Bernie 2020
March 6, 2020

NEWS: Bernie 2020 Rolls Out Washington Co-Chairs and Slate of Endorsements

SEATTLE — Bernie 2020 today, announced its Washington Co-Chairs and a slate of endorsements from local elected officials and community leaders. The slate of endorsements include Joe Nguyen, State Senator (District 34), who previously and proudly supported Sen. Elizabeth Warren for President.

Coming just days ahead of Washington’s March 10th primary, this groundswell of support reflects the diverse coalition that Sanders is inspiring and building across the state.

The Bernie 2020 Washington Co-Chairs are:

Pramila Jayapal, U.S. Representative (WA-07), Co-Chair, Congressional Progressive Caucus & State Chair

“Bernie has the passion, authenticity and clarity that working people need in their President. I am all in for Bernie!”

Faye Guenther, President, UFCW 21, State Vice-Chair

"Bernie Sanders has by far the most pro-worker labor agenda of any candidate, and I have already seen him use his platform during this campaign to support labor organizing. A fundamental goal should be to expand worker democracy and power and Bernie Sanders will do just that. I am so excited to see a candidate committed to expanding the electorate and inspiring even more people to engage with the democratic process, both in their workplaces and in this election."

Bob Hasegawa, State Senator (District 11), State Vice-Chair

"I am endorsing Senator Bernie Sanders because he not only has the strongest, but also the only meaningful workers rights and labor platform amongst all the presidential candidates. I wholeheartedly endorse his platform to strengthen the rights and wages of our workers, a true pathway to building a middle class again in America."

Kate Burke, Spokane City Councilwoman (District 1) & State Vice-Chair

"In the era of rising rents and stagnant wages, we need a president willing to take a stand against corporate interests and the ruling elites. Senator Sanders, more than any other candidate, has proven the most committed to working families and has led a career that centers those at the margins of our society. It is my honor to endorse him for President."   

Jeff Johnson, Former President, Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, State Vice-Chair

"Given the existential climate crisis, obscene inequality, and great threats to democracy, we need systemic change. This is no time for small changes or small politics. Bernie Sanders is the only candidate thinking, talking, and organizing around dramatic changes to health care, climate, and the financial industry. With Bernie, you get strong values, a positive and inclusive vision of the future, and years of experience getting things done in Congress."

Teresa Mosqueda, Seattle City Councilmember (Position 8), State Vice-Chair

“This country needs a president who can right historic wrongs, who can provide healthcare to all, and who will invest in child care as a human right. This country needs a president who will stand up for workers rights and correct our upside-down tax system. That president is Bernie Sanders. I am proud to stand with working people around this country to support Sanders for President.”

Deborah Parker, Indigenous Activist, State Vice-Chair

“Bernie respects Native Peoples and our treaties and traditions. The choice for voters is about the public policies and laws of the United States of America. Bernie Sanders' public voting record demonstrates that he holds the interests of the American people in his heart. Bernie will be President for all of us. When Bernie wins, we all win!”
 

The slate of endorsements includes:

Joe Nguyen, State Senator (District 34), White Center, WA

“I supported Elizabeth Warren because of her leadership and plans to build a better, more progressive society.  Now is time for progressives in Washington State to come together to build a coalition that will lead to a real challenge to the corporate establishment. The choice is clear, someone who will fight for our values or more of the status quo. Join me in supporting Bernie Sanders for president.”

M. Lorena González, President, Seattle City Council, Seattle, WA

“As a woman of color and the daughter of immigrants, I know what’s at stake for our families in Washington state and across the country. We need a bold leader who will challenge the systems that keep workers, women and immigrants from thriving. Bernie is that leader. I’m proud to join the revolution to fight for a society that puts us -- not billionaires -- at the center of the transformative change we demand.”

Krystal S. Marx, Deputy Mayor, Burien, WA

“I chose to endorse Bernie because he has not wavered in his commitment or values. I always know where he stands. I believe America needs that kind of security and surety, especially when we are faced with a homelessness crisis that needs a national -- not just local -- response. I believe that Bernie's plans for our country are feasible and, more so, needed - especially if we truly want to thrive as a country.”

Takele Gobena, Councilmember (Position 5), SeaTac, WA

“I proudly endorse Bernie because the winner of the 2020 presidential race depends on who can motivate voters and bring the highest voter turnout in American history. Bernie has already proven that he will fight for every American, no matter who they are.”

Shaun Olsen, School Board Director, Mukilteo School District, Everett, WA

“As a School Board Director, I am regularly reminded of the anxieties our students have when thinking about the future that they will inherit, and the incredible challenges they will need to overcome. They will look back at these times and wonder, ‘how did we let it get this way?’ and ‘who was fighting for us?’ Bernie Sanders has consistently stood out as that inspirational fighter for all of us throughout his life, and he is inspiring new generations of young leaders to care about their future and become active in shaping it. That is exactly what they need to succeed in their future and I stand with them in their overwhelming support of Bernie Sanders.”

David Turnoy, Teacher, Member, National Education Association & Chair, San Juan County Democrats, Eastsound, WA

“Bernie is the only candidate who has genuinely been a progressive throughout his entire life.  We have previously elected Democrats who campaigned as progressives but governed as centrists; that won’t happen with Bernie. We need Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, a non-war foreign policy and economy, and every other part of Bernie’s platform. Only Bernie can deliver the second New Deal, promised by FDR back in the 1940s, and stop our 40-year slide to the right.”

Rosalie Fish, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Advocate, Muckleshoot Reservation, WA

“Bernie Sanders is a long-standing ally of Indigenous people. He has dedicated his career to serving underrepresented communities and strives for a redistribution of power and visibility among minority groups. Sanders has made specific efforts to communicate and aid my own tribal communities and various others across the nation. That’s why I support Senator Bernie Sanders.”

Organizations listed for identification purposes, and do not imply institutional endorsement