Candidate Endorsements & Recommendations

Wahkiakum County Democrats offers endorsements and recommendations at all levels of the ticket to candidates who align with our values.

Candidates interested in obtaining our endorsement should use our Contact form to get in touch with the committee.

2026 Endorsements

In partisan races, Wahkiakum County Democrats endorse these candidates:

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez – Congressional District 3

Marie is a fifth generation Washingtonian, a small business owner in the trades, and a pro-choice mom. She’s working hard for Southwest Washington–and delivering real results. Marie is focused on what working people want, like good jobs that don’t require a college degree, lower costs for medication and childcare, and safer communities. https://marieforcongress.com

Kevin Moynihan – WA State Representative LD19 Position 1

Kevin is an Aberdeen City Council member running for State Representative in Washington’s 19th Legislative District. His campaign focuses on lowering costs for working families, rebuilding the coastal economy, strengthening rural schools, and expanding skilled trades and family-wage jobs. https://www.kevinmoynihan.com/

2026 Recommendations

In non-partisan races, Wahkiakum County Democrats recommend these candidates:

Colleen Melody – Position 1, Washington Supreme Court

Colleen has dedicated her career to protecting the rights of Washingtonians. She built the Civil Rights Division of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office from the ground-up, turning it from a startup into a nationally recognized powerhouse that protects state residents from harassment, discrimination, and violence no matter their gender, race, age, or disability. She has taken on Fortune 100 companies for unfair business practices and held the Federal Government accountable for violating the rights of Washingtonians. https://melodyforjustice.com/

Ian Burk – Position 4, Washington Supreme Court

Judge Birk serves on Division I of the Washington State Court of Appeals, where he was appointed in 2022 and elected by the voters later that year without opposition. As a Court of Appeals judge, Judge Birk has authored more than 200 opinions and participated in hundreds of additional appellate decisions across civil, criminal, family, administrative, and constitutional law. He has sat in all three divisions of the Court of Appeals—Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane—giving him statewide perspective on how the law is applied in diverse communities. https://ianbirk.com/

Debra Stephens – Position 7, Washington Supreme Court

Throughout her tenure, Chief Justice Stephens has championed access to justice, judicial education, and the rule of law — working internationally with USAID to train judges on judicial independence, and earning recognition including the “Judge of the Year” award from the Washington State Association for Justice and the 2023 Rodel Judicial Fellowship. She also served for over a decade as a school board director, reflecting her lifelong investment in her community.  She is a longtime Rotarian and volunteers for several organizations addressing youth services, food security, healthcare and civic engagement. https://justicestephens.com/