OCA primary election 2024 endorsements

Per our endorsement policy, our Endorsement Committee has recommended, and our Board has unanimously approved, endorsements of the following candidates in the 2024 Primary election. (We did not make endorsements specific to Jefferson County because of inadequate familiarity with the races; Jefferson County residents are encouraged to join our Endorsement Committee for future elections.)

OCA Endorsed Candidates with website links:

Position	Candidate
Congressional District 6 U.S. Representative	Emily Randall
Governor	Bob Ferguson
Attorney General	Manka Dhingra
Commissioner of Public Lands	Dave Upthegrove
Superintendent of Public Instruction.	Chris Reykdal
Insurance Commissioner	Patty Kuderer
State Senator	Mike Chapman
State Representative Position 1	Eric Pickens
State Representative Position 2	Steve Tharinger
Clallam County Commissioner District No. 2	Kate Dexter
Clallam PUD #1 Commissioner District No. 3	Kenneth Reandeau

Rationales for our endorsements:

Congressional District 6 US Representative: Emily Randall

• High integrity; doesn’t take corporate PAC money
• Wants to fight climate change
• Washington Conservation Action gives 100% rating for her work in the Legislature

Governor: Bob Ferguson

• Serving as attorney general since 2012, has won some of the biggest and most consequential legal cases in Washington history, including protecting water quality from Trump’s pro-pollution environmental policies
• Committed to establishing Washington as a clean energy hub
• Endorsed by Washington Conservation Action

Attorney General: Manka Dhingra

• Experienced State legislator with strong progressive record; Washington Conservation Action gave 100% rating
• Wants to create strong environmental enforcement that holds polluters accountable, penalizes fraud, and promotes consumer protections

Commissioner of Public Lands: Dave Upthegrove

• Long track record of environmental advocacy in both the State Legislature and the King County Council
• The only candidate pledging to put a moratorium on cutting the state’s older forests
• The only major candidate who does not take corporate PAC or timber money
• Endorsed by Washington Conservation Action and the Sierra Club

Superintendent of Public Instruction: Chris Reykdal

• As a member of the State Board of Natural Resources, has been by far the most supportive of protecting the State’s older forests
• Advocates decoupling timber harvest revenue from funding government functions
• Sole endorsement of Washington Conservation Action

Insurance Commissioner: Patty Kuderer

• Holds strong positions re climate change; as a State Legislator, Washington Conservation Action gave a 100% rating in the crucial 2021-22 session
• Wants to make sure the state insurance commission uses the insurance industry as a protection against climate change; pledges to improve access to climate change insurance for homeowners and businesses
• Honest, competent and on the ball

Legislative District 24 State Senator: Mike Chapman

• Generally strong record on environmental issues, including some tough votes on climate action
• Has taken some positions that OCA disagrees with on forests, but his positions are evolving, as evidenced by his recent support for protecting the Power Plant legacy forest
• Strong leadership record in the State House which he will carry to the Senate

Legislative District 24 State Representative position 1: Eric Pickens

• Has the sole endorsement of the Environmental Caucus of the WA State Democrats
• The only candidate who supports protecting our older forests while keeping beneficiaries whole
• Supports decoupling timber revenue from support of our schools and other public institutions, recognizing that we need a more stable tax base that doesn’t compromise our future
• Personal qualities will make him an outstanding legislator: attentive, conscientious, respectful and principled

Legislative District 24 State Representative position 2: Steve Tharinger

• Long tenure in the legislature with a generally strong record on climate, including some tough votes
• He has taken some positions OCA disagrees with on forests, but in his role chairing the House Capital Appropriations Committee, he helped secure funding to protect some of the older state forests
• Washington Conservation Voter rating 92% (lifetime as of 2019-20; 2021-22 is 83%)

Clallam County Commissioner District 2: Kate Dexter

• Mayor of Port Angeles, she has been a stable, balanced rudder with city council
• Helped steer adoption of the City’s Climate Action Plan, considered a model for local governments
• Believes more sustainable practices should be used in our forests
• Advocated protecting state forests in the Elwha River watershed, the source of the City’s drinking water, seeking compensation for forgone harvest revenues

Clallam Public Utility District No. 1 Commissioner, District 3: Kenneth Reandeau

• Lifetime County resident and former mill worker; has conscientiously followed government operations since retirement
• Attentive to environmental and energy concerns and endorses renewable energy
• Advocates transition to electric vehicles
• Wants to achieve carbon neutrality in the state before 2050