State union group presents its support for candidates
The state’s “voice of labor” showed its support for a handful of Southwest Washington’s candidates vying for political office, including the highly contested seat in Congress.
On Saturday, the Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO, a representative body representing 600 labor groups, announced its endorsements for the 2022 election during its Political Education Endorsing Convention in Seattle.
Hundreds of statewide delegates reviewed congressional, legislative and judicial candidates, as well as ballot measures. Candidates who were seeking support participated in questionnaires and interviews with local unions and regional councils. Labor group representatives then debated and voted on who they felt best represented laborer’s interests, according to the labor council.
The organization recommended the following candidates:
3rd Congressional District: Marie Glusenkamp Perez – Democrat
Legislative District 17: Terri Niles – Democrat (Position 1); Joe Kear – Democrat (Position 2)
Legislative District 18: John Zingale – Democrat (Position 1); Duncan Camacho — Democrat (Position 2)
Legislative District 49:incumbent Sharon Wylie – Democrat (Position 1); incumbent Monica Stonier – Democrat (Position 2)
The organization’s volunteers will conduct door-to-door campaigning, leaflet distributions and non-automated phone calls on behalf of the candidates, according to labor council.
As candidate recommendations are being made, those running for office are ramping up their outreach — one mailer, donation request and campaign sign at a time. With plenty of time before the Aug. 2 primary, the months leading up to the election are bound to be chock-full of political advertising and public endorsements.
Lauren Ellenbecker
Lauren Ellenbecker is a politics reporter for The Columbian.