The Legislative Building, seen here from above the Temple of Justice, is the heart of Washington State's Capitol Campus in Olympia (Photo: Andrew Villeneuve/NPI)
Editor’s Note: This is the first of two installments introducing the people joining the Washington State Legislature in January.
On January 9th, 2023, the Washington State Legislature will officially convene for its one hundred and five day long session with many new members and even stronger Democratic majorities. Democrats will have a majority of twenty-nine in the Senate and a majority of fifty-eight in the House. The party ultimately flipped one seat in the Senate and one in the House in the November midterms.
Here is a compendium of the Democrats about to join the Legislature:
Position 1: Clyde Shavers
Clyde Shavers is a United States Navy veteran, having gotten his B.S. at the US Naval Academy and his JD at Yale Law School. He established the Yale Coalition to End Homelessness and has been involved in Skagit Friendship House, “a faith-based organization that serves Mount Vernon’s homeless and working poor,” and South Whidbey Island’s Goosefoo nonprofit, “which works to build affordable housing.”
He has stated that he cares “about affordable housing, quality healthcare, and good education for our children,” among other things.
His victory is expected to be confirmed by a recount set to take place on December 12th.
Position 2: Sharlett Mena
Sharlett Mena, currently a Democratic precinct committee officer in the 29th Legislative District and a member of the Pierce County Democratic Central Committee, went to Washington State University, earning a BA from WSU.
She’s “worked in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Washington State Senate, and for Governor Inslee.”
She says she will “prioritize economic revitalization with living wage jobs, confront the housing crisis, and improve public safety.”
Mena succeeds Steve Kirby, who chose to retire rather than seek reelection.
Position 1: Emily Alvarado
Emily Alvarado went to Scripps College, where she earned her BA, and to the University of Washington School of Law, where she earned her JD.
She was just elected to the 34th Legislative District as State Representative for Position 1. She wants to “improve K‑12 funding, expand workforce development, and reduce gun violence.”
Alvarado succeeds longtime Representative Eileen Cody, who currently has more seniority than any other House Democrat. Her seatmate will be the new Majority Leader, Joe Fitzgibbon.
Position 1: Julia Reed
State Representative-elect Reed attended Smith College, where she earned a BA, and Princeton University, where she earned an MPA.
She also is a former chair of the 36th Legislative District Democrats. She prevailed over a field that included other former 36th LD chairs to take the place of current State Representative Noel Frame, who is moving over to the Washington State Senate.
She wants to work on the housing crisis and climate crisis, as well as “defend abortion rights.”
Position 2: Chipalo Street
Soon-to-be Representative Street went to Brown University, where he earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in computer science.
He is an employee at Microsoft, and is also the owner of a small business.
He wants to “champion expanding access to education and trades, ensuring environmental protection, increasing housing affordability, and investing in transit.”
He will succeed Kirsten Harris-Talley, who left the House after serving just one term.
Position 1: Julio Cortes
Representative-elect Cortes attended Western Washington University, where he earned his BA.
He works for the city of Everett as the manager of Communications and Marketing.
He believes that “local families and small businesses deserve…leadership focused on economic opportunity, improved public safety, and quality affordable housing.”
Cortes will succeed Representative Emily Wicks, who was appointed to the House in 2020 to fill a vacancy left by now-Senator June Robinson when she moved across the Rotunda. Wicks opted not to seek reelection.
Position 2: Mary Fosse
Mary Fosse went to Whitman College, where she earned a BA in history.
She’s also a councilmember for the city of Everett, and used to own a small business in the city. She’s chair of the Delta Neighborhood Association as well.
She “will fight to tackle housing affordability, homelessness crisis, supporting schools,” and much more.
She worked as a legislative assistant for Wicks before stepping down to run for the Legislature herself.
Mary succeeds longtime Democratic State Representative Mike Sells, who decided to retire rather than seek reelection to another term.
