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Who I Am
Washington deserves someone who fights for the working class, not big business. Our state has long been a haven for the wealthy to develop vast fortunes off the backs of working Washingtonians — it's time we build a state that works for all of us.
Why I'm Running
For too long, establishment politicians at both the federal and state level have sidelined the needs of the average Joe in favor of the largest corporations. We're told there's no money for universal healthcare, that we can't afford a better transportation network, that businesses need bailouts and we need to foot the bill. It doesn't have to be like this.
With bold new leaders who aren't afraid to dream of a better tomorrow, we can transform lives for the better — but we must replace those who have failed to fight for us. I'm running to stand up to the health insurance industry, to ensure everyone has access to quality, timely care that doesn't break the bank. I'm running to force Sound Transit to deliver what the voters approved. I'm running to put homes within reach for everybody. I'm running for the working class.
About Me
Born into a low-income family in a Habitat for Humanity home in Snoqualmie, I've always lived where ends were not easy to meet. Growing up in such an environment ingrained in me the idea that you need to fight for yourself, your community, and your future. I know what it's like to work bad jobs for low pay, to not have access to healthcare, to have to choose between food and gas.
As a young organizer, I've stood with the Puget Sound Tenants Union in their anti-R.U.B.S. campaign to protect renters from excessive, unpredictable utility bills. I've rallied support for legislation such as HB 2100 to protect our vital social services, and organized support for and canvassed with progressives fighting with me for a better tomorrow.
I'm here to stand up for the community — to fight for a Washington where we can do more than scrape by, but where we can all live full, dignified, prosperous lives.
The Issues
Healthcare for all is achievable with legislators who believe saving lives matters more than profits.
You should get to live and thrive — not be forced to pay health insurance companies to deny you care. That's why I support Whole Washington, a universal healthcare initiative for our state.
A single-payer system cuts prices by allowing the government to negotiate the cost of any procedure or prescription, rather than paying whatever outlandish price hospitals and insurance companies set. It saves money for businesses, who no longer need to spend on employee insurance plans, and saves money for people by dropping the price of care to $0.
Every successful country in the world has some form of universal or government-run healthcare. Despite spending more per person than any other country, we get far worse outcomes. Washington can lead the way.
Solving the housing crisis and homelessness is straightforward: build more affordable housing and protect renters from landlord abuses.
- Invest in quality, affordable housing through social housing programs
- Streamline permitting and approval for new housing construction
- Allow more multi-family housing, small businesses, and mixed-use buildings — such as ground-floor shops with housing above
- Create incentives to build on empty and dilapidated lots; discourage hoarding property for speculation
- House the homeless through tiny house villages and vacant publicly-owned housing
We can and must fully fund our education system — we will support our children and our future.
- Increase teacher salaries to attract more educators and reduce class sizes
- Increase non-teacher salaries so all school functions are better supported
- Create additional elective classes so students can find their passions and explore future careers
- Make all school breakfasts and lunches free — no student should go hungry
- Strengthen after-school programs so parents don't have to leave work early or worry about their children
- Make community college free within the state
We can build an economy that works for all, not just the 1%.
- Stimulate the economy by providing for the most vulnerable, enabling greater economic participation
- Increase the state minimum wage to $26/hr — what the federal minimum would be if it kept pace with inflation and productivity
- Reduce the standard workweek to 32 hours with no reduction in pay or benefits
- Increase taxes on the wealthiest with the Millionaire's Tax and the Well Washington Fund to fund critical social systems and infrastructure — making Washington more attractive to people relocating from elsewhere, bringing in more wealth and stimulating the economy further
- Create a state-owned bank for more favorable banking and lending for residents
- Mandatory paid vacation: 2 weeks for full-time workers, 1 week for part-time workers
Keep the Evergreen State green.
- Our Department of Natural Resources is having its already too small budget cut by $7 million, or about 20% for its maintenance and operation budget — Governor Ferguson has called for another $750,000 to be cut. These cuts have forced several campgrounds, forests, and trails to close permanently, partially, or seasonally. I will fight to not just reverse these cuts, but to further fund the department to ensure our wilderness receives proper stewardship.
- Big tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and more are fighting to build large data centers in our state. These data centers not only raise energy costs for local Washingtonians, but also hurt our environment by damaging our rivers, ripping apart local wildlife habitats, and destroying local air quality. I will fight back to ban new data centers from being built, and to halt operations on all existing locations.
Voters approved ST3. It's time to deliver — every project, as promised, including the light rail to Issaquah.
Sound Transit has a history of cutting projects that serve parts of King County. I will push to codify Sound Transit's responsibility to deliver the full ST3 package voters approved — with no loopholes to cut corners.
Every part of ST3 is an investment in our state's future — money paid to local union workers supporting their families, money that raises land values, creates new places to live and do business, and generates tax revenue without raising taxes.
We should also allow Sound Transit to pay for ST3 by issuing more bonds, which it can pay off by developing the property around the new stations — a proven model that funds itself.
Whether you live in Enumclaw or Issaquah, Spokane or Seattle — this project uplifts the economy for us all, now and 100 years from now. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution from cars, creating more housing and business opportunities, and generating new jobs, this is a tide that lifts all boats. Build the damn train.