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State Supreme Court
Washington's constitution makes 'ample provision' for the basic education of students the 'paramount duty' of the state. The question will be posed to the state Supreme Court: do these words have real meaning? The public and the students of Washington would be better served by electing these candidates to the state Supreme Court.
- Position 1: Stan Rumbaugh
- Position 6: Charlie Wiggins
Candidates
Here are our endorsements of incumbents and new candidates running for the Washington State Senate and House. We are excited that these candidates will continue the momentum behind education reform and funding in the Legislature:
Pro-Education Incumbents: Senate
Sen. Derek Kilmer (D) | 26th District | Website
Widely considered one of the rising stars of Washington State politics, Derek Kilmer earned high marks as chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee during the past challenging session. As one of the few legislators still paying off student loans, he never lost sight of his most important constituents-students. Derek fought to protect funding for State Need Grants and Work Study assistance. He also worked to improve access to workforce training programs that help adults of all ages secure living wage jobs, and passed legislation enabling more place-bound students to earn applied baccalaureate programs at community colleges. In the face of declining state revenues, Derek is fundamentally committed to protecting the quality and mission of the UW and WSU, our nationally-ranked research institutions.
Sen. Randy Gordon (D) | 41st District | Website
Appointed to fill Fred Jarrett's seat early during the 2010 session, Randy Gordon is a successful trial attorney, whose practice includes transparent election law and worker protection. Randy is also a popular adjunct professor at Seattle University School of Law. The child of two teachers, Randy asked to serve on the Senate's education committee and has made education a top priority in Olympia and now on the campaign trail. In his first session, he fought to protect K-12 from draconian cuts and did not shirk from taking tough revenue votes in order to fund the final budget. Parents, teachers and advocates can trust Randy to always put the best interests of students ahead of politics. In just 60 days on the job, Randy impressed LEV as a passionate advocate and emerging leader for education in the Senate.
View LEV's candidate video of Randy Gordon.
Sen. Eric Oemig (D) | 45th District | Website
Eric Oemig is the father of two young children-his passion for them and their futures is why he's made public education his top priority as a senator. In his first term, he put his experience as a successful software engineer to good use designing legislation that created our state's first comprehensive student-teacher data system. This will enable educators to identify the most effective programs and practices to improve student achievement. Eric also passed legislation to make the K-12 budget more transparent and accessible via the internet so citizens can be better informed about state spending. In his first term, Eric has become one of the most knowledgeable legislators in the Senate on K-12 financing.
Sen. Claudia Kauffman (D) | 47th District | Website
Four years ago, advocates for early learning struggled to get good legislation passed. Now young children have a champion in the Senate, Claudia Kauffman. In her first term, Claudia served as the vice chair of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. She provided the leadership necessary to create the blueprint for a voluntary early learning program open to all children. Her work will increase the state's commitment to our youngest learners and help more young children start kindergarten ready to succeed. A mom, a community leader, and now a highly respected legislator, Claudia fights for families in her district.
Sen. Rodney Tom (D) | 48th District | Website
When Rodney Tom decided to challenge an incumbent who was a consistent "no" vote for public education, LEV threw him our full support. Our efforts paid off. In four short years, Rodney paved the way for major progress in education reform. In 2007, he was the deciding vote that led to the approval of simple majority for school levies. In 2008, he and a handful of colleagues shaped the plan to reform Washington's education funding system and shepherded it through the Legislature. That plan redefined the state's definition of basic education. This year, the Legislature committed to funding that plan. Rodney's highest priority continues to be to funding an education system that drives higher student achievement through post-secondary education. Rodney's combination of brains, passion and conviction has been a game-changer in the Senate.
Pro-Education Incumbents: House
Rep. Tim Probst (D) | 17th District | Website
Tim Probst's work during his first session in the Legislature is a prime example of what the state can do to provide relief to those most affected by the recession. He passed legislation creating the Opportunity Express and Opportunity Internship programs to help unemployed workers and high school students from low-income families get re-training or internships in high demand fields. He also co-sponsored legislation creating a statewide dropout re-engagement system to help high school dropouts earn a diploma or GED. Well-liked, hard working, fiscally frugal, Tim is committed to creating the right systemic incentives that will drive better outcomes for students.
Rep. Bruce Dammeier (R) | 25th District | Website
Bruce Dammeier has been working to improve our public education system long before serving in Olympia. A PTA member, advisory board member for UW Tacoma and long-time Puyallup school board member, Bruce is continuing that commitment by serving on the Quality Education Council and House Education Committee. Bruce is a key ally for high standards for all children and for meeting the state's paramount duty to amply fund our public schools. With the departure of Rep. Skip Priest, Bruce's knowledge and forceful leadership on education issues in the Republican caucus will continue Skip's legacy of building bipartisan support for education reform and ample funding.
Rep. Ruth Kagi (D) | 32nd District
During her 12 years serving in the House, Ruth Kagi has done more than any other legislator to make high quality early learning a major priority in our state. Widely respected on both sides of the aisle, she has built a coalition of business leaders, philanthropists, brain development researchers and children's advocates to advance policies benefitting young children, from birth to five. In addition, Ruth has championed the special needs of foster children. Today, she is the influential chair of the Early Learning and Children's Services Committee.
Rep. Marcie Maxwell (D) | 41st District | Website
In her first term, Marcie Maxwell distinguished herself as a leader in the fight to redefine basic education and require the Legislature to begin fully funding a new, more ample definition of basic education. With her years of experience as a Renton School Board member, Marcie was a passionate voice rallying support behind major education reform bills in her caucus and on the floor. Appointed Vice-chair of the Education Committee and to the Quality Education Council, Marcie has, in one short term, become one of the most influential legislators on education issues.
