by Brett M. Johnson, Political Committee Chair
Endorsements have been decided for most County Council and State Legislature races. Previous endorsements were carried over to this year for several incumbents. For those who interviewed with us last month, we truly appreciate their time and willingness to discuss some of our major issues.
A few of these races were more challenging to sort through. We considered positions on the issues, expertise in policy, experience in the field, campaign strength, personal background/values, and more. We really tried to take into consideration all of these factors as much as possible in our decision-making.
Our endorsements for 2026 are as follows:
Pierce County Council District 1: Kelsey Barrans
Pierce County Council District 5: Bryan Yambe
Pierce County Council District 7: Brenda Lykins
Pierce County Auditor: Linda Farmer
25th District – Position 1: David Berg
25th District – Position 2: Jenn Marie Strickling
26th District – Senate: Deb Krishnadasan
26th District – Position 1: Adison Richards
26th District – Position 2: Tedd Wetherbee
27th District – Position 1: Laurie Jenkins
27th District – Position 2: Jake Fey
28th District – Position 1: Mari Leavitt
28th District – Position 2: Dan Bronoske
29th District – Senate: Sharlett Mena
29th District – Position 1: Krista Perez
29th District – Position 2: Patrick Stickney
We are fortunate to have so many great candidates running for local office. The Environmental Coalition of Pierce County respects and admires their willingness to do this. It is extremely time-consuming and thankless at times. Candidates often endure hurtful attacks full of fiction and half-truths, and with social media it seems to be getting worse.
Our organization prefers to work with people and find common ground wherever possible. Regardless of who we decided to endorse, we value their service and concern for our community, and we prefer to maintain an open, positive relationship now and in the future.
After the primary, we will reassess each race. In the case that an endorsed candidate does not finish in the Top 2, we may endorse a new candidate for the general election. We may also endorse candidates in more challenging rural districts, depending on the situation and their interest.
Until then, we hope to assist some of our endorsed candidates in competitive races with canvassing, sign placement, and more. Happy summer campaigning, everyone!