement, learned early on that home is more than just a roof over your head, it is a sanctuary of safety, belonging, and community. Her own journey of resilience was forged in the economic fallout of 9/11, when she navigated job loss, and housing instability. This lived experience didn’t just test her; it gave her the pragmatic expertise to fix the very safety nets that failed her. Now a driving force as Executive Director of the Lavender Rights Project (LRP), Jaelynn believes advocacy must include bold action. Jaelynn led efforts to move 16m of funds intended to jail those in need into permanent supportive housing and social services. She believes we need housing for those in crisis, not jails. She’s running for State Representative in the 37th LD in Washington State.