Pop the champagne! For the first time in his 20-year tenure, State House Rep. Larry Springer (D-Kirkland) will face a progressive challenger in International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM) Labor Organizer Melissa Demyan. After bringing more than 46% of the vote in the August primary—just behind Springer’s 50%—she actually has a chance!
Aaron Schrader, the chair of the 45th Legislative District Democrats, said that the road to victory against such an entrenched incumbent will seem impossible. She’s working against a long list of monied donors from big business and real estate, as well as 20 years of name recognition. But if she continues that work, then the win will seem inevitable.
If Demyan successfully slays one of Western Washington’s most notorious DINOs, she said her victory will not only give the voters of the 45th LD a representative better-aligned with their values, it will also send a message to all old-guard Democrats in Olympia: if they don’t get with the program, then progressives will take their seat.
Demyan said she’s lobbied Springer over labor issues in her role as an organizer at IAM. The two have talked face to face, but the times Springer didn’t show up stand out to her the most. Demyan recalled a rainy afternoon last year that she spent on the steps of the state Capitol Building, advocating for legislation to guarantee unemployment insurance for striking and locked-out workers. Several House Democrats came out to show their support, but not Springer. Springer joined Republicans as one of five Democrats to vote against the bill, which later died in the Senate. Demyan felt shocked that her representative would not support cutting-edge labor protections.
Springer’s record doesn’t look better on other issues, either. He’s been one of the only, or one of the few, Democrats to vote against his party on worker protections, renters’ rights, education, environmentalism, and even reproductive health policy. Springer even failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed to win the endorsement of the 45th District Legislative Democrats during his last election two years ago.
Springer appears stuck in 2004 as his district, which includes parts of Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, and unincorporated King County, fades from red to purple, Kraig Peck, a community organizer in the 45th LD, told The Stranger. Springer made sense for the district 20 years ago, but Demyan and her supporters—including the 45th LD Democrats, the King County Democrats, and about a dozen unions—believe he’s now out-of-step.
“Springer’s not a mainstream Democrat,” Peck said. Peck argued that this is the same district that elected Rep. Roger Goodman and state Sen. Manka Dhingra. He said the 45th wants a progressive Democrat, or at least someone who won’t vote with the Republicans so often.
As Fuse Washington wrote in their popular Progressive Voter Guide, “the 45th District deserves stronger progressive leadership in Olympia.” The guide recommends that Demyan take his place and give the district a “fresh start.”
Springer did not respond to my request for comment.
The True Pro-Choice Pick
Denyam said that she believes Springer knows voters want a progressive Democrat, and he’s banking on voters not knowing his conservative record. But Denyam’s got receipts. While she’s admittedly not a policy whiz, she remains confident she offers 45th LD voters an alternative who aligns with them on basic Democratic priorities such as reproductive rights, public education, and tenant protections.
Even in states such as Washington, where abortion remains legal, voters want to ensure their representatives support reproductive rights following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Washington State Director for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates (PPAA) Courtney Normand said politicians, consultants, and PACs know that voters consider reproductive justice a high priority, and she’s noticed efforts to give candidates a pro-choice glow even when they have failed to earn endorsements from PPAA or Pro-Choice Washington, the two main endorsing bodies for the issue.
The centrist Jackson Legacy Fund paid for a mailer in support of Springer to do just that. The mailer calls out Springer’s “100% LIFETIME PRO-CHOICE RATING” and calls him “The 45th District’s Pro-Choice Champion.” The Jackson Legacy Fund quoted two of his colleagues, Reps. Kristine Reeves and Amy Walen, praising his support of abortion access. The ad also uses a shade of pink and font that resembles the branding of Planned Parenthood, Normand noted.
But Normand isn’t sure what rating the ad references. Springer recently disappointed reproductive rights advocates when he failed to support the Keep Our Care Act, a bill to prevent abortion and gender-affirming care from becoming casualties during hospital mergers. When the bill came through the Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee, he broke with the other Democrats who recommended “do pass” and filed a minority report with a “no recommendation.”
