Seattle Press Editorial

District 11, Position 1

We’re endorsing Zack Hudgins for the Legislative District No. 11, Position No. 1’s open seat for a simple reason. He knows what he is talking about—and actually lives it. He has no choice but to succeed, lest he returns from Olympia and suffers the consequences of poor legislation (as he is suffering, right now).

Hudgins commutes from Tukwila to Eastside each day, sitting in backups on 405 and wondering how secure his job is and how he’s going to pay for his health insurance. These are the same problems that worry the average resident.

Five other candidates to the position—Robin Jones, Azziem Underwood, Ruth Gibbs, Natalie Reber and Roger Valdez—may empathize, even come out with their own version of Hudgins’ experience. None, however, took enough time in the primary campaign to relate how he or she, as an average resident, suffers from everyday problems.

That is important—and telling, we believe.

In Olympia, compromise in legislation is a reality. Legislators can’t do without it. Often, however, compromises are reached on the side of what matters less to the average resident. We need someone who will compromise on the side of those sitting in backups on 405, wondering how secure their job is and how they’re going to pay for their health insurance.

Zack Hudgins is that someone. He’s the person for Legislative District No.11’s Position 1.

District 37, Position 2

Candidates normally prefer keeping positions general and vague during the campaigns, before getting elected into office. To them, that’s safer. They could court more voters that way.

Angela Toussaint thinks otherwise—and that’s why we’re endorsing her for the Legislative District 37, Position 2’s seat.

Like Toussaint, other candidates to the position—Cheryl Chow, Ruth Bennett and Eric Pettigrew—raise similar legislative concerns: traffic congestion, health care reform, support for schools. Unlike Toussaint, however, none would lay down specific legislative positions.

Toussaint is against Referendum 51 but is for the monorail. She will lobby for cost controls of publicly purchased prescription drugs and make more generic drugs available. She will get more parents involved in schools and work for a multi-moded diagnostic system in assessing student achievement, not merely relying on the Washington State Assessment for Student Learning (WASL).

Her specific positions might get her into trouble, especially from pro-Referendum 51 and anti-monorail voters. Pharmaceutical companies may even raise concerns over making more generic drugs available as it might cut into their revenues.

Yet, that’s what makes Toussaint the preferred candidate. Keeping positions general and vague may be a sound campaign strategy. Unfortunately, it may lead to voters voting for a candidate who may turn out to be opposed to their views.

In Angela Toussaint, voters exactly know where she stands—and could even hold her accountable if she fails to deliver. That’s confidence. That’s the person for Legislative District 37, Position 2’s seat.

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