Washington State Wire

Kan Qiu helped lead a coalition that organized a successful referendum campaign overturning the legislature’s affirmative action policy late in the 2019 session. Depending on one's perspective, this was a campaign about affirmative action, righting historical wrongs, equality, or what constitutes equality given the social forces shaping the political moment in which we find ourselves. DJ Wilson spoke with Kan Qiu at the 2019 Re-Wire Policy Conference to discuss how the campaign he led to maintain the illegality of affirmative action came about, how the coalition unified as a response to legislative action, and what the results signify about the Washington State electorate.

Former Bothell Mayor Joshua Freed is running for governor in 2020 and centering his platform around the homelessness crisis. At the 2019 Re-Wire Policy Conference, DJ Wilson sat down with candidate Freed to discuss his campaign, his professional evolution from family therapy to real estate development to politics, and his policy vision for Washington State.

Slade Gorton began his political career in 1958 as a Washington state representative, and was elected attorney general of Washington ten years later. He served as a U.S. senator from 1981 to 1987, and from 1989 to 2001. In this podcast, Senator Gorton discusses the history, politics, and intricacies of redistricting in Washington State.

Senator Randi Becker is the Senate Republican Caucus Chair and is a member of the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee. Representative Paul Harris is the House Minority Caucus Chair and a member of the House Health Care & Wellness Committee. In this podcast, the two legislators discuss their priority health bills, big issues we can expect to be tackled during session, as well as their plans for working through key health policy questions in the 105-day convening.

For this podcast, we sat down with four new Washington State legislators at the 2018 Re-Wire Policy Conference. Joining us were Representative-Elect Lisa Callan (5th LD) and Senators-Elect Mona Das (47th LD), Jesse Salomon (32nd LD), and Claire Wilson (30th LD). They shared with us their backgrounds, what pushed them to run for office, the biggest surprises during their campaigns, their mentors in the legislature, and their priority issues.

Representative Nicole Macri serves as the Vice Chair of the Washington State House Healthcare & Wellness Committee as well as Vice Chair of the Community Development, Housing & Tribal Affairs Committee. She recently sat down with the Washington State Wire to discuss her priorities for the 2019 legislative session which include improving Washington's behavioral health system and addressing the state's homelessness crisis.

Senator Annette Cleveland is the Chair of the Washington State Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee. She recently sat down with the Washington State Wire to discuss health care leadership in the state, the 2018 elections, as well as her priorities heading into the 2019 legislative session.

Last week, I sat down with Representative Joe Fitzgibbon, Chair of the House Environment Committee.  He has emerged as a leader on climate issues in the House, and is serving his second stint as the head of the House Democratic Campaign Committee. In this podcast, we talk through some of the climate issues he's worked on, and where he expects the conversation to go. He also provides us insight into the midterm elections and what districts the Democrats are hoping to flip.

Senator Guy Palumbo was elected to the State Senate in 2016, but has already become a prominent figure in Washington State Politics. He serves as the vice chair on the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee, the Senate Local Government Committee, and the Senate Energy, Environment & Technology Committee. He also serves on the powerful Ways & Means committee. We chat with Senator Palumbo about the 2018 session and his personal background before moving to the work done on trying to pass a carbon tax. He also provides valuable insight into the pollution fee initiative that is likely to be on the ballot this fall.

The 2018 legislative and congressional elections will be some of the most active, high cost, and potentially divisive in recent memory. This panel looks ahead to how the landscape will shape up, the impact of President Trump, and what we should be keeping our eyes on as the election unfolds. Hon. Hans Zeiger: Member, Washington State Senate Tina Podlodowski: Chair, Washington State Democratic Party Chad Minnick: Managing Partner, Minnick Group

Governing during a time of federal policy uncertainty is always a challenge. That is particularly true during President Trump’s term. How does these impact local governments? From sanctuary cities to federal funding restrictions, this panel talks through the unique challenges faced by local government vis-a-vis the federal government. Joe McDermott: Council Chair, King County Council Derek Young: Councilmember, District 7, Pierce County Council Terry Ryan: Councilmember, District 4, Snohomish County Council Breean Beggs: Councilmember, District 2, Spokane City Council

Whether or not there is enough money in Washington State politics may be a topic on which good minds can disagree. However, most observers recognize the structure of the Washington State tax structure is increasingly out of step with the economy, placing higher tax burdens on lower and middle income families. This panel takes up the topic and explore whether there are policy areas to support tax fairness around which a consensus might build. Rep. Noel Frame: Vice Chair, House Finance Committee Rep. Drew Stokesbary: Member, House Finance Committee Andy Nicholas: Associate Director, Fiscal Policy, Washington Budget and Policy Center

This panel of lobbyists and government relations professionals talk through some of the moving pieces ahead in the 2018 legislative session. They provide the insight from their work in the short interim period and from their conversations with leading policymakers from both parties. Adrienne Thompson: Government Affairs Director, Professional & Technical Employees Local 17 Patrick Connor: State Director, National Federation of Independent Business Isaac Kastama: Principal, Water Street Public Affairs Matt Steuerwalt: Partner, Insight Strategic Partners

Martin O’Malley has spent his entire career fighting for underserved and middle-class communities. He has served as the Governor of Maryland, Mayor of Baltimore, and a city councilor—earning a reputation as a bold, progressive, and pragmatic executive who is willing to take on our toughest shared challenges. He was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President in 2016, and made health care an important part of his campaign. We sat down with O'Malley at our sister site's event, the 2018 Hawaii State of Reform Health Policy Conference, where he was one of the keynote speakers. We talk through some of the health care reforms he worked on in Maryland, and the current state of our national politics.

