A new era of back-to-back political campaigning has generated a ceaseless contest for endorsements, particularly when an incumbent retires, and a coveted office comes open. Just look at, and try to keep track of, who’s supporting who in the surprisingly competitive contest for Washington’s 6th Congressional District this year.
The International Association of Fire Fighters has endorsed the candidacy of Hilary Franz, who currently serves as Commissioner of Public Lands. But the South Kitsap Fire Fighters have given their blessing to Franz and State Senator Emily Randall.
The Lower Elwha S’Kallam Indian tribe is backing Franz while a Jamestown S’Kallam endorsement decorates the Randall website.
The Franz campaign recently pilloried Randall’s campaign for incorrectly claiming endorsements from the Lower S’Kallam and the Lummi Nation.
“We have seen how Hilary partners with tribal nations to fight climate change, restore salmon habitat and strengthen our communities and tribal treaty rights,” said a statement from Francis Charles of the Lower Elwha tribe.
Franz and Randall, both Democrats, are battling for the U.S. House seat being vacated by retiring United States Representative Derek Kilmer. A similar contest is underway among Republicans in Eastern Washington for the seat of Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who’s hanging it up after twenty years in Congress representing the 5th District.
Such positions don’t often come open.
Incumbency carries with it great advantages. Since the Gingrich “revolution” of 1994, only two-House members of Washington’s congressional delegation have been unseated, most recently Jaime Herrera Beutler in Southwest Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. The team of United States Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell have held office for twenty-four years, with Cantwell heavily favored to retain her seat this year.
As well, Washington and California have adopted electoral systems where the top two candidates move on to the general election, even if they are of the same party. The system has served up battles between left-leaning Democrats in the Puget Sound area. An example was the unsuccessful attempt by Governor Jay Inslee to oust a pro-business Democrat, State Senator Mark Mullet, from the Legislature. (Inslee’s candidate, Ingrid Anderson, came close, losing by only a few dozen votes.) Meanwhile, Republicans are vying to sound more conservative on the far side of the “Cascade curtain.”
Endorsements don’t always resonate with voters, particularly given the decline of newspaper circulation. In 2012, most of the state’s dailies backed Republican Reagan Dunn’s run for Attorney General. He was, however, outworked by Democrat Bob Ferguson. The Seattle Times went all out for Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna, only to see Seattle and King County voters provide the winning margin for Democrat Inslee.
The Stranger’s endorsement has long been coveted. The publication was a longtime champion of Socialist Alternative Councilmember Kshama Sawant, who won several consecutive citywide and district-based council elections. Lately, however, it has backed the loser in three successive Seattle mayoral elections. And there was quite the to-do when Jim McDermott retired and the 7th Congressional District seat came open. A pair of Democrats fought it out. The editorial board backed Pramila Jayapal while prominent columnist Dan Savage promoted Jayapal’s opponent Brady Walkinshaw.
At times, however, endorsements can be telling.
Longtime Republican backers of Herrera Beutler could not stand ultra MAGA extremist Joe Kent, who eclipsed her in the 2022 Top Two election along with Democratic hopeful Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. They publicly defected to MGP’s candidacy. She was elected to Congress in one of the year’s notable upsets.
A decade ago, in Washington’s 4th Congressional District, retired United States Senator Slade Gorton helped round up support for the more conventional conservative Dan Newhouse. Newhouse was pitted against Tea Party activist (and former NFL tight end) Clint Didier in an all-Republican general election. Kooky statements by Didier were displayed, helping Newhouse to a narrow win. Newhouse will need such help again. He is facing a Trump-endorsed ultra MAGA challenger, Jerrod Sessler, in this year’s election.
Influential endorsements have changed over time, too.
The National Rifle Association poured resources into beating back a 1997 gun safety initiative. Since then, aided by wealthy contributors, gun safety advocacy groups have passed three statewide initiatives, in 2014, 2016, and 2018, and followed that up with a series of bills passed out of the Legislature. Last year, Washington became the tenth state to ban the sale and manufacture of assault weapons.
The environmental movement has also demonstrated its clout. Washington Conservation Action has given a big boost to King County Council member Dave Upthegrove in his bid to succeed Franz as the state’s Commissioner of Public Lands. Just a few days after that endorsement was decided, State Senator Rebecca Saldaña suspended her campaign for the job.
Fuse Washington has been a force in the electoral arena with its Progressive Voter Guide, identifying and profiling candidates endorsed by labor, environmental and LGBTQ+ groups. It provides a notable boost to contenders in downballot races, for such jobs as city council and county commissioner. Its goal is shifting the local balance of power, demonstrated by rejection of an oil export terminal proposed for America’s Vancouver and the big Gateway Pacific coal shipment port planned north of Bellingham.
The endorsements chase has produced one notable flop in Washington congressional races this century. Pramila Jayapal has perhaps the safest U.S. House seat anywhere, but the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus has been unable to expand her base in the region. Jayapal poured resources into the 2020 campaign of State Representative Beth Doglio, who was soundly defeated by former Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland.
A year later, an endorsement from Senator Bernie Sanders failed to help Seattle mayoral candidate Lorena González, who lost in a landslide to Bruce Harrell.
Back to the 6th District, where a battle of big Democratic names is brewing. Kilmer and retired Representative Norm Dicks are in the Franz camp, while Senator Murray and Representative Gluesenkamp Perez are backing Randall.
Voters from Tacoma to Cape Flattery will have to make up their own minds.
