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WASHINGTON STATE Open Thread
This is a community series giving our Washington Kossacks a virtual meeting place to discuss issues of concern to our state and share what's happening in our lives. Share your activist efforts, plug for your favorite candidate, share a LTE you've gotten published or educate us on the issues you are passionate about. Tell us an interesting or funny story, ask for advice from the community or share a recipe. Tell us anything that has happened out there. Nothing is off topic. Let's connect, unite and act!
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For a lot of people, knowing whom is in elected Office is knowing who is President and not a lot more.
But over the past thirty years the Republican Party has put most of it's work into occupying as many offices in as many Statehouses as possible. Their goal? To affect change across our nation from the inside. And it's worked for them.
One has only to look as far as the home state of my father's family, Wisconsin, to see just how devastatingly effective that plan has been. Once hailed as the groundbreaking center of the American Labor Union movement, the state of Wisconsin is today finds itself under the heavy hand of Republican Governor Scott Walker and his coterie of Republicans in the State Legislature, where there is underway right now a Bill to make the vaunted Wisconsin Open Meetings Law (State Law 19.81) a travesty -
Opposition mounted Friday to a surprise Republican budget measure that would exempt from Wisconsin open records laws nearly everything created by state and local government officials, including drafts of legislation and communications with staff.
So we simply cannot ignore the ability of the Republican Party to turn a Statehouse
to the dark side, because it's been happening here, in Washington State, too.
Our State has a long history of alternating the Governor from Democratic to Republican in succeeding election cycles, until 1985, when the Democrats put a lock on the highest office in the state with Governor Booth Gardner. No Republican has managed to win that Office since, although in 2004 it was so close that recounts and court suits dragged on until June 6, 2005.
So much like the US Presidency, it seems our State is on a Democrats only need apply path for the Governor's Office. But like the US Congress, we've got a creeping majority of Republicans in our Statehouse. Mostly, the results of decades of the Republicans wielding majority control of the Statehouses during redistricting following US Census years of 1990, 2000 and 2010. In each of those cycles the Republican grip on our Statehouses has tightened. They aren't just winning seats, their goal has been to win Legislative Districts. So that both House Representatives and Senator are gerrymandered deeply enough in each District so that a Republican can win there.
How bad is it?
The makeup of the Washington State Legislature:
As of July 2015
Democratic Party 51
Republican Party 47
As of Jan 2, 2015 this is the status of our State House Leadership (which was a Republican majority in 2014!)
Democratic Caucus
Speaker Rep. Frank Chopp - District 43
Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Jim Moeller - District 49
Deputy Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Tina Orwall - District 33
Majority Leader Rep. Pat Sullivan - District 47
Majority Caucus Chair Rep. Eric Pettigrew - District 37
Majority Whip Rep. Kevin Van De Wege - District 24
Deputy Majority Whip Rep. Marcus Riccelli - District 3
Deputy Majority Whip Rep. Cindy Ryu - District 32
Majority Floor Leader Rep. Kristine Lytton - District 40
Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Larry Springer - District 45
Deputy Majority Floor Leader Rep. Steve Bergquist - District 11
Deputy Majority Floor Leader Rep. Gael Tarleton - District 36
Assistant Majority Whip Rep. Joan McBride - District 48
Republican Caucus
Minority Leader Rep. Dan Kristiansen - District 39
Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Joel Kretz - District 7
Minority Caucus Chair Rep. Shelly Short - District 7
Minority Whip Rep. Paul Harris - District 17
Minority Floor Leader Rep. J. T. Wilcox - District 2
Minority Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Joe Schmick - District 9
Assistant Minority Floor Leader Rep. Matt Shea - District 4
Assistant Minority Floor Leader Rep. Matt Manweller - District 13
Assistant Minority Whip Rep. Dan Griffey - District 35
Assistant Minority Whip Rep. Dave Hayes - District 10
Assistant Minority Whip Rep. Lynda Wilson - District 17
Total partisan offices held:
State House
24 of 49 House 1 seats are D
27 of 49 House 2 seats are D
State Senate
25 of 49 Senate seats are D
As you can see, we're skating a thin line here in Washington. The Democratic Values which our Party has upheld here as long as I can remember
are under attack by Tea Party officeholders. This election cycle we cannot remain ignorant to the overall goals of the Republican Party for our state. They want to win at any cost and the results which they would bring are those facing states like Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida and other states whose Statehouses have been subsumed by the Republican Party...
