$100,000 in PAC money adds to challenge in all-Democrat race in 40th District
Voters in the 40th Legislative District will have only one party to choose from in the Aug. 2 primary, where a Democratic incumbent is unopposed for one state House seat and a Democrat is challenging an incumbent Democrat for the other.
The competitive race is made more so with a political action committee spending more than $100,000 on the challenger’s behalf.
Each state legislative district has two House representatives who serve two-year terms and one senator who serves a four-year term.
Only the 40th District’s two House members’ terms are up for election this year.
The district includes portions of Whatcom and Skagit counties and all of San Juan County.
No matter the outcome, the ballot will look the same in the Nov. 8 general election because the top two primary candidates advance, according to the Washington state election system, where all voting is by mail.
Ballots must be placed in official drop boxes by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, or postmarked — not simply mailed — by 8 p.m. Aug. 2.
Residents can register and vote until the polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, but they must do so in person.
Competition for seat 2
For House Position 2, union official Trevor Smith is challenging state Rep. Alex Ramel, who is seeking re-election.
Both are Democrats who live in Bellingham.
▪ Smith is the political director and business agent for Laborers Local No. 292 which covers five counties from Whatcom to Snohomish. He is an elected Democratic precinct committee officer and a former chairman of the 40th District Democrats. He graduated from the NW Laborers apprenticeship program and from Skagit Valley College’s Leadership Skagit program.
Smith has spoken to the Bellingham City Council several times recently in regard to the city’s Climate Action Plan, urging elected officials to ensure that family-wage union jobs are preserved in a “just transition” as the city shifts toward renewable energy.
“I’ve been advocating from the trenches of city and county council meetings, Port Commission meetings, and while sitting on various governmental boards concerning workers for years both before and during the pandemic,” Smith said at his campaign website. “I’ve been a strong voice for working-class families in the 40th for almost a decade now. Where there’s been unfairness and exploitation of working people, I’ve been there, on picket lines, in marches, and behind the scenes putting pressure on those who could do something about it.”
Smith has raised $46,335 through July 29, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.
Some $24,335 of that comes from PACs and $12,995 from individual donors.
In addition, a political action committee called Citizens for Legislative Accountability has reported spending $103,791 on Smith’s behalf.
Little information was available about the Lacey-based PAC or the origins of its funding, but its PDC report shows that it is apparently allied with a group called Enterprise Washington, which works with its members to advocate for lawmakers who support business.
By law, Smith cannot cooperate or communicate with the PAC about how it conducts its advocacy on his behalf.
He’s endorsed by a broad spectrum of Western Washington labor unions, including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 77, the Northwest Carpenters Union, Laborers Local 292, Laborers International Union of North America of Southwest Washington, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Central Washington, and the Plumbers, Pipefitters, Steamfitters, Sprinklerfitters and Service Technicians Local 26 of Western Washington.
▪ Ramel is climate policy adviser for the environmental organization Stand.Earth. and has a bachelor’s degree in environmental policy and planning from Western Washington University.
He was named to the Legislature in January 2020 to replace Jeff Morris, who resigned to take a job in private industry, and won a full term in November 2020.
“I am committed to a rapid and just transition to a clean energy economy,” Ramel said at his campaign website.
“As we rebuild the economy, let’s put people first: living wages, training, and opportunities for everyone,” he said.
For the 2021-2022 legislative session, Ramel was assigned to the Environment and Energy Committee, Finance Committee, House Rules Committee, House Transportation Committee, and the Elections Committee.
He serves as the House deputy majority whip and was the primary sponsor of several bills, including those that address climate change and energy efficiency.
Ramel has raised $122,394 through July 29, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.
Some $63,472 of that came from individual donors, $19,878 from PACs and $27,580 from sources the PDC lists as “other.”
Ramel is endorsed by several unions and political, environmental and social justice organizations, including the Skagit Democrats and 40th District Democrats, Planned Parenthood, Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO, Washington Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, Washington Education Association, Alliance for Gun Responsibility and the Riveters Collective.
He’s also been endorsed by many statewide and Whatcom County elected officials, including Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu and Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood.
Position 1 unopposed
State Rep. Debra Lekanoff, D-Bow, is unopposed for House Position 1 in the 40th District, which includes the southern half of Bellingham and southern Whatcom County, along with western Skagit County, northern Island County and all of San Juan County.
Lekanoff had a starting fund balance of $51,798 and raised $41,399 this campaign season for total fundraising of $96,664 through July 28, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.
About $23,000 came from PACS, or political action committees, and $14,000 from individual donors.
She’s endorsed by the Whatcom Democrats and by the 40th Legislative District Democrats, along with many unions and social justice organizations.