With control over both chambers in the legislature, legislative Democrats have more power over the policy agenda than they have in years. This panel gave legislators an opportunity to talk through their plans and vision for the 2018 session.

This panel included Republican policy makers from across the policy spectrum talking through their plans and expectations for 2018. This includes a discussion of fiscal and policy issues ahead of the 2018 legislative session, and takes up the politics outside of Olympia, as well. Hon. Dick Muri: Assistant Ranking Minority Member, House Education Committee Hon. Bruce Chandler: Ranking Minority Member, House Appropriations Committee Hon. Norma Smith: Ranking Minority Member, House Capital Budget Committee Hon. Melanie Stambaugh: Member, Washington House of Representatives

We sat down with Rep. Bruce Chandler, one of the longest serving Republican members of the Washington State House of Representatives. Rep. Chandler not only represents the 15th Legislative District, he also owns an orchard there. He talks us through life in the 15th. He also shares his thoughts on some of the key legislative issues from the 2017 legislative session that will continue to be a focus in 2018, including the capital budget, Hirst, McCleary, and the urban-rural divide in Washington State.

Washington Representative Noel Frame from the 36th Legislative District may be new to the State Legislature, but she has years of political experience as a political organizer and activist. She is the Vice Chair of the House Finance Committee, so we get in the weeds on tax reform. We also talk through the McCleary decision and her role as a progressive leader in the Democratic Party.

Washington Representative Joe Schmick from the 9th Legislative District is one of the most senior Republican Representatives, so he's been around the block more than a few times. He's the ranking member on the Health Care & Wellness Committee, and sits on the Agriculture & Natural Resources and Appropriations Committees. So we talk a little bit about health care, and also cover what the Hirst Decision looks like from the 9th District and the complexities of the various budget deals that occurred during the longest legislative session in Washington history.

Cary Moon is running to be the next mayor of Seattle. She's an engineer and a city planner. Much of her campaign has focused on affordable housing, reliable public transportation, and designing the city of the future. We talked to her about housing, but also about what the campaign has been like and what the differences between her campaign and her opponent, Jenny Durkan.

Jenny Durkan is one of the candidates running to become the next mayor of Seattle. We chatted with her ahead of Labor Day Weekend. If you listened to our teaser podcast, you've already heard what she had to say about Seattle's disaster preparedness. Take a listen to what she thinks about police reform, affordable housing, being considered "The Establishment", and what sets her apart from her opponent Cary Moon.

We visited State Senator Mike Padden in his district office in Spokane Valley. Senator Padden talked through key legislation passed through the Senate Law & Justice Committee, which he chairs, and other highlights of the session. He reminded listeners that his party is holding firm on "Hirst First," a water ruling that has the potential to devastate rural areas. And he gave us a few hints as to what he'll tackle next.

We recently sat down with David Postman, Chief of Staff to Washington's Governor Jay Inslee. Postman left his career in journalism for politics, previously covering Olympia news for the Seattle Times. Postman walks us through what it means to be a chief of staff and what it's like working for Governor Inslee. We also ask him about some of the political drama of last session, including Hirst and the failure to pass a capital budget, from the view of the so-called "Fifth Corner" of the legislature.

We interviewed former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan, who is running for the Mayor of Seattle. We'll be releasing the full interview next week, but with the recent news about Hurricane Harvey, we wanted to share her thoughts on disaster preparedness in the Puget Sound area. Take a listen, and stay tuned for more from Durkan, and her opponent Cary Moon!

August 1 was the primary election and we've been watching several races here at the Wire, including the crowded race to become the next mayor of Seattle. So Tuesday night, we sent a team of reporters to four election night parties, which just happened to be the four candidates in the lead at the end of the night: Jenny Durkan (31.6%), Cary Moon (15.6%), Nikkita Oliver (13.9%), and Jessyn Farrell (11.8%). Our reporters talked with candidates and their supporters before and after the preliminary results. But with the results not final until August 15, we'll be checking the results for this race, and the other elections in Washington until then.

As the legislative session drew to a close, we looked forward to dissecting the moving parts of the 105-day Regular Legislative Session and thinking about how the impacts of this session will play out in the Washington State economy. We talked through issues ranging from mental health to McCleary and took questions from the audience. We had plenty to dig into with three of the most thoughtful public servants in Olympia: Senator David Frockt, Democratic lead on the Senate Capital Budget; Representative Paul Graves, assistant ranking member on the Health Care and Wellness Committee; and Nathan Johnson, Chief Policy Officer, Health Care Authority.

Washington State Senator David Frockt sat down with us just after the 2017 regular session ended. Senator Frockt represents the 46th District, which mostly encompasses North Seattle. He walks us through how he got into politics, what he's been focused on this past session, and where he might go next. David Frockt represents the Washington State Senate’s 46th Legislative District, which comprises North Seattle, Lake Forest Park and Kenmore. Elected to the House of Representatives in 2010, David was chosen early on by his Democratic Caucus colleagues as Assistant Floor Leader. He is in his third term in the Senate, and has represented the 46th District in the Senate since the untimely passing of Sen. Scott White. David has served in caucus leadership as Democratic Floor Leader, as Deputy Democratic Leader, and as the top Democrat on the Higher Education Committee. He now serves as the Democrats’ lead writer for the state’s capital construction budget responsible for building and maintaining public buildings and parks.