State Representative Beth Doglio (D-Olympia) has announced her candidacy for Congress in Washington’s 10thCongressional District. The 10th includes Doglio’s home district comprising Olympia, Tumwater, and Lacey, and North Thurston County where she has lived for 22 years and represented since winning election in 2016. She is running to replace retiring Representative Denny Heck (D-Olympia), who has served since 2013.
Doglio, a long time environmental and community leader who served as the founding director of Washington Conservation Voters before leading campaigns and advocacy for climate solutions, made her announcement before family, friends and colleagues at the Thurston County Democrats annual brunch, before heading to a candidate forum hosted by the Pierce County Democratic Party.
“I am honored to serve in the legislature, but the stakes are simply too high, and the consequences of continued dysfunction at the federal level are too dire for me to sit on the sidelines,” she said. “I want to take what we have done in this Washington to the other Washington. We are acting on the urgency of climate change, standing up for unions and working people, and addressing the crisis of homelessness and affordable housing. We need progressive leaders with a track record of building coalitions who get things done so we can get our country back on track.”
At her announcement, Doglio cited her work on several climate and clean energy-related bills as examples of where Washington is leading the nation on policy, and where she will prioritize Congressional action.
“The best thing we can do for our children, grandchildren and economy is make the transition to clean, renewable energy,” said Doglio. “Last year I was proud to lead on the adoption of 100% clean energy and clean buildings here in Washington State, and this year I am working on legislation that will make solar affordable for middle- and lower-income families. Climate action can and must be beneficial to all people – especially those communities and workers most vulnerable to the impacts of change, pollution and transition. We must elect leaders committed to climate action and climate justice.”
A longtime champion for working families, Doglio contrasts the work done in Washington State to safeguard worker rights, raise the minimum wage, improve access to affordable health care, and expand paid family leave with a rollback of many of these same protections by the U.S. Senate, Supreme Court, and the White House.
“We need strong leaders in Congress who step up to call for Medicare for All while working now to improve the Affordable Care Act bringing down drug prices and insurance CEO pay. I want to tell the positive story about how we in Washington have raised wages and expanded family leave while building a strong diverse economy,” said Doglio. “I’m proud of my record standing with working people to provide pathways for affordable health care, family wage jobs, equal pay, and the right to organize.”
A leader on issues of affordable housing and expanding services for vulnerable populations, Doglio sees an important role for a South Sound member of Congress to address the homelessness and mental health crisis in our region.
“I’ve worked on important legislation to give local cities the ability to invest in housing options that work for their needs,” said Doglio. “In Olympia, we’ve built veteran- specific housing to help those who have served our nation get the services they deserve. We need stronger federal partnerships to bring programs to the scale needed to address the complexities of affordability, homelessness, mental health and addiction issues. Our public health and safety, and quality of life depend on real action, not excuses.”
Doglio has also specified gun violence prevention as a core issue in her campaign, reflecting her leading role in passage of gun safety measures in the legislature, and support for voter-approved measures.
“Reducing the threat and tragedy of gun violence is achievable, but we need leaders who stand up to the gun lobby and take action,” said Doglio. “I’m proud of the role I’ve played in sponsoring legislation to expand ‘red flag’ protection laws to vulnerable adults, and work to make sure background checks and voter-approved limits on assault weapons are enforced. We all deserve safe communities and for kids to be able to go to school without worry. We need leaders in Washington, DC committed to this fight not committed to the NRA.”
Doglio enters the race having raised significant contributions as part of her early exploratory effort and has announced that she will not take corporate PAC dollars. “We need to send a message that corporate special interests have enough power in our elections and in the halls of Congress,” said Doglio. “I plan to run a strong, people centered grassroots campaign relying on my years of work here in the district, strong partnerships with working families and environmental advocacy leaders, and my longtime neighbors who have been with me throughout my career.”