The Olympian editorial board endorsements for 22nd Legislative District

The 22nd Legislative District covers Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater and all of unincorporated Thurston County north of the cities.

22nd Legislative District Position 1: Beth Doglio

Beth Doglio, a Democrat, represented the 22nd Legislative District from 2017-2021 before running unsuccessfully against Marilyn Strickland for the 10th District seat in Congress. She wants to return to the legislature, where she would replace the retiring Laurie Dolan.

A longtime advocate for action on climate change, Doglio celebrates last session’s passage of a bill to make our state climate neutral by 2050. She now supports further reduction in toxics, a bottle-return bill similar to Oregon’s, and training in green jobs. She was a strong advocate for investments in housing during her previous term, and intends to work with local officials on that and other local priorities.

Loretta Byrnes, a Republican, holds a master’s degree in natural resource economics who worked for nonprofits in Asia and Africa. She is concerned the Washington schools are failing to teach reading, writing and math. She laments the legalization of possession of small amounts of drugs, and believes that jailing people for drug use and other nonviolent crimes would benefit people of color and poor people, who are often victims of these crimes. She thinks action on homelessness should be “more coordinated,” but lacks knowledge about the coordination already in place.

We endorse Doglio, whose knowledge and experience make her well-prepared to return to the legislature, and where she will be an effective advocate for addressing climate change, housing, and other local priorities.

22nd Legislative District Position 2: Jessica Bateman

Jessica Bateman is seeking a second term for the seat she won in 2020 when Doglio ran for Congress.

Bateman hopes to advance her well-thought-out agenda on addressing homelessness and the shortage of affordable housing. While she was pleased with progress made during her first term on tenant protections and capital funding, she wants to do more to address zoning and other regulatory issues that limit housing construction.

Improvements in mental health treatment and long-term care also are on her agenda.

Kate Plager, her Republican opponent, did not respond to The Olympian’s invitation for an endorsement interview. Her website lists only one endorsement, from Keith Swank, the Republican opponent of Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland.

We endorse Bateman. We need her smarts, her determination and her relentless focus on dismantling the systemic problems that create homelessness, and prevent young families from buying homes.