They would turn our prosperous, liberal minded corner of the world into another cesspool of bad governance. Our State Legislature just finished a battle over the Budget Bill with a four day gap in funding which affected many state offices (like the DMV). THIS is the method of their madness. Fill the Statehouse with obstinate Legislators elected in large part due to the largess of Dark Money from the national SuperPACs. Start breaking down all Social Safety nets and reduce tax rates to satisfy the desires of their wealthy donors.
WE MUST NOT LET THEM BE VICTORIOUS.
Get to know YOUR local State Representatives and Senator. If they are Democratic, please check with their office and find out if they are seeking re-election and if so, ask if there is anything you can do to help their campaign. If it's a Republican or if the Democratic office holder is NOT running for 2016? Consider running for that seat yourself!
These are the times in which it is no longer enough to simply Vote. Our nation and our Statehouses are in need of fresh, new faces.
Are you ready to step up to the plate and become one of them? I can't strongly enough urge you to be one.
I am. As of July 2, 2015 I am an officially declared candidate for the US Congress from the 3rd District of Washington State. I'm going to need a lot of help from grassroots volunteers to win this election - because I'm not betting on getting enough money to fight and win against the current 3 term occupier, Jaime Herrera Beutler (R).
That being said, every politician needs money to organize and pay for staff, so if you feel so inclined, please drop me a few dollars at my website www.Angie4Congress.com. Don't be alarmed, it's just a splash page to collect donations today,
but CONTENT is coming soon!
So please, even if you think it's crazy -
THINK ABOUT IT. Go to your next County Democratic Party Central Committee meeting and talk to the people who might be able to help you get a local campaign
up and running
Like my current sigline says:
Don't just sit there typing, get out there and run for Office!
Here are all those currently holding office in WA State, by the Legislative District:
The 49 Legislative Districts of the State of Washington
CLICK THIS MAP TO USE THE DISTRICT FINDER FEATURE
1st District
Rep Derek Stanford (D)
Rep Luis Moscoso (D)
Senator Rosemary McAuliffe (D)
2nd District
Rep Graham Hunt (R)
Rep J. T. Wilcox (R)
Senator Randi Becker (R)
3rd District
Rep Marcus Riccelli (D)
Rep Timm Ormsby (D)
Senator Andy Billig (D)
4th District
Rep Bob McCaslin (R)
Rep Matt Shea (R)
Senator Mike Padden (R)
5th District
Rep Jay Rodne (R)
Rep Chad Magendanz (R)
Senator Mark Mullet (D)
6th District
Rep Kevin Parker (R)
Rep Jeff Holy (R)
Senator Michael Baumgartner (R)
7th District
Rep Shelly Short (R)
Rep Joel Kretz (R)
Senator Brian Dansel (R)
8th District
Rep Brad Klippert (R)
Rep Larry Haler (R)
Senator Sharon Brown (R)
9th District
Rep Mary Dye (R)
Rep Joe Schmick (R)
Senator Mark Schoesler (R)
10th District
Rep Norma Smith (R)
Rep Dave Hayes (R)
Senator Barbara Bailey (R)
11th District
Rep Zack Hudgins (D)
Rep Steve Bergquist (D)
Senator Bob Kasegawa (D)
12th District
