23rd ld Democrats News

Hello Democrats,

As I’m closing out my first month on the job, I am consistently so proud to be a Democrat. I’m proud of who we are, what we stand for, and how we build coalitions to win seats and help people. That could not be further in contrast to the  GOP’s cowardly infighting leading up to the 2024 Presidential Primary. What we’re seeing on the Republican side is a harsh refutation of the old (and if you ask me, deeply false) narrative that “Democrats Fall In Love, Republicans Fall In Line.” In a nutshell, the GOP appears to be faced with the choice between awful candidates and terrible candidates and they can’t seem to make up their minds.

Today’s Republican Party is so fragmented and disorganized that it’s anyone’s guess who will make it onto the ballot next year. But as of where we stand today it’s hard to picture someone other than the “Evil We Know” – former President Donald Trump and the “Evil We Don’t Know” - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. 

In all honesty - it’s the second possibility that scares me more. Donald Trump, for better or worse, lacks the subtlety to frame himself as anything other than a boisterous, xenophobic lout and the American people have voted him out of office once before. President Joe Biden is the only person who can say he has beaten Donald Trump in a presidential election, and given strong momentum built by the White House over the past two years, I remain confident we can pull it off again with enough hard work and elbow grease. 

DeSantis is a savvier politician than Donald Trump, and very popular in his home state of Florida with a wide range of reprehensible policy “victories” that read very well to Republicans nationwide. But at his core he is just as populist, just as xenophobic, just as self-centered, and just as backward-looking Trump himself. If he clinches the nomination we will have our work cut out for us and need to grind twice as hard every single day to make sure a DeSantis presidency is never a reality. 

We have no choice but to start our efforts now - organizing tirelessly, 24/7, everywhere in Washington State and nationwide in order to beat back the GOP and make sure Democrats hold the White House and win races at every level. 

We know what it takes to win, but it won’t be easy, quick, or cheap. Thank you for standing with us through the critical work to come!  

Last Friday marked the first cutoff date for the WA Legislature since session commenced in mid-January. We wanted to provide a quick rundown of bills that made it out of committee that we are watching closely:

SB 5232: This legislation would prevent firearms dealers from selling a gun to a consumer until a background check has been completed and 10 days have elapsed since the background check request. Additionally, it would prohibit firearms dealers from selling a weapon to a purchaser unless they show proof they have completed a firearms safety training course, or show proof of an exemption. A great step forward for common sense gun safety! 

HB 1025: Qualified immunity for law enforcement officers could end in Washington state under this proposed legislation. The proposed bill creates an avenue for civil action against individual law enforcement officers if those officers have violated a person’s civil rights under the state constitution.

HB 1516: The bill would designate the Lunar New Year as a state legal holiday – providing recognition and representation for countless Washingtonians who celebrate each year! 

This list is not exhaustive - and we encourage each of you to keep an eye out for legislation that affects you and your community. 

Please join me in wishing a huge thank you to our Democratic legislators who are working tirelessly to build a better, safer, Washington! 

Twenty states announce historic governor-led Reproductive Freedom Alliance

The Alliance is a non-partisan coalition of 20 governors committed to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom in their states, the largest such coalition ever convened.

Rifle ban among gun-control bills advancing in the WA Legislature

Other measures include mandated gun-safety training and imposed liability on firearm manufacturers.

Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Finds Her Footing

From car shop owner to Congress, U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez's life has changed considerably since last fall, but one telling detail remains unchanged: She doesn't like wearing suits.

Jayapal Helps Secure $3 Million Grant for University of Washington PacTrans Program

Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) announced today that she helped secure $3 million in federal funding for the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans), a regional transportation research center led by the University of Washington (UW) in collaboration with Northwest Indian College, Washington State University, and others.

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude, 

Chair Shasti Conrad

Washington State Democratic Party

DONATE

The work we do today wins elections tomorrow. If you're ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now. 

Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Paid for by Washington State Democratic Central Committee. Not authorized by any federal candidate or candidate's committee.

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.

Hello Democrats and Happy Friday!