View LEV's candidate video of Marcie Maxwell.
Rep. Roger Goodman (D) | 45th District | Website
As a father of two young children, Roger Goodman has raised the alarm that half of the children in a kindergarten classroom are already behind on their first day of school. To close the achievement gap and improve outcomes for students, he passed legislation to improve and expand early learning. His bill will create a voluntary early learning program as an entitlement for low-income children. This is a major commitment to invest in our young children to ensure they start school ready to succeed. Along with Rep. Ruth Kagi, Roger is one of the key House members we can depend on in Olympia to make early childhood education their top priority.
Rep. Pat Sullivan (D) | 47th District
The Legislature reached major breakthroughs on key education reforms in the last two years due to the leadership of Pat Sullivan. He worked across the aisle with Rep. Skip Priest, who is not returning to Olympia, to secure broad bipartisan support for public education reform. Pat prime-sponsored last year's landmark education reform bill, which re-defined basic education for the first time in nearly three decades. This year, he led the charge to set that bill in motion by committing the state to pay for a greater share of basic education. Widely respected for his fairness, passion and smarts, Pat is absolutely committed to doing what it will take to provide all students the quality education they need to compete in the 21st Century.
Rep. Ross Hunter (D) | 48th District | Website
Ross Hunter was one of the first of a new breed of suburban legislators who made improving education their focus, and did the hard work to make K-12 a priority in the budget -- in spite of declining state revenues. In his first term, Ross not only mastered the intricacies of the state's archaic K-12 funding formulas, but also the politics. He went on to rally a team of legislators to take on the huge task of redefining basic education and redesigning our K-12 funding system to make it more transparent, more accountable and more effective. During the last session, Ross took on the challenge of chairing the Revenue Committee, sparing K-12 from further draconian cuts. Tireless, passionate, pragmatic, Ross puts his formidable intellect and prodigious energy to work on behalf of Washington's students.
New Candidates: House
Andy Billig (D) | 3rd District | Website
Andy Billig is President and part-owner of the popular Spokane Indians Baseball Club, widely recognized for its customer service and business acumen. Andy is the father of a daughter, who is a fourth grader in the Spokane Public Schools. He has been active in numerous civic projects and youth programs in Spokane, and is himself a tri-athlete. Andy radiates enthusiasm and thrives on challenges. His positive energy and record of service to youth have made him a top priority of the state's preeminent youth-activist organization, The Washington Bus. We agree: his combination of business experience, civic leadership and commitment to youth can't be matched.
Chris Reykdal (D) | 22nd District | Website
Chris Reykdal is the current Deputy Director of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and a former high school teacher. Chris and his wife Kim, a high school counselor with the Olympia schools, have two young children. In 2007, Chris won election to the Tumwater School Board. Chris has distinguished himself as an innovator and leader in his work with community colleges. As a private citizen, he worked closely with LEV to rally support for Initiative 884, and continues to be a key ally in Olympia. It would be hard to find a candidate with a broader understanding or deeper commitment to public education.
Laurie Jinkins (D) | 27th District | Website
Laurie Jinkins is a longtime Tacoma civic activist who has served as President of the Tacoma Community College Board of Trustees and as a go-to leader in the Tacoma non-profit and LGBT communities. She is Deputy Director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and has an MA in Business and a JD from Seattle University. Laurie and her partner, Laura Wulf, have one son, who attends Tacoma Public Schools. Both parents have been active in their local PTA. Laurie would bring to the Legislature valuable, first-hand experience with both Tacoma schools and community colleges, not to mention a skill set that would make her effective from day one.
Cathy Dahlquist (R) | 31st District | Website
Cathy Dahlquist is a mother of three, and past president of the Enumclaw School Board. She and her husband, Jeff, an architect, own and manage a small architectural firm in Enumclaw. She was instrumental in the effort to adopt 24 credits for graduation and reduce dropouts. Politically, she's a rock-solid Republican and a self-described fiscal conservative. She is adamant that the Legislature's paramount duty is to fund education. Kathy's first-hand knowledge of schools and her engaging personal style would make her a leader on education issues in her caucus and someone who could win the respect of members on both sides of the aisle.
View LEV's candidate video of Cathy Dahlquist.
Kris Lytton (D) | 40th District | Website
Kris Lytton is currently serving her second term as President of the Anacortes School Board. Last year, Kris was awarded the Community Leadership Award by the state's association of school administrators, and this year she helped pass the operating levy with 76 percent. Kris has a long record of community leadership having served with the Anacortes Schools Foundation, the Senior College Board and the PTA. Prior to her community work, Kris had a successful career in the private sector working in the financial departments of Shell Oil Company and Citicorp Bank. Kris and her husband, Mike, have two sons, Alex who is attending UW and Alan a sophomore at Anacortes High School. Kris' experience as a school board leader and her financial skills would make her a powerful advocate for students on day one in the Legislature.
David Frockt (D) | 46th District | Website
David Frockt is a partner in a law firm that specializes in representing workers diagnosed with asbestos-caused cancer. He also helped successfully prosecute one of WA's first major predatory lending lawsuits. David has repeatedly been recognized as a "Rising Star of Washington Law." A lifelong Democrat, David has worked as a congressional aide in DC and has been active in numerous campaigns. He and his wife Rebecca have six-year old twins. We have been impressed by David's hard work on the campaign trail, his keen interest in education reform, and his determination to make the Legislature live up to its constitutional duty to fully fund basic education.
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About LEV PAC
The Education Voters Political Action Fund is the political action arm of the League of Education Voters, a 501(c)(4).
Our goal is to elect candidates who will be partners in our effort to provide a quality education for all students in Washington state.
For more information about the League of Education Voters, please visit www.educationvoters.org.
