News
BREAKING NEWS: BIG sole endorsement!
The stakes in November keep getting higher. With the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her likely replacement being somebody who believes Roe v. Wade should be overturned, we cannot ignore the severe implications for Washington women’s health.
That is why earning the sole endorsement of Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaiʻi is so important. As a reproductive justice advocate for over 15 years, the leaders at Planned Parenthood know that I will be a fierce champion for sexual and reproductive health care in our state.
It’s true, women in Washington State have a legal right to an abortion. But you and I both know women’s health does not begin and end with abortion. And as we watch in horror as Trump dismantles our democracy we must focus on the fight ahead, and not concede an inch.
Anti-choice Republican lawmakers, emboldened by Trump’s new appointee, will push back hard against reproductive freedom and women’s health. We must preserve hard-fought victories like mandatory comprehensive sex education, but we also must build on them.
Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice Washington trust me to not just hold the line, but to fight tooth and nail to broaden our state’s health laws to ensure equity, safety, and access for everyone.
Thank you for your continued faith in me.
Momentum
I am overwhelmed and humbled.
It’s been 264 days since we launched our campaign. We have been through a lot together: a long-overdue national reckoning around systemic racism; lockdowns, masks and COVID-19; devastating wildfires; and the death of our beloved RBG.
And as we learned and grew from these challenges, our campaign gathered momentum, and today we see a clear path to victory. I want to share a few highlights – some old, some new – that have brought us this far.
- We won our 3-way primary by more than 9 points!
- We received sole endorsements from The Stranger, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Commissioner for Public Lands Hilary Franz, our courageous Washington State Firefighters, and labor unions representing over 500,000 of our state’s frontline workers.
- Our team of exceptional volunteers have called tens of thousands of voters in the 36th.
- Our incredibly generous donors have helped us out-raise our opposition and provided us with the funds we need to communicate our message to the voters.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Ballots drop in 20 days and election day is only weeks away; let’s keep the momentum going and win in November.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Jeffrey M. Cohen proud to endorse Liz Berry
Guest post by Jeffrey M. Cohen, former candidate for State Representative, 36th Legislative District
I am honored to announce my endorsement of Liz Berry for the State House in the 36th Legislative District!
My decision to endorse Liz was easy. I was the third candidate to announce my campaign for the 36th, and Liz called right away to welcome me to the race. Her warmth and kindness instantly struck me, and I felt like she meant it when she wished me good luck.
Throughout this election cycle, I’ve been uniquely impressed with Liz’s tenacity, intelligence and commonsense solutions to many of the issues we’re currently facing. Her work on ending gun violence, championing women for elective office and fighting for LGBTQ+ rights has been an inspiration to me personally.
Read MoreIt’s official!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
In the three-way August primary election, our campaign came out on top with 51% of the vote! Make no mistake, we are heading into November in a solid position over the opposition.
2020 has been a tough year. Together we have faced a devastating pandemic and a national struggle for racial and economic equity. The next few months also look uncertain. With an anticipated second wave of COVID-19, growing unemployment, and attacks on our U.S. Postal Service from Trump, the November playing field could be changed entirely.
There are just over ten weeks (or 74 days) until election day, and we are not taking a single thing for granted. Our team, our volunteers, and all of you have worked too hard to not keep up the pace until November.
So, as we celebrate (and believe me, we are celebrating) our 9.1% lead in the primary, we remain laser-focused on November. Of course, we will need your help. We must keep talking to voters and raising money to get our message out. That is how we win!
Thank you again for believing in our campaign. This victory would not be possible without you.
The Stranger Endorsement: Vote Berry
by Emma Spickard, Campaign Manager
“Our budget hole is massive and our crises are multiplying. Who should we send in to fix this disaster?”
“…we trust Berry to hold the line. Vote Berry.”
Primary ballots have arrived and voters across Washington are deciding how to cast their vote. In other words, they are deciding, as The Stranger asked, who should we send to fix this disaster?
The Stranger Election Control Board made their view of candidates in the 36th Legislative District crystal clear.
Read MorePutting People First
This is it! Voters in Seattle receive their primary ballots tomorrow.
Even though we’ve been working on this campaign for months, most voters are just starting to tune-in and think about how to cast their vote. That is why it is critical we don’t stop talking about why Liz is the best candidate to represent the 36th Legislative District in Olympia.
And we have a brand new ad that does just that. We call it “Putting People First” because when it comes to leading us through our state’s projected $8.8 billion budget shortfall, Liz is the only candidate in this race who has pledged to reject harmful cuts for working families.
Read MoreLiz Berry will fight to end gun violence
by former Rep. Gabby Giffords
What do you think it will take to end gun violence?
After I recovered from being shot in the head in 2011, I devoted my life to saving lives from gun violence, so I know something about what it takes. It takes great courage from elected leaders who are not afraid to stand up to the corrupt gun lobby.
I am so proud that my dear friend Liz Berry is one of those leaders.
I know the horror of gun violence all too well, and I know what it takes to change policy and challenge injustice. Liz has the courage and tenacity to be an outspoken leader in Olympia.
Read MoreWatch our first ad
In just over two weeks, voters in Washington will start receiving their primary ballots.
As our campaign team puts the finishing touches to our Get Out the Vote (GOTV) plan, I want you to be one of the first to see our campaign ad.
I’m really proud to share my story with voters in the 36th Legislative District – and it stars some of my very favorite people! It debuts later today.
Thank you again for your support and generosity over the past six months, we could not have done any of this without you.
As we head into the long holiday weekend, I wish you and your family a safe and joyful July 4th celebration.
elect Black women
We cannot remain silent anymore.
We cannot stand by while Black people are harassed, killed and forgotten in this country time and time again.
Many of you know that one of my greatest passions is electing more women to public office. As President of the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington, I helped to recruit, train and elect literally hundreds of women in our state. We established a training for women of color by women of color with the belief that our democracy should be representative of the people it serves.
Yesterday, in memory of the Black people who we have lost to police misconduct and systemic racism, I made a personal donation to Persist PAC.
Read More“a clear progressive choice”
Every election cycle, thousands of Seattleites look to the Fuse Washington Progressive Voters Guide for an honest and trusted summary of the campaigns that matter most.
In a race among Democrats, receiving the sole endorsement of Fuse – the largest progressive organization in our state – is hugely impactful.
Today, I am honored to receive that stamp of approval!
“Fuse only makes endorsements in Democratic primaries when we believe there is a clear progressive choice, and Berry is that choice for the 36th Legislative District.”
– Aaron Ostrom, Executive Director, Fuse
The folks at Fuse help elect progressives up and down the ballot by giving ordinary people a stronger voice in politics. I am proud they believe our campaign has shown outstanding leadership, and that they know I will fight for working people, a healthy environment, and a better future in the legislature.
It is an honor to earn their sole endorsement.