Even though it’s very early in the year and the cycle, I’m proud to report that we just completed a small but significant round of special elections statewide! 

Notably, school levies appear likely to move forward in Marysville, Tri-Cities, Gig Harbor and several other districts across Washington State. Let’s take a moment to celebrate our schools getting the funding they need to thrive! 

Thank you to everyone who turned out to vote statewide and spurred investment in their communities! Civic engagement and voting in local elections are the building blocks for our democracy! I’m glad voters are getting a taste of the Democratic process here at the start of the election cycle. 

Let this be your reminder to stay informed, stay engaged and turn in each and every ballot that makes it to your mailbox over the next two years! 

Rest assured, we are still working day and night here at the State Party to build the infrastructure we need to get out the Democratic vote statewide and make sure our terrific candidates win. Stay tuned for more updates about what we have in store! 

We also wanted to share some exciting policy developments happening down in Olympia:

The Senate passed SB 5082 - to finally repeal the insidious advisory votes passed by “anti tax crusader” and conservative gadfly Tim Eyman. Instead of advisory votes, the Senate-approved bill would require the creation of a public website with summaries of government spending and require statements be published online with information about legislation that impacts state revenue. Congratulations to Sen. Patty Kuderer who sponsored the bill - and our friends at Northwest Progressive Institute who have been working on this cause for years. The bill goes to the House for consideration next.

Efforts to make the wealthiest Washingtonians pay their fair share and fix our broken tax system are moving forward - with SB 5486 and HB 1473 both heading to the appropriate Senate and House committees for further consideration.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg - there is a ton of terrific legislation moving forward this session to improve gun safety, protect our environment, improve workers’ rights, and strengthen our education and healthcare systems to name just a few. 

We are so proud of all that our powerful and diverse majorities in OIympia are doing to build an even better Washington. Please join us in thanking each and every one of our Democratic legislators!

Biden set his 'moonshot' on cancer. Meet the doctor trying to get us there

When it comes to curing cancer, President Joe Biden is shifting that sentiment into full throttle. And one person is taking up the challenge.

Murray, Colleagues, Advocates Rally and Make Clear: Child Care Has to Be on the Agenda This Congress

Leaders in Congress and child care champions highlight Democrats’ critical investments in saving child care sector from collapse, underscore need for more progress as child care crisis worsens

Rep. Schrier proposes bill to strengthen Medicaid for improved health care for children

U.S. Representative Kim Schrier (WA-08) is looking to strengthen Medicaid to boost health care access for children through a new House bill.

Washington Lawmakers Want to Beef Up State Aid for College Students

Several legislative bills are designed to beef up the Washington College Grant by extending the timeline or expanding money to provide further support for college students.

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude, 

Chair Shasti Conrad

Washington State Democratic Party

DONATE

The work we do today wins elections tomorrow. If you're ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now. 

Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Paid for by Washington State Democratic Central Committee. Not authorized by any federal candidate or candidate's committee.

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.

Hello Democrats,

It’s been an exciting first week back in Washington serving as your Chair! I want to start today’s note by thanking all of you for the opportunity to take on this role. It’s a pride and an honor to lead the best State Party in the country and I could have never made it here without the support of terrific Democrats just like you! 

As many of you know, I spent last week standing as a proud advocate for Washington State at the DNC’s winter meeting in Philadelphia. It was a great opportunity to learn from my fellow Chairs and forge powerful partnerships with Democratic leaders of every stripe from across the nation! We were even able to take a historic vote to change up our primary calendar to enfranchise more communities of color!

Check out this video I recorded on the ground - so proud to represent WA at this terrific event!

Some of my top highlights included speaking to the Environment and Climate Caucus about how to run on a platform of climate justice (check out a recording off that panel here!), attending my first DNC AAPI caucus meeting (so proud to be the first AAPI Chair representing one of the contiguous 48 states!), and meeting President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. 

I’ll always remember what Vice President Harris said when I told her that I am the first Indian American woman to serve as a State Party Chair anywhere in the country. She reminded me that although I may be the first, do not allow myself to be the last. I’m deeply proud to pave this path for future leaders and I don’t take the responsibility lightly. 

