State Sen. Jesse Salomon, D-Shoreline, has shown considerable legislative know-how in his four years representing the 32nd Legislative district in western King and Snohomish counties. Since he unseated a fellow Democrat, he emerged as a reliable advocate for environmental protection and responsible housing growth. Salomon should be returned to the senate.
Salomon, an attorney, has paid careful attention to improving Washington’s livability, sometimes by leveraging his legal acumen toward big-picture goals. His work on housing policy in the 2022 session showed particular mastery of technical nuances of lawmaking. Salomon wrote Senate Bill 5042, which closed a loophole that had enabled developers to sprawl past Growth Management Act restrictions, as well as SB 5818, a bipartisan success that removed barriers to constructing housing within cities. He also played a key role in putting the brakes on Gov. Jay Inslee’s overly broad attempt to upend single-family zoning. Befitting Salomon’s district, he has also stood up for protecting salmon habitat in areas within Puget Sound with several helpful bills, including a law enacted in 2021 to restore ecosystems along shorelines.
Despite Salomon’s background as a King County public defender, he emerged as a moderate capable of standing up to his caucus to ensure police can still confront lawbreakers. He supported a successful bipartisan bill to shore up police’s ability to pursue people when necessary, and prime-sponsored necessary reforms to limit the ability of police officers to escape accountability through arbitration.
He is challenged by a fellow Democrat, Patricia Weber, and independent candidate Evelyn Anthony. Weber, a retired doctor, rightly says the state must do much more to boost mental health, particularly within schools.
Anthony offered an optimistic but gauzy belief in uplifting the state through cultural growth. She also cast doubts without evidence on the integrity of the state’s elections, despite not having voted in a general election since 2016.
Salomon brings a conscientious work ethic that has served 32nd district voters well. He deserves reelection.
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