RHAWA Political Action Committee Candidate Endorsements

Sean Martin | External Affairs Director

This year’s elections offers huge opportunities for the rental housing industry and our advocacy efforts over the next two years.

In Olympia, the State legislature could shift dramatically pending the outcome of the Senate race in the 45th District. RHAWA has endorsed Jinyoung Englund, R, because she offers our industry the best protections from the possibility of rent control and other imbalanced tenant protections from being expanded to all corners of the State. A split legislature offers us the best opportunity to find fair compromise on our issues at the state.

Our PAC also interviewed candidates in key cities which are policy leaders for our region – Bellevue, Everett, and Tacoma – as well as upcoming areas where the rental housing industry faces tremendous pressures due to the staggering growth our region has experienced over the past 5 years.

Members may notice that endorsements are notably absent for candidates in the City of Seattle. RHAWA PAC did interview several candidates for Mayor, City Council, and City Attorney, but ultimately withheld making any official endorsements as none met our minimum criteria requirements.

In the Seattle Mayoral and Council #8 races, however, there are two candidates who are markedly different from their opponent and RHAWA would recommend considering a vote for Jenny Durkan for Mayor and Teresa Mosqueda for Council at-large #8. Similarly, a recommendation is also made for Scott Lindsay for Seattle City Attorney.

Candidates receiving RHAWA PAC support and endorsement are qualified based on their recognition of rental housing as a valuable asset to communities, their commitment to allowing rental housing to function as a market-based industry, and for their willingness to work with the rental housing industry toward the common goal of providing safe and healthy housing.

Read below for our full list of candidate endorsements for this year’s election, and remember to turn in your ballots by November 7.

Washington State Senate
Jinyoung Englund - 45th District

Seattle
No endorsements

Bellevue
Conrad Lee - Council #2
Jared Nieuwenhuis - Council #4
Janice Zahn - Council #​5

Burien
Debi Wagner – Council #3
Darla Green – Council #5
Patti Janssen – Council #7

​Everett
Judy Tuohy – Mayor
Paul Roberts – Council #1
Jeff Moore – Council #2
Scott Murphy - Council #3

Renton
Randy Corman (RHAWA Member) – Council #1
Armondo Pavone – Council #2
Jami Smith – Council #6

Tacoma
Jim Merritt - Mayor
Robert Thoms – Council #2
Kevin Grossman - Council #4
Lillian Hunter – Council #6

King County
Rod Dombowski – Council #1
Kathy Lambert – Council #3
Pete Von Reichbauer – Council #7
Reagan Dunn – Council #9