I also want to give major shoutouts to our WA State DNC members - all of whom were appointed to influential committees. Rest assured, Washington State is extremely well represented at the DNC! 

After an exciting week in Philly and a major crash course in DNC procedures, I’m back to getting to know my terrific staff, forging relationships with Party leaders and stakeholders, and doing the crucial work of building campaign infrastructure that will allow Democrats to win big this year and in 2024. Once more, thank you for this opportunity, I’m thrilled to have the chance to work with each and every one of you and earn major victories for Democrats up and down the ticket!

5 takeaways from Biden's State of the Union address

President Biden delivered a State of the Union address Tuesday night that Democrats will likely be thrilled with.

Washington politicians respond to Biden's 2023 State of the Union address

Washington's Democratic Congress members are responding to President Biden's 2023 State of the Union address, echoing the president's main message: "Let's finish the job."

WA Sen. Maria Cantwell’s great week highlights Alaska’s identity crisis

Having a pretty good week: Wild salmon and centuries-old cedars.

Having a great week: Washington’s junior U.S. senator, Maria Cantwell.

Having an identity crisis: Alaska.

Washington Rep. Rick Larsen on where common ground can be found in Congress

With millions of new jobs created over the last two years and unemployment dipping to its lowest level in decades, Washington Congressman Rick Larsen says there are plenty of signs that the U.S. economy is getting stronger.

Jayapal Named Ranking Member of Immigration Subcommittee

Jayapal is the first immigrant in recorded committee history to serve as either Ranking Member or Chair of this Subcommittee.

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude, 

Chair Shasti Conrad

Washington State Democratic Party

DONATE

The work we do today wins elections tomorrow. If you're ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now. 

Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Paid for by Washington State Democratic Central Committee. Not authorized by any federal candidate or candidate's committee.

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.

Hello Democrats,

My name is Shasti Conrad and I am thrilled to join all of you as the newest Chair of the Washington State Democratic Party! 

I chose to run for this seat to build and expand on our successes in elections up and down the ballot, everywhere in Washington State. Under my leadership we will continue to innovate every facet of our program and serve as a model for other State Parties across the country. I’m excited to work with each and every one of you to make sure we can keep building our power and win even more races across Washington! 

You’ll be hearing a lot more from me in the coming weeks but today I want to keep things brief and share my utmost gratitude for your support and the opportunity to lead the best State Party in the nation. I’m proud to say that I am the youngest person and first woman of color elected to this office and I’m excited to build on our past efforts and do great work for every Democrat on the ballot. I am also the first South Asian woman to lead a State Party in the entire country.

If you’d like to learn more about my background and policy priorities - please don’t hesitate to check out my (victorious) campaign’s website! 

Thank you to everyone who helped me get here - and most of all thank you to our outgoing Chair Tina Podlodowski. It’s because of her leadership and innovation, and the hard work of Democrats statewide, that we massively expanded our powerful and diverse majorities in Olympia, flipped federal and state executive offices once thought unwinnable, and paved the path to transformative, progressive policy at every level. 

I am proud to build on the foundation set by Tina and am excited to see how much more we can accomplish as a Party in the years to come. Thank you for the opportunity to lead the charge in our fight for an even more Democratic Washington!

I want to wish a huge congratulations to my fellow State Party officers - who were elected alongside me at last weekend’s reorganization meeting in Olympia!

Vice Chair David Green

David Green was first elected Vice Chair of the Washington State Democrats in 2019. He has also served as Chair of 3rd Legislative District (City of Spokane) since 2015 and ran for Spokane County Treasurer in 2018. As an experienced local party leader and candidate for office, David understands what it takes for Democrats to win in Central and Eastern Washington.

Secretary Rob Dolin

Rob Dolin was first elected Secretary of the Washington State Democrats in 2013 and has over two decades of Democratic party experience as a PCO and volunteer. He has filled over 200 PCO positions as an LD Vice-Chair for PCO recruitment and organized volunteers from Seattle to knock doors in swing districts, and helped local parties with websites and social media presences.