Demyan said she would support the bill and plans to if she’s elected.
The Jackson Legacy Fund did not respond to The Stranger’s request for comment.
Challenging the Charter School Champ
Demyan also distinguishes herself from Springer in her support for public education.
After the state supreme court ruled the state’s charter school law unconstitutional in 2015, Springer counted himself among the few Democrats to align with Republicans to save the institution. He didn’t stop there. In 2021, Springer co-sponsored bills that would increase the number of charter schools in the state and award those schools $1,550 in public funds per student. The bills failed, but Demyan wouldn’t have signed onto them in the first place. She vows not to spend one public dollar on private or charter schools.
Instead, she wants to focus on complying with the state supreme court’s 2012 McCleary order to fully fund K-12 education. School districts face program cuts, layoffs, and school closures as inflation, enrollment decline, and the end of one-time federal funding make it more difficult to balance their budgets, according to the Seattle Times. If elected, Denyam would support efforts to raise the lid on the school levy to raise more money for education. To help ease the burden of that regressive taxation, she would like to pass new streams of progressive revenue so the ultra-wealthy contribute more to education and other important public goods.
Demyan didn’t name a specific tax, but she wanted to assure voters that progressive taxes would target very few constituents in the 45th.
Her savvy on public education earned her the support of local teachers unions, including Lake Washington Education Association (LWEA) and the Northshore Education Association. LWEA member and Demyan supporter Shaina Langley said that teachers felt very lucky to finally have a choice between two Democrats, rather than between Springer and a Republican. She spoke positively about working with Springer over the past years, but Langley said the membership ultimately resonated more with Demyan, who appeared stronger in her support of public schools.
Doing Right by Renters
If elected, Demyan would be one of the few renters in the State Legislature, which is full of landlords, landlord-sympathizers, and some cool homeowners like Rep. Nicole Macri and state Sen. Patty Kuderer. Shout out. In any event, Demyan said she would use her perspective as a renter to promote tenant protections, something Springer has failed to do.
Springer’s landlord-friendly views might emerge from the fact that he makes between $0 and $30,000 in rental income as a landlord, according to disclosures. He owns four single family homes—one in Kirkland with an estimated value of $1.3 million, one in Everett with an estimated value of $620,000, and two in Leavenworth with estimated values of around $400,000 each, according to Redfin and Zillow.
He might be forgiven for hoarding houses if he didn’t so ardently represent the interests of the powerful landlord lobby. He cosponsored a failed attempt to kill the COVID-19 eviction moratorium in January of 2021. Before that, he was one of five House Democrats to side with Republicans and vote against a bill to give tenants 14 days instead of three to pay or vacate before kicking off eviction proceedings.
Overall, Demyan believes Springer largely succeeds due to name recognition stemming from his 20 years in office, but if voters start to hear his record alongside his name, they won’t keep him around. She hopes that if they win, then more young progressives will challenge incumbent Democrats so their majority–and the supermajority the party is working toward–actually means something.
“A supermajority doesn’t matter if we still have folks like Springer holding us back with politics from 20 years ago,” Demyan said. “We need to continue expanding our margins, but we also need to elect folks who have the vision for the next 20 years.”
But does Demyan support ending the genocide in Gaza???? Please – we need to know… it’s THE definitive issue that all truly Progressive candidates need to weigh in on!!!
Unfortunately, big money and Republicans with no one else to vote for will certainly reelect the DINO.
@1 I’m sure she is pro Hamas but I would guess Kirkland like most of the east side is not as the guy running for the 8th found out. Her platform is very Seattle progressive but I doubt that it will play very well on the east side come the general.
so anyone NOT supportive
of bibi nutnyahoo’s genocidal
massacre of Palestinians in general
of Gazans in Particular is “pro-HAMAS”?
you’re just another
Wormtongue*
Wannabee
d13r.
this is how
tfg djt
Wins
*with
assholes
like this one.
