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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 2018)
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | WASHINGTON ELECTION HIGHLIGHTS JAMIE HERRERA BEUTLER BEATS LABOR-BACKED CHALLENGER Labor- supported incumbent U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell easily won re-election. But dashing the hopes of her union endorsers, Washington State University political science professor Carolyn Long came up short in her race against incumbent Republican Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler. Long got 47 percent of the vote, more than any other challenger since Herrera Beutler won office in 2010. Prior to Herrera Beutler, the seat was held for 12 years by a Democrat, Brian Baird. The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, did celebrate one notable Congressional win: union-endorsed Democrat Kim Schrier beat Dino Rossi to win the Congressional District east of Seattle that is currently held by Republican Dave Reichert. Rossi adds that loss to two lost races for Washington governor, and one race for U.S. Senate. His loss record is a relief for organized labor: When he served in the state legislature, Rossi had about the most anti-labor voting record of any legislator then or since. BALLOT MEASURES NO TO CLEAN ENERGY JOBS, YES TO POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY Unions were split on I-1631, the Clean Energy Jobs measure, which would have taxed fossil fuels to invest in wind and solar energy, public transit, and home efficiency upgrades. Most unions supported it, but some building trades unions opposed it. In the end it was fossil fuel money that won the day: Oil companies spent $31.5 million against it, and the measure went down to defeat with just 44 percent support. Washington voters did approve I-940, a measure on police use of deadly force. Broadly endorsed by unions, the measure requires that police be trained for violence de-escalation, mental health, and first aid, and it requires independent investigations of police use of deadly force. It passed with 59 percent support. WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE HOUSE AND SENATE WINS, BUT NOT IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON Democrats added three Senate seats and seven House seats to their legislative majorities; next year, they’ll control the Senate 28-20-1 and the House 57 to 41. But in contested Vancouver-area legislative races, all four union-backed Democrats lost. In Eastside Vancouver’s 17th Legislative District, Tanisha Harris got 49 percent against incumbent Vicki Kraft, a former employee of the anti- union Freedom Foundation; and union- backed Damion Jiles got just 42 percent Marion-Polk-Yamhill Counties Central Labor Chapter’s 78 Annual Children’s Holiday Party th All the children of Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties and their families are invited to MPYCCLC’s 78th Annual Children’s Holiday Party. The fun includes live Christmas music, a showing of the movie “Polar Express,” goodie bags for the kids and — of course — a visit from Santa Claus. Saturday, Dec. 1, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Historic Elsinor Theatre 170 High St. SE, Salem FREE! For more information, contact Elissa Edge at elissa@osea.org or 503-428-3971 in his challenge to Republican incumbent Paul Harris. In Clark County’s 18th Legislative District, union-backed Chris Thobaben and Kathy Gillespie got 44 percent and 47 percent respectively. Southwest Washington does still have a few labor-friendly legislators though: In the 49th Legislative District (Vancouver), Sharon Wylie and Monica Stonier ran unopposed for re-election. And in Longview-area Legislative District 19, union-backed Brian Blake easily won re- election. CLARK COUNTY Three of the five union-backed candidates for county office won: Temple Lentz won her race for County Council with 60 percent support; Alishia Topper won county treas- urer with 69 percent; and incumbent As- sessor Peter Van Nortwick won re-elec- tion with 60 percent support. But Eric Holt, a former shop steward in Teamsters Local 162, lost a very close race for county chair, with the support of 49.7 percent of those voting. And County Clerk employee and November 16, 2018 | PAGE 5 OPEIU Local 11 president Barbara Melton lost her race for County Clerk, garnering 47 percent of the vote. Union-endorsed Clark Public Utility District Commissioner Jim Malinowski won re-election with 56 per- cent support. VANCOUVER Union-backed Laurie Lebowsky won re- election to Vancouver City Council with 52 percent of the vote.