Treasurer David Kim

David Kim will be serving his first term as Washington State Democrats’ Treasurer for the 2023-2024 cycle. He has been active in Democratic politics since interning for his mentor the Late Senator Paul Shinn in 2008. David has been a grassroots organizer and campaign manager for the Washington House Democratic Campaign Committee He also worked with the Washington coordinated campaign to elect President Barack Obama in 2008 and served in the Obama Administration.

I am so excited to work with these terrific folks as we build powerful campaign infrastructure and help support Democrats statewide throughout the 2023/24 election cycle!

WA Democrats choose Shasti Conrad as new leader

The Washington State Democratic Party chose Shasti Conrad, the former leader of the King County Democrats, as its new chair Saturday morning.

Washington state legislators introduce bills to improve traffic safety

The Washington state legislature is hoping to improve traffic safety this legislative session following the deadliest year for traffic fatalities since 1990.

Attorney General Ferguson recovers another $9.3M in stolen unemployment money

Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that his office recovered another $9.3 million stolen as part of a massive fraud perpetrated against states across the country.

New funding will improve childcare, Sen. Murray says

Sen. Patty Murray joined with supporters in Olympia to celebrate passage of a $1.85 billion increase in federal funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant. The increase was part of a large appropriations bill adopted in December.

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude, 

Chair Shasti Conrad

Washington State Democratic Party

DONATE

The work we do today wins elections tomorrow. If you're ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now. 

Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Paid for by Washington State Democratic Central Committee. Not authorized by any federal candidate or candidate's committee.

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.

Hello Democrats,

Thank you so very much for all you do for our Party, day after day, year after year, and cycle after cycle. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with you and I cannot overstate how proud I am of all we have accomplished together.

As you know, this will be my final newsletter as Party Chair - and I wanted to share a just a glimpse of some of the work we’ve been able to do together over the last six years:

So many memories! Please accept my extreme gratitude for all the work you have done and will continue to do to elect Democrats up and down the ticket across Washington State. We’ve accomplished so much since 2017 and we owe that success to hard work from you. Thank you for helping us realize our vision of a more Democratic Washington:

• We flipped two Congressional Districts (WA-08 and WA-03) from Red to Blue! 
• We built Democratic power in the legislature - growing a one-seat minority to a nine-seat majority in the state Senate and a two-seat majority to an eighteen-seat majority in the state House and building the most diverse legislature in WA history. 
• We flipped the State Treasurer’s seat back to blue in 2020 and we elected a Democrat to the WA Secretary of State’s office for the first time since the 1960s in 2022! This marks the first time in WA history that every single state executive office is in Democratic control. 
• We protected our Democratic incumbents cycle after cycle - allowing them to boldly pass meaningful, progressive legislation at both the state and federal level! I can’t even begin to fit a laundry list of legislative achievements in this email, but I’m perhaps most proud of the work we’ve accomplished on voter access and protection; passing postage paid ballots, automatic voter registration, and the WA Voting Rights Act and more – making WA elections freer, fairer, and more accessible to everyone in our state.
• We reaffirmed our commitment to organizing everywhere in Washington State - reaching countless millions of voters, holding thousands of organizing events, and massively increasing Democratic turnout statewide!

When I first ran for State Party Chair in 2017, I didn't come for the title or to build a resume - I promised to work hard and make transformational change, born of over thirty years’ experience as an activist, elected official, organizational, and community leader. The unofficial job description is just two words: “Elect Democrats.” I believe I have delivered on that promise for these past six years – and it has been an honor to serve in this position.

I feel strongly that I have accomplished what I set out to do and it is now time to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders ready to light the fires of democracy, teamwork, and community around our state. I am so excited to see what’s to come for our Party, and just how much more we can accomplish for all Washingtonians in the future. 

Many have asked what is in store for me next. Well, after years of service it’s time for a break. I’ll be taking the next seven months off to spend time with family and catch up on birthdays, reunions, and travel. If you have ideas say…oh…about October on things I should do next feel free to reach out! Please know I’m committed to ensuring a successful transition to our new Chair. 