Vote
Democratic
and NOT for a turn-
coat ‘Democrat’ In Name Only
see: Joe Manchin (DINO; W VA)
Krysten Sinema (DINO; AZ) &
Joe “Turncoat” Lie/Bermann
deceased disgraced sena-
tor from Connecticut
they’re actual Republicans
when it comes Down to
It and voting to return
America to the Dark
Ages where White
Men called ALL
the Shots.
Hard
Pass.
@5 if someone repeats Hamas lies and propaganda or uses antisemitic tropes I’d say they are pro-Hamas. I actually don’t know about her as she hasn’t said anything but my experience has been 95% of people who consider themselves “progressive” fit that description, you included.
nope
I’m Anti-
Terrorists. bibi’s
War on Palestinians
is terrorism — just like
Hamas’. does That help?
@6 and yet day in and day out you repeatedly post the propaganda and rhetoric of Hamas and their sympathizers on these very pages. If you want to repudiate your previous accusations and diatribes that would be welcome. There is a way to be against this war without being for the evil people who are responsible for it.
Caitlin Johnstone
is pretty fucking
Radical tho I
agree with
her on a
Lot not
Every-
thing
I don’t agree
with an entirety
of someone’s comments
or words I share — shall I post
Solely that with which I’m 100% in
agreement? that’s a rheteroical question
don’t negate / ignore the
Bernie Sanders nor the Chris
Hedges nor Ralph Nader nor
blah blah blah I post here — they’re
not “Pro-Hamas” — they’re Anti-Massacre.
and you and
Wormtongue’re
plenty pleased to
share Your Pro-Israel
NO-Matter-What, Friendo
it’s just an
unfortunate
circimstance
for Palestine
they Shouldda
thought a’ That
in 2007
when they
fucking Elected
them. their Very.
Last. Election, btw
Hamas’ Terrorism
is no less equal
than bibi’s
I support
Neither
they
WE de-
serve Justice.
apologies
for the Length
but Tell me d13r – Is
the following Pro Hamas?
Harris Says
“Far Too Many Civilians
Have Been Killed” In Genocide She Supports
“Far too many children have been eaten by hyenas,” the politician sobbed to the news camera while lowering more children into the hyena pit.
“Finally, a candidate who cares deeply about those poor children who keep getting killed by hyenas,” said Sally, turning up the volume on the television.
“What do you mean? She’s literally lowering those children into the hyena pit while she says that,” Phil objected.
“Okay but have you seen what the other candidate is saying?” Sally replied. “He says it’s good that the children are being eaten!”
“It’s such a sad and tragic tragedy,” the politician on TV shouted over the sound of screaming children. “We urgently need to get to the bottom of this problem.”
“Look, she just called it a tragedy,” said Sally. “The other candidate doesn’t think it’s sad or tragic at all.”
“But the end result is the same!” Phil exclaimed in exasperation. “In both cases the children are being killed, but when she kills them she’s acting sad about it!”
“She’s not killing the children, the hyenas are,” objected Sally. “Blame them!”
“Yeah but the hyenas couldn’t kill the children without her help,” Phil retorted.
“Well the hyenas have a right to eat,” said Sally. “What are you, anti-wildlife?”
“Oh my god, you ALWAYS accuse me of hating all wildlife when I object to our government’s policy of feeding children to hungry hyenas kept in a pit that was constructed for that specific purpose!”
“Okay well then if you’re not anti-wildlife I don’t understand why you’re so fixated on this one specific issue, Phil. There are other issues like reproductive rights, fiscal policy, and immigration reform you could be focusing on, but all you want to talk about is this small pit of hyenas which our government officials happen to lower a cage full of children into every morning.”
“Well maybe I don’t feel comfortable supporting anyone who’s going to feed children to hyenas at all, regardless of what words they happen to be saying about it and what emotions they happen to be expressing while doing so.”
“Look, she’s just making hard choices within the framework of the political realities of our day. If she stopped feeding children to the hyenas altogether, the hyena lobby would never let her become president.”