Position 2: Joe Timmons
Joe Timmons earned his bachelor’s degree at Western Washington University, and his master’s degree at the University of Washington.
He’s also a Bellingham Food Bank board member.
Some of his campaign promises are “to support small businesses so they can create living wage jobs and stand up to insurance companies to lower healthcare costs.”
Timmons will take over for Representative Sharon Shewmake, who is moving over to the Washington State Senate, having defeated appointed Republican State Senator Simon Sefzik.
Position 2: Darya Farivar
Representative-elect Farivar will be a historic first, given that she will be the first woman of Middle Eastern descent in the State House.
She attended the University of Redlands, earning her BA there. She is also Disability Rights Washington’s public policy director.
She wants to work on addressing Washington state’s homelessness crisis, as well as keeping communities safe.
She will succeed State Representative Javier Valdez, who is replacing current Senator David Frockt in the Washington State Senate.
Position 2: Chris Stearns
Auburn city Councilmember turned Representative-elect Chris Stearns earned his BA at Williams College and his JD at Cornell Law School.
He is also a veteran of the Clinton administration.
He wants to “continue leading on workforce development, economic opportunity, protecting civil and women’s rights, and safeguarding forests, salmon and natural resources.”
Stearns succeeds retiring Majority Leader Pat Sullivan, who has represented the 47th Legislative District for more than a decade in the House.
The following Democrats are not new to the Legislature, having all served in the House of Representatives or in the Senate before, but they were not part of the Senate Democratic caucus in the previous biennium, so they’re getting honorable mentions in this post. Here’s who is moving over to the Senate or returning:
State Senator: Noel Frame
State Representative Noel Frame has just been elected to the Washington State Senate, where she plans to “address the skyrocketing cost of living and other factors exacerbating economic inequality,” among other issues.
She went to George Washington University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political communication and a master’s degree in political management.
She’s also the director of policy and planning at BDS Planning and Urban Design.
Frame succeeds retiring Senator Reuven Carlyle, who served several terms after being appointed to take the place of Jeanne Kohl-Welles, who joined the King County Council several years ago after Larry Phillips retired.
State Senator: Sharon Shewmake
State Representative Shewmake is moving from the state House to the state Senate after defeating Simon Sefzik.
She attended Duke University, earning a BA in economics and environmental policy, as well as the University of California, Davis, where she earned a PhD in agricultural and resource economics.
Her platform includes “affordable homes, good jobs, quality healthcare, and keeping Whatcom County a great place to live and raise a family.”
Shewmake was one of two candidates who previously flipped the 42nd’s House seats from red to blue (the other is Alicia Rule). Now she’s succeeded in strengthening the Democrats’ Senate majority to twenty-nine seats.
State Senator: Javier Valdez
As mentioned, Representative Valdez will be switching chambers in January, heading to the state Senate.
He went to the University of Washington, where earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and to Baruch College, where he earned a master’s degree in Public Administration.
Valdez is a member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) representing Washington State.
He has stated that he will work on “banning assault weapons, protecting access to reproductive healthcare, and addressing the homelessness crisis” while in the Senate.
Valdez succeeds Senator David Frockt.
State Senator: Claudia Kauffman
Claudia Kauffman, a former state senator for the 47th Legislative District from 2007 to 2011, has been elected to her old position after a twelve-year break. She was the first Native American elected to the State Senate in 2007 when she assumed office.
Kauffman lost to Republican Joe Fain in the 2010 midterms. Fain was defeated eight years later by Democratic challenger Mona Das, who opted not to seek reelection after serving a single term.
Kauffman ran unsuccessfully for Port of Seattle in 2017.
She attended Northwest Indian College, earning an associate’s degree there, and the University of Washington School of Business, earning a certificate in project management.
Kauffman wants to reduce families’ cost of living and increase funding for behavioral health treatment.
Her victory over Bill Boyce keeps the 47th’s State Senate seat Democratic. It’s the first time in decades Democrats have won the seat in two consecutive midterms.
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