Representative Position No. 2
Here we have a choice between Sarah Reyneveld, an assistant attorney general; Liz Berry, a lobbyist who runs the trial lawyer’s association; and Jeffrey M. Cohen, a cheery pile of protein powder who holds progressive views but says his favorite book is Atlas Shrugged. (Our guess is he stopped reading after college.)
All three promised to fight for progressive taxation, vote for meaningful climate change legislation, defund police, help end cash bail, back the right housing bills, and increase tenant protections. Most importantly, they all agreed to name and shame Democratic colleagues who don’t support all of that. But Berry’s commitment to lead on gun safety legislation stood out, and she was the only candidate who said she wouldn’t respond to the massive statewide budget crisis by voting to impose austerity measures next session.
Unfortunately, we only learned that bit of information after our endorsement meeting, when Reyneveld told the Seattle Times Editorial Board that “essential services…must be preserved even if that means some nonessential state employees are let go,” as the Times put it. She characterized her position on cuts a little differently in our meeting. “We can’t make the mistakes of austerity,” she said. Cutting public sector jobs is making the mistakes of austerity. And even though most of these Democrats are going to end up folding and voting for cuts anyway, we trust Berry to hold the line. Vote Berry.