“Well then maybe that’s the problem, Sally! Maybe the problem is that we have a system that only lets us choose between politicians who want to feed children to hyenas!
Maybe we should be fighting the fact that powerful interest groups exert so much control over our electoral and governmental systems that they can force the advancement of extremely depraved agendas with no accountability to the electorate, instead of fighting over which child killer we should be electing to lower children into the hyena pit!”
“What I’m hearing is that you want the guy who doesn’t say compassionate things about dying children to win, AND you also hate wildlife.”
“I’m turning off the TV, Sally.”
–by Caitlin Johnstone
Aug 12, 2024
https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/harris-says-far-too-many-civilians
Maybe we should be fighting the fact
that powerful interest groups exert
so much control over our electoral
and governmental systems that
they can force the advancement
of extremely depraved agendas
with no accountability to the
electorate, instead of fighting
over which child killer we
should be electing to
lower children into
the hyena pit!”
So:
pro-hamas
or anti-
Pedic-
ide?
given the constant
misconceptions
this seemed
poignant:
one reader’s comment
on the nyt’s article
For Some
Jewish Democrats,
Heightened Worries About Antisemitism
Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania,
who is Jewish, was subjected to
intense opposition as Vice
President Kamala Harris
considered him for
running mate.
more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/11/us/politics/jewish-democrats-antisemitism.html
the reader’s comment:
Shapiro covered up a murder for a buddy by using the power of his office. Not choosing him had absolutely nothing to do with his religion.
I am so frustrated with the narrative than anything less than full support of Israel = antisemitism. That word has become nearly meaningless.
[like “Pro-Hamas” as well –@kristo]
For those of us (including myself with Jewish heritage) who would prefer not to fund a genocide, this black and white rhetoric is doing a disservice for all involved.
I can be both for the Jewish people and against bombing schools and hospitals at the same time. I am appalled that people with a single-minded pro-Israel agenda have co-opted the term antisemitism to mean disagreeing with them.
Firmly believe that the Jewish people deserve a right to exist and have a place and home just as much as I believe the Gazans also have a right to exist and not have their families murdered indiscriminately.
–@Julia; Brooklyn
oodles More:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/11/us/politics/jewish-democrats-antisemitism.html#commentsContainer
they bend the
Laanguage
to THEIR
Will and
AWAY
from
Justice.
tho wormmy
et al’d have us
Beleive WhatevertheFuck
Israel Wants is totes Justified
because:
Hamas.
what
Udder
Horseshit.
END the
Fucking Genocide
that may not Quite BE
a “genocide.” not Yet anyway
Israel’s
just gettin’
Warmed Up.
@8-11 I’m not going to read through all that mish mash you posted but it seems like the overarching point is the civilians caught up in the conflict. No one has disputed that its awful when people are killed during the course of a war the issue we continue to debate is who bears responsibility for these deaths? Is it the Israeli leadership who ordered the strike or is is the Hamas leaders who deliberately place their people in harms way for political purposes? I attribute 80% of the blame to Hamas while seemingly you and others who agree with you put 99.9% of the blame on Israel while essentially calling for Israel to give up and be murdered by allowing Hamas free reign. Let me ask you a few questions.
Let’s say Israel does what you want and not only pulls back but they “free Gaza” by taking down the walls and allowing free movement of goods. What do you think the response from the Palestinians would be? Would they let Israel live in peace?
In a free Gaza would those of different faiths be allowed to worship and live free?
In a free Gaza would women be granted equal rights as men?
In a free Gaza would those of different gender and sexual identifies be allowed to freely express themselves and live in peace?
I don’t think you’ll answer these questions because I think we all know the answers which begs the real question. What exactly is it that you are trying to accomplish with your daily posts? Are you aware of what is going on in Bangladesh right now? I haven’t seen one word in these pages about some of those atrocities. The singular focus on the conflict in Gaza is to use the latest term “weird” and therefore seems to spring from more than just concern for innocents.