Once more, thank you so much for your commitment to our work. We could never have accomplished what we did without your investment of time, resources, and energy to the cause of growing Democratic power statewide. I am confident in the strong foundation we have built together and know that we have what it takes to help terrific Democrats win for years to come. 

The Washington State Democratic Central Committee will be meeting in Olympia this weekend for our biennial reorganization meeting and officer elections! 

Please keep an eye on your inbox for updates about what’s to come for the Party – and you can expect to hear from our new Chair directly in the coming weeks!

In the meantime, please note that State Party staff will be occupied with meeting proceedings for the next few days and may be unable to respond to inquiries until early next week. We will be back in touch as soon as possible! 

Thanks for all you do - and we look forward to seeing many of you in Olympia this weekend!

Senator Murray Statement on 50 Year Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) issued the following statement on the 50-year anniversary of Roe v. Wade—and the first anniversary since the landmark decision was overturned by the Supreme Court, unleashing a wave of Republican attacks on Americans’ reproductive rights.

SW Washington’s Gluesenkamp Perez focuses on common ground at first town hall

The congresswoman held her first town hall Wednesday night and marked her first public return to Washington state’s southwestern district since she won the seat in a surprise upset in November.

Several gun measures proposed in Washington state Legislature

Several gun control measures are working their way through the Washington state Legislature this session.

Middle housing bill begins with more support in WA Legislature than last time

A bill that would allow denser housing in cities across Washington state begins the legislative session on a stronger footing.

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude, 

Chair Tina Podlodowski

Washington State Democratic Party

DONATE

The work we do today wins elections tomorrow. If you're ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now. 

Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Paid for by Washington State Democratic Central Committee. Not authorized by any federal candidate or candidate's committee.

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.

Hello Democrats and Happy Friday!I don’t know about you, but watching the GOP struggle to govern has made me feel especially proud to be a member of a unified political party that is working hard to improve the lives of each and every American! It is abundantly clear that the GOP is in disarray and nothing made this clearer than their protracted conflict to elect a House Speaker. 

Speaker elect Kevin McCarthy following one of many failed attempts to secure the nomination.

Don’t forget that it took fifteen rounds of voting and dealmaking with the worst of the worst on the far right for conservative stooge Kevin McCarthy to carry the mantle of an anemic, weakened speakership. Even though they may have retaken the U.S. House, there is no doubt that the GOP is in disarray and that chaos will be the name of the game in Congress for the next two years. 

The silver lining is that a weak, divided GOP may struggle to roll back the progress Democrats have made since taking power in 2020. We can only hope that the Republicans will continue to choose infighting and inaction over the business of drafting and passing actual policy. 

But make no mistake, now that the GOP holds the House, they are already hard at work pushing laws to benefit a chosen few and hurt the rest of us. For example, the first piece of economic legislation they proposed in the new Congress was to rescind IRS funding. The White House Office of Management and Budget put it best when they said “House Republicans are making clear that their top economic priority is to allow the rich and multi-billion-dollar corporations to skip out on their taxes, while making life harder for ordinary, middle-class families that pay the taxes they owe.”

And that’s not all - the emboldened Republican majority has started putting forward anti-choice legislation that could impinge on reproductive rights nationwide. While these bills are unlikely to pass through the Senate, it’s a chilling reminder of what’s to come and just how much is on the line in this new legislative environment. 

Democrats must do everything in our power to fight back against the Republicans’ nefarious agenda and we’ve got our work cut out for us in the years to come. Thank you for standing with us as a proud Democrat and helping us make sure the far-right can never gain a foothold here in Washington State! 

The 2023 legislative session is in full swing and we’re so proud of everything Democrats in Olympia are doing to build a better Washington! 

Governor Inslee kicked off this year’s proceedings with a terrific “State of the State” address on Tuesday - which you can watch via the link below!

You can also read a summary and full transcript of the Governor’s speech here!

I’m so proud that our terrific Democratic leaders are working tirelessly on the problems that matter most to the people of Washington State like providing affordable housing, protecting reproductive freedom, preventing gun violence, and countering climate change, to name just a few!