Rep Cary Condotta (R)
Rep Brad Hawkins (R)
Senator Linda Evans Parlette (R)
13th District
Rep Tom Dent (R)
Rep Matt Manweller (R)
Senator Judy Warnick (R)
14th District
Rep Norm Johnson (R)
Rep Gina McCabe (R)
Senator Curtis King (R)
15th District
Rep Bruce Chandler (R)
Rep David Taylor (R)
Senator Jim Honeyford (R)
16th District
Rep Maureen Walsh (R)
Rep Terry Nealey (R)
Senator Mike Hewitt (R)
17th District
Rep Lynda Wilson (R)
Rep Paul Harris (R)
Senator Don Benton (R)
18th District
Rep Brandon Vick (R)
Rep Liz Pike (R)
Senator Ann Rivers (R)
19th District
Rep Dean Takko (D)
Rep Brian Blake (D)
Senator Brian Hatfield (D)
20th District
Rep Richard DeBolt (R)
Rep Ed Orcutt (R)
Senator John Braun (R)
21st District
Rep Strom Peterson (D)
Rep Lillian Ortiz-Self (D)
Senator Marko Liias (D)
22nd District
Rep Chris Reykdal (D)
Rep Sam Hunt (D)
Senator Karen Faser (D)
23rd District
Rep Sherry Appleton (D)
Rep Drew Hansen (D)
Senator Christine Rolfes (D)
24th District
Rep Kevin Van De Wege (D)
Rep Steve Tharinger (D)
Senator Jim Hargrove (D)
25th District
Rep Melanie Stambaugh (R)
Rep Hans Zeiger (R)
Senator Bruce Dammeier (R)
26th District
Rep. Jesse Young (R)
Rep. Michelle Caldier (R)
Senator Jan Angel (R)
27th District
Rep Laurie Jinkins (D)
Rep Jake Fey (D)
Senator Jeannie Darneille (D)
28th District
Rep Dick Muri (R)
Rep Christine Kilduff (D)
Senator Steve O'Ban (R)
29th District
Rep David Sawyer (D)
Rep Steve Kirby (D)
Senator Steve Conway (D)
30th District
Rep Linda Kochmar (R)
Rep Carol Gregory (D)
Senator Mark Miloscia (R)
31st District
Rep Drew Stokesbary (R)
Rep Christopher Hurst (D)
Senator Pam Roach (R)
32nd District
Rep Cindy Ryu (D)
Rep Ruth Kagi (D)
Senator Maralyn Chase (D)
33rd District
Rep Tina Orwall (D)
Rep Mia Gregerson (D)
Senator Karen Keiser (D)
34th District
Rep Eileen Cody (D)
Rep Joe Fitzgibbon (D)
Senator Sharon Nelson (D)
35th District
Rep Dan Griffey (R)
Rep Drew MacEwen (R)
Senator Tim Sheldon (D)
36th District
Rep Reuven Carlyle (D)
Rep Gael Tarleton (D)
Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D)
37th District
Rep Sharon Tomiko Santos (D)
Rep Eric Pettigrew (D)
Senator Parmila Jayapal (D)
38th District
Rep June Robinson (D)
Rep Mike Sells (D)
Senator John McCoy (D)
39th District
Rep Dan Kristiansen (R)
Rep Elizabeth Scott (R)
Senator Kirk Pearson (R)
40th District
Rep Kristine Lytton (D)
Rep Jeff Morris (D)
Senator Kevin Ranker (D)
41st District
Rep Tana Senn (D)
Rep Judy Clibborn (D)
Senator Steve Litzow (R)
42nd District
Rep Luanne Van Werven (R)
Rep Vincent Buys (R)
Senator Doug Ericksen (R)
43rd District
Rep Brady Walkinshaw (D)
Rep Frank Chopp (D)
Senator Jamie Pedersen (D)
44th District
Rep Hans Dunshee (D)
Rep Mark Harmsworth (R)
Senator Steve Hobbs (D)
45th District
Rep Roger Goodman (D)
Rep Larry Springer (D)
Senator andy Hill (R)
46th District
Rep Gerry Pollet (D)
Rep Jessyn Farrell (D)
Senator David Frockt (D)
47th District
Rep Mark Hargrove (R)
Rep Pat Sullivan (D)
Senator Joe Fain (R)
48th District
Rep Ross Hunter (D)
Rep Joan McBride (D)
Senator Cyrus Habib (D)
49th District
Rep Sharon Wylie (D)
Rep Jim Moeller (D)
Senator Annette Cleveland (D)