Sound Politics

Is Governor Ferguson tax-mogging? We'll let you look up what that means, but the millionaire’s tax is taking shape as it moves through Olympia. State Senate Democrats passed their version of the proposal this week.But can it pay for everything Democrats want it to fund? Also, Seattle mayor Katie Wilson faces her first test in office: Whether to expand the city’s over 60 CCTV cameras.It's a grab-bag episode, inspired by Mayor Wilson's reference to public grocery stores in her State of the City speech this week.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Gabrielle Healy. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone. Related Links Giving the income tax back before its enacted - The Washington ObserverWill Katie Wilson turn off Seattle’s surveillance cameras? - The Seattle Times See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We haven’t talked a lot about the Epstein files on this show but it’s a defining picture of a lot of the politics we talk about here – populist backlash against rich elites and distrust of government and the political establishment more generally. It is a story that has engulfed the other Washington and it has connections to this Washington.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/.Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Paige Browning and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're going deep on taxes this week, even though it's only February. State Democrats have released their so-called millionaire's tax, and we talk about why one particular Dem isn't sold yet.Related LinksSB 6346 - 2025-26WA Democrats’ ‘millionaires tax’ is here, but Ferguson doesn’t support it yetWashington state voters have rejected income taxes 10 times. Is this year different?Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/.Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor, and co-host today is Catharine Smith. Our producers are Gabrielle Healy and Sarah Leibovitz. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where did the idea come from to push back against President Trump by holding a general strike? The story takes us back 100 years to shipyard workers in Seattle. We’ll hear why people think general strikes are an effective protest today and whether they work.On this week's episode, we relied on oral histories and primary sources from the Seattle General Strike Project, Wesleyan University, and Labor Archives of Washington.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/.Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producers are Gabrielle Healy and Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One year into President Trump's second term, we check in with Washington state’s biggest Trump supporter (or at least, the biggest one in our Congressional delegation) Rep. Michael Baumgartner of Spokane. We also talk with the biggest Trump adversary in the state, Attorney General Nick Brown, who sued the administration 50 times in the last year. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producers are Sarah Leibovitz and Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Democrats think that this is the year when voters and the courts will side with them on an income tax. Axios' Melissa Santos and the Washington Observer's Paul Queary join us to talk about why. They'll also break down what they're watching during this year's state legislative session. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle's new mayor, Katie Wilson, joins us to talk about being in the media spotlight, her priorities for the coming year, and what new taxes she might get behind. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Outgoing Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson reflects on her tenure as she leaves office. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producers are Sarah Leibovitz and Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen is talking about passing a new income tax during next year's short legislative session. Plus, how the state will pay for flood damage with a tight budget. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundpolitics/. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For weeks, pundits wondered whether incoming Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson would fire the city's police chief. We now know she won’t, but we still have questions about how a democratic socialist who used to support "defund" the police will run the police department. Listen to the full Soundside interview with Chief Shon Barnes here. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone. Updated on 12/12/2025 at 3:25 p.m.: An initial version of this podcast misattributed a quote about the role of collective bargaining in police accountability policy to Chief Shon Barnes. It was a statement by Judge James Robart. That audio has been removed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the most of the wonderful time of the year in Olympia, the time when the Democrats figure out how to fill a giant budget hole. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Catharine Smith and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're bringing you an interview with incoming Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans. Voters resoundingly supported Evans in last month's elections. How much will the incoming city attorney roll back her predecessor's policies? Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producers are Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Catharine Smith.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How her campaign team took a political newcomer and got her elected mayor of Seattle. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producers are Hans Anderson and Sarah Leibovitz. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's episode is all about certainty. Seattle voters got some certainty on who will be the city’s next mayor. Federal employees can be more certain about getting paid now that the longest government shutdown in history is over. But much about the future of local and federal government remains uncertain: Will government employees stay for the next shutdown or look for work somewhere else? And what will a new mayor bring for the city of Seattle? Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts this week are Catharine Smith, Paige Browning, and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You heard it here first, folks. Election night in Washington state isn’t exciting. So many ballots left to count. So many potential changes in the coming days. But, a boring election night never stopped us from doing an analysis episode the next day, and we actually do have some likely winners. Let's dig into to what we know on day one after the 2025 general election. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Sarah Leibovitz. Our hosts this week are Amy Radil and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We got a listener question, and we had to answer it. Rich wrote in to say: “I have a question regarding School Board elections. I was surprised when filling out my ballot to be voting for school board directors from across the district rather than just for the director that represents my area of the district. I think neighboring Highline School District (that’s in South King County) does the same. I’m not sure why I never noticed it before, but is this common in other Washington school districts? And if so, why is it like that? What would it take to change it? I don’t feel like the north and south ends of either district should be voting for each other’s representatives.” It's a good question! So, we reached out to KUOW reporter Sami West to get an answer. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Sarah Leibovitz. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a local election in less than a week. Maybe you've been procrastinating with your ballot. You're not alone. Half the people who voted last year will sit this election out. Well, we're here to help. We’ve got a procrastinator’s guide to why you should care about this year’s election. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Sarah Leibovitz. Our hosts this week are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does Seattle want the stability of an experienced politician? Or do voters want new ideas, and new blood, in the Mayor's office? Mayor Bruce Harrell and challenger Katie Wilson debated the direction of the city here at KUOW. Now, we’re breaking down their differences on homelessness, public safety and taxes – to help you understand how their promises could shape the future of the Emerald City. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Sarah Leibovitz. Our hosts this week are Libby Denkmann and Catharine Smith.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Expect to see protestors out this weekend during Saturday's No Kings rally. There are numerous events planned in Washington and nearly as many reasons why people are turning out. We're taking a look at the complex patchwork of political ideologies on the left when it comes to protests, non-violence, and Antifa. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Catharine Smith.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Pacific Northwest has become a target for President Trump. He’s trying to send the National Guard to Portland. He also invited a group of right wing influencers from across the region, including Seattle, to the White House to talk about problems plaguing the “war ravaged” city. What’s the truth on the ground in Portland? Dirk VanderHart of OPB's Politics Now podcast breaks down what he's seeing in the Rose City. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our host is Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King County voters will elect a new executive for the first time in 16 years. So far, the defining feature of the race to replace former Executive Dow Constantine is the similarity between the two candidates. Claudia Balducci and Girmay Zahilay agree on a lot, but how would they run the county? We held a debate and asked them. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producers are Sarah Leibovitz and Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone. Special thanks to Zaki Hamid, Tim Meinig, Brad Loving, Dane Johnson, John Sullivan, Eamon Nordquist, Hans Twite, and Felipe Barajas for their work on the debate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we're talking TV. What we see on our screens and what goes on behind the scenes -- and how that shapes the political landscape. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producers are Sarah Leibovitz and Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Catharine Smith and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest this week is Brandi Kruse, conservative influencer and host of the UnDivided Podcast. We decided to have her on as the nation and our region are still reeling from the murder of Charlie Kirk -- and struggling with how to discuss the event. This episode of Sound Politics touches on some of the toughest political topics to discuss, and we think it's an example of the types of conversations that are important to have in a healthy democracy. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian Heywood is back in the political spotlight. He’s the deep-pocketed conservative donor behind the group Let’s Go Washington. You may remember him from his initiative efforts last year. He collected hundreds of thousands of signatures for a slate of policies targeting a handful of key Democratic laws. And this week, he announced he's gathering signatures for two new initiatives to the Legislature on K-12 schools. Including a controversial measure that would ban transgender girls from participating in girls' sports. For an alternative viewpoint on trans rights, follow this link to listen to a conversation with Dani Askini of the Gender Justice League: https://www.kuow.org/stories/trans-in-2025-danni-askini-answers-our-questions-on-sports-bans-medical-care-and-beyond Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk about lawmakers a lot on this podcast, we talk about donors, we talk about the public – but there’s one group that’s a big deal in this constellation of political power, but we don’t often talk about: lobbyists. Over the past decade plus, as gridlock has gripped Congress, lobbying spending in states like ours has shot up. Of the states that track spending, Washington has seen the most dramatic rise in spending on lobbying. So who are the lobbyists in Olympia and how much impact do they have on policy? Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer this week is Sarah Leibovitz and Jason Burrows. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump promised retribution during his presidential campaign. He also talked about giving himself tremendous power, and his vice president has talked about defying the courts. And despite all of that, voters all over the country looked at the Trump ticket last year and said they'd rather have that than a Democrat. So what’s so wrong with the Democrats? And what’s it gonna take to fix it? Since the 2024 election, one Washington Democrat has been saying – guys, look to our state and our state’s Democratic wins for answers. Shasti Conrad, the Washington Democrats’ state party chair and vice chair of the Democratic National Committee joins Sound Politics to discuss the future of the Democratic party. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer this week is Sarah Leibovitz. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trump Justice Department is threatening to withhold funds or even prosecute local officials who enforce Washington’s sanctuary policies. But can they? We’ll hear how state leadership is responding as Trump tries to consolidate even more power. Plus, we'll talk about the impact of federal immigration policy on communities in Washington. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next year's midterm elections are top of mind for politicians. And the stakes are incredibly high, especially for our state's most competitive Congressional seat: Southwest Washington's 3rd district. While the district broke for Trump three times, it also sent Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez to the U.S. House -- twice. But her challenger in 2026 will test whether voters support her unique politics or felt her previous opponent was just too extreme. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If your ballot was sitting on your counter waiting to be turned in, well, it's expired now. The primary election is past. Results, however, are coming in. This week we take a look at two different trends. At the city level, voters have an anti-incumbent bent, but in state legislative races, incumbent Democrats who voted for tax increases seem to (mostly) be okay. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Libby Denkmann and Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're celebrating our first birthday as a show. And don't worry, it isn't going to be one of those awkward first birthday parties where you have to make small talk with strangers, because we're making small talk about the latest political news, including some recent polls that show voter discontent with new Governor Bob Ferguson. Plus, we break down some mayoral races before the primary and answer a listener question about the future of income taxes in Washington. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts Catharine Smith and Libby Denkmann. And we want to hear from you! Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The vast majority of Americans say that money in politics is a threat to democracy. Seattle came up with a novel solution: give everyone money to donate to candidates. In 2015, voters approved the Democracy Voucher program, but is it working? We’ll talk about it ahead of the August 5th primary when voters will decide if the Democracy Voucher program should stick around. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our host is Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're taking a look at the Seattle mayoral election. Eight people are running, including incumbent Bruce Harrell. The primary election on August 5 will whittle that field down to two candidates. This office is nonpartisan, but the race has turned into a test of progressive versus moderate. Mayor Harrell is seen as a moderate, and he’s being primaried mostly from the left this year. Local Democrats are wondering how races like this one will shake out in the second President Trump era and whether voters want to change course on issues like affordability, homelessness, and budget deficits. You can hear the full interviews with the mayoral candidates on Soundside this week. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts Catharine Smith and Libby Denkmann. And we want to hear from you! Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Law and Order: Local Government edition. We’re talking legal news and electing lawyers. We take a deep dive into the Seattle city attorney election and whether a Republican can distance herself from the president and win in that deep blue city. We also recap the week in legal stories in Western Washington municipalities, including an update on King County Assessor John Wilson (who recently dropped out of the executive race) and a conflict in Pierce County between the sheriff and prosecutor. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann. And we want to hear from you! Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. House just voted in favor of a massive tax and spending bill. And, here in Washington, on Wednesday night, a high-ranking King County official was arrested. King County Assessor John Wilson is running for county executive – an open seat overseeing the Seattle-area metro system, county jail, sheriffs, and more. Wilson was arrested for allegedly violating a restraining order against his ex-fiancee. But who is Wilson, and why is he running for executive? Today, we’re re-broadcast a conversation between Scott and Libby from KUOW’s Soundside. Because even if you don’t live in King County and aren’t voting in the upcoming primary election, it surfaces lots of important questions about due process and how and when elected officials are held accountable. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producers this week are Sarah Leibovitz and Jason Burrows. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann. And we want to hear from you! Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For now, a cease-fire between Iran and Israel appears to be holding, following a 12 day period of fighting between the two countries that culminated in an attack on three Iranian nuclear sites by the US, and a counterattack by Iran on an American military base in Qatar. The strikes, and subsequent peace agreement, have been met with a variety of responses from American lawmakers. Is this a military victory? A violation of constitutional oversight? A failed attempt to take out a nuclear power? Congressman Michael Baumgartner joins us to discuss. Plus: how he’s feeling six months into representing the 5th Congressional District, and why he voted in favor of President Trump’s big, beautiful, bill. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer this week is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann. And we want to hear from you! Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State government reporter Jeanie Lindsay is joining us for one final time to talk about access to lawmakers in Olympia. Reporters don’t like being the story, but some drama in the press corps covering Washington’s government was one of the stories of this year’s session. This is an issue that the press is grappling with in D.C., too. The Associated Press was blocked from covering the president because they wouldn’t refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. They sued and a federal judge reinstated their access. But it’s not just President Trump or the right wing, the press corps in the state capitol face some intense pressures from the Democrats running Olympia. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer this week is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann. And we want to hear from you!Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is a tense week in Seattle, and the country, as we prepare for a military parade in the capital this weekend on Trump’s birthday. In response, there are over 1,000 “No Kings” protests planned nationwide, including in Seattle, Olympia, and Tacoma. The ramp up in the tension is because of another thing Trump has done with the military: order them into L.A. to respond to protests there. Washington Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) has been voicing his opposition to the President's actions. He joins Sound Politics to discuss his concerns and responds to criticism from his new opponent in the 2026 election, former Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer this week is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann. And we want to hear from you!Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, lefty democrats and socialists in the Seattle area have been trying to unseat Democratic Congressman Adam Smith in Washington's 9th congressional district. His challengers have always fallen way short in elections. But none of them was as well-known, or as far to his left, as his latest opponent: former Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant. Sawant joins Sound Politics to talk about her return to politics and responds to criticism about her approach to "movement building." Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer this week is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann. And we want to hear from you!Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The biggest story out of Washington is the Republican spending bill or, as the President has branded it: the One Big Beautiful Bill.This bill would solidify much of the President’s agenda, but its future in the Senate is unclear some Senate Republicans are balking at the estimated 3.3 trillion dollars it would probably add the national debt. To talk about the future of this 1,000-plus page piece of legislation, Sound Politics sat down with Representative Pramila Jayapal, who represents Seattle, Shoreline, Vashon Island and Burien in the U.S. House of Representatives. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Gabriel Spitzer. Our producer this week is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann. And we want to hear from you! Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ferguson's pens have been on the minds of a lot of people for weeks: Democrats, who worried he'd bring out the red veto pen on the budget, and fiscal conservatives, who worried he'd use his blue pen and pass it.The pens have also been on our hosts' minds -- because they represent a big stylistic change from previous governors, and maybe an extension of Ferguson himself? This week on Sound Politics -- what did Ferguson pass, and what did he use the veto pen on, in the state budget? Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Gabriel Spitzer. Our producer this week is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann.And we want to hear from you! Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's an odd year election coming up, and something odd is happening: NINE state legislative districts will hold elections, more than any odd year for the past decade. Why is that happening? In a word: dominoes. Today on Sound Politics we'll talk about the Democratic domino effect, and how these races are exposing intra-party fault lines over the Democrats' new tax plan. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Gabriel Spitzer. Our producer this week is Hans Anderson. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann. And we want to hear from you! Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a busy first term so far for U.S. Representative Emily Randall of Bremerton, one of two freshman members of Congress, in the other Washington. She's a Democrat representing Washington's 6th congressional district. This week, she joins Sound Politics to talk about her initial months in Congress, her visit to an ICE detention facility in Tacoma, and why she appeared at a town hall in Spokane -- in the district of her fellow freshman, a Republican. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/politics. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Gabriel Spitzer. Our producer this week is Gabrielle Healy. Our hosts are Scott Greenstone and Libby Denkmann.And we want to hear from you! Send us your politics questions by emailing soundpolitics@kuow.org or give us a call at 206-221-0511.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.