You can read more about some of the top priorities for the coming legislative session here - there’s a ton of terrific legislation on deck and I’m excited to see just how much our powerful and diverse Democratic majorities can accomplish! 

Please join me in thanking Governor Inslee and our terrific Washington State Legislators for building a path forward toward meaningful progress! 

In case you missed it last week, I wanted to reiterate my announcement that I will not be seeking re-election as State Party Chair this January. This was not an easy decision, but I feel strongly that I have accomplished what I set out to do and it is now time to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders ready to light the fires of democracy, teamwork, and community around our state.

I will be serving out my term until a new Chair is elected on Saturday, January 28th at our State Committee Meeting in Olympia. Do stay tuned for more news on the meeting as well.

Please find a longer letter with additional details on my decision - as well as our achievements over the past six years, linked here.

Thank you again for your partnership and work for our Party. I look forward to seeing many of you in Olympia later this month and am excited for all that is to come for our terrific Democratic Party! 

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude, 

Chair Tina Podlodowski

Washington State Democratic Party

DONATE

The work we do today wins elections tomorrow. If you're ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now. 

Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Paid for by Washington State Democratic Central Committee. Not authorized by any federal candidate or candidate's committee.

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.

Hello Democrats and Happy New Year! 

We’re so excited to get to work and make sure terrific Democrats can win up and down the ticket throughout the 2023/24 campaign cycle! Thank you for standing with us and working hard every step of the way. 

I want to start today’s letter with a message of sincere congratulations for several of our terrific WA State Democratic leaders!

First, please join me in congratulating Senator Patty Murray on her well-deserved appointment as the first female Senate President Pro Tempore! The president pro tempore ranks second under the president of the Senate — the vice president — and presides over the floor in the vice president’s absence. Notably, this puts her third in the line of presidential succession. We are so proud of Sen. Murray’s continued leadership both here at home and in the other Washington! 

Second, let’s wish Congresswoman Suzan DelBene a hearty congratulations on her election as Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair for the 2023/24 election cycle! In the last decade, Rep. DelBene won a tough seat as a Red-to-Blue candidate, held a tough seat as a Frontline candidate and then put that tough seat out of reach for the GOP. Suzan has also recently served in key DCCC leadership roles, including as Finance Co-Chair in 2018 when we successfully reclaimed the House Majority and Frontline Co-Chair in 2020 when we successfully defended it. There’s no one else more deserving of this role and we’re thrilled to see what she’ll accomplish!

I also want to give shoutouts to Congressman Rick Larsen - who was elected as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland – who was elected Whip of the Congressional Black Caucus! 

I’m confident I speak for all of us when I say we have the best Democratic elected officials in the country here in WA State. Their leadership stands in such stark contrast to a GOP that can’t even seem to elect a House Speaker and I couldn’t be more grateful to be a member of a Party that is unified, effective, and working to build a better Washington and a better America. Thank you for all you do to help our leaders win election cycle after election cycle! 

It has been a pleasure to work with you over the past six years and I'm proud of all we have achieved and will continue to achieve together. 

When I first ran for State Party Chair in 2017, I didn't come for the title or to build a resume - I promised to work hard and make transformational change, born of over thirty years’ experience as an activist, elected official, organizational, and community leader. The unofficial job description is just two words: “Elect Democrats.” I believe I have delivered on that promise for these past six years – and it has been an honor to serve in this position.

I want to announce that upon consultation with my family over the Holiday break, I’ve decided to not run for re-election as State Party Chair this January. This was not an easy decision, but I feel strongly that I have accomplished what I set out to do and it is now time to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders ready to light the fires of democracy, teamwork, and community around our state.

I will be serving out my term until a new Chair is elected on Saturday, January 28th at our State Committee Meeting in Olympia. Do stay tuned for more news on the meeting as well.

Thank you again for your partnership and work for our Party. I look forward to seeing many of you in Olympia later this month and am excited for all that is to come for our terrific Democratic Party! 