“I’m not going to read through all that mish mash you posted but it seems like the overarching point is the civilians caught up in the conflict.”
you’re
Perfect
d13r. Perfect.
oh, here’s Another one:
“Another Massacre”
Caitlin Johnstone
Aug 12, 2024
They bombed the Tabeen school in Gaza City with so much explosive force that not a single full body was recovered.
It was just pieces of people everywhere. They bagged body parts in 70-kilogram piles to try and estimate a death toll.
It was impossible to identify bodies or sort out which parts belonged where. Just one big stretch of undifferentiated carnage. Kind of like how the entire Gaza onslaught is starting to feel.
These massacres are all starting to blur together, like the lifeless bodies ripped apart and mixed together in bags. We westerners say “another massacre” when we talk about it, referring to it as just one more nightmare in an uninterrupted deluge of nightmares that’s been going on for ten months.
But it wasn’t “another massacre” for the people who were there. For the woman whose foot that used to belong to. For the boy who used to own that arm. For the man whose intestines those once were. For them it was the end of the world. For their loved ones it was unfathomable anguish.
Each and every one of these victims in each and every one of these massacres felt as much as you and I, cared as much as you and I, hoped and dreamed and loved and longed like you and I, and was just as capable of suffering as you and I.
Their bodies intermingle in the wreckage and the massacres intermingle in our memories, but we can’t just let it all blur together into background white noise.
We can’t let this become our baseline.
Our new normal. We can’t let them do that to us.
We can’t let them rob us of our humanity like that.
Do not let them harden you. On top of everything else they’ve taken from this world, don’t let them take your caring and sensitivity as well.
Every death in that school was just as significant as the earliest deaths when this nightmare first began. The only thing making us see it as “another massacre” is our reflex to avoid feeling it all for the first time from moment to moment.
But this is all happening for the first time. That woman had never died before. Neither had that boy, or that man. All their hopes and dreams and plans were cut off for the very first time. All their experiences. All their relationships. Everything they had to share.
Those endings deserve a bit more weight and a bit more reverence than having been part of just “another massacre”.
It’s safe to feel. It might hurt, but it won’t harm. We can just pause, put our hands over our hearts, feel the feelings deeply and respectfully all the way through, and then get back into the fight to try and stop this thing.
The victims deserve our sorrow. We deserve to have wide open hearts full of compassion. And the monsters who are doing this absolutely do not deserve to take it away from us.
https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/another-massacre
Monsters.
@12 I told you no one disputes how awful it is but who are the monsters?
@13
the
Massacre’s
enactors & enablers.
Palestinians
Describe Dire Conditions
in Gaza’s Shrinking ‘Humanitarian Zone’
An area where Israel has directed thousands of civilians to go has become a “hell” where food and water are scarce, according to the displaced people there.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/08/13/world/israel-iran-hamas-gaza-war
neoliberal & neocon
policy means the
meaner you are
the meaner
the rules
precisely where
sociopaths
excel.
our lizard
brainstem
dooms Earth
so how tf do we
Reverse this
equation?
Iran
criticizes
European leaders
who urged restraint …
Iran sharply criticized three European leaders who had called for restraint in the crisis with Israel, saying Tehran reserved the right to defend its sovereignty.
Nasser Kanani, a spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday that the European leaders had ignored Israeli “crimes and terrorism” against Palestinians and in the Middle East.
On Monday, the leaders of Britain, France and Germany had urged Iran and its allies not to retaliate for the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran because it could disrupt efforts to reach a cease-fire in Gaza.
“If the mentioned countries are really looking for peace and stability in the region, they should once and for all stand against the belligerence and adventurism of the apartheid Israeli regime,” Mr. Kanani said in a statement released by Iran’s Foreign Ministry.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/08/13/world/israel-iran-hamas-gaza-war#iran-criticizes-european-leaders-who-urged-restraint-and-other-news
nuthyahoo
continues his
keep-outta-prison
gambit even if it means
taking down the Planet* too
*I know
I Know it’s
just a wee little
nukular horrorshow:
but
WMD
makers
gotta Eat too.