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude, 

Chair Tina Podlodowski

Washington State Democratic Party

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Hello Democrats,

Congratulations on an amazing year! Now that 2022 election results are certified and final we wanted to provide a quick update on how things panned out:

• Senator Patty Murray won with a commanding 57.15% of the vote and defeated MAGA extremist Tiffany Smiley. 
• Every Incumbent Member of Congress won by more than 6% of the vote, including Congresswoman Kim Schrier who performed even better than she did in 2020. I also want to highlight a truly impressive showing from Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who beat her Republican opponent with a sixfold advantage!
• We flipped a key Congressional seat in WA-03, sending Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez to D.C. and declaring loud and clear that white nationalist candidates like Joe Kent will never hold high office in WA State. 
• We helped SoS Steve Hobbs win - marking the first time a Democrat has carried this seat in more than 50 years and the first time in history every single WA statewide office is in Democratic control. 
• Democrats held onto every single one of our seats in the WA legislature, flipped a state Senate seat in LD 42, and despite an impending recount, we are confident that we are on track to flip a state House seat in LD 10!

We are also proud to report that final statewide voter turnout reached nearly 64%. While not the best performance on record, this is a solid result for a midterm year and we are pleased with this showing. 

Please join me in giving a huge shout out to the Washington Democrats organizers and volunteers who worked around the clock to execute 2.3M voter contacts - we couldn’t have accomplished what we did without their hard work! 

If you want to see all election results and turnout statistics in one place, you can check them on the WA Secretary of State’s website here:

https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20221108/default.htm

We’re still watching LD 10 closely - where a machine recount has been called to determine if Democrat Clyde Shavers can flip a red state House seat blue! We are feeling confident; late returns broke in our direction and it would take a fairly large upset to tilt the scales. With that being said, we may not have a final result for some time - so please join us in crossing your fingers for a Democratic victory! 

Again, thank you so much for all you did this cycle to make these victories possible - we are so grateful for our whole WA State Democratic Team! 

Republicans hit blue wall in WA: Meet your new state Legislature

Republicans hit a blue wall in the Washington state Legislature election last month, repulsed by Democrats who continue to build power in Olympia.

Senate passes bill to protect same-sex, interracial marriages

The Senate on Tuesday passed the Respect for Marriage Act, which would enshrine marriage equality in federal law, granting protections to same-sex and interracial couples.

Patty Murray likely to be first female Senate president pro tem, 3rd in line for presidency

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray will likely be the first woman to serve as Senate president pro tempore, a position that would place her third in line for the presidency. Murray will also likely chair the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, controlling the federal purse strings and directing billions of dollars of spending.

Native representation to increase in Washington Legislature

Washington state is home to 29 federally recognized Native American Tribes, but only one Native person currently serves in the state Legislature. That will change next year. Three enrolled members of Native tribes [won] their elections this fall.

With Georgia’s special election coming up on December 9th, the strength of our US Senate majority hangs in the balance. Our friends in GA need support in the runoff to re-elect Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock and expand our Democratic majority!

• If you would like to CANVASS, you can sign up HERE: https://www.mobilize.us/gavotes/event/521492/
• If you would like to MAKE CALLS, you can sign up HERE: https://www.mobilize.us/gavotes/event/488467/
• If you plan to TRAVEL TO GA, please complete THIS FORM: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCN-LUeoAF_R7nukP54ZpYNQgxOjQ9UIvmuxxQiyH3HV0evw/viewform

It’s difficult to overstate how consequential this seat is and the impact it will have on our ability to pass progressive policy over the next two years. And with the US House now in GOP control, it is doubly important that we fight tooth and nail for any and every advantage possible! 

We hope you will help if you are able! 

Please be aware that this will be our last newsletter of the year as we dig into planning for 2023 and give staff a well-deserved break for the winter holidays. We will be back in touch with great info and opportunities for engagement in January! 

No one person wins an election. It takes a community, and we are a community and in many ways, a family of Democrats. We are so grateful for each and every one of you.

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude, 

Chair Tina Podlodowski

Washington State Democratic Party

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