We endorse: Bronoske for Washington Legislative Dist. 28. He’ll give Lakewood a voice
University Place is well represented at the Washington state Capitol. One might even say the city of 34,000 is punching above its weight. Both current House members and the senator who represent the 28th Legislative District all call UP home. Two of the three candidates running for the open House position this year are proud UP residents, as well.
Lakewood, on the other hand, has no voice in the Legislature, despite being the second-largest city in Pierce County (population 60,000). Western State Hospital is also located there, placing the city at the epicenter of Washington’s ongoing mental-health mess.
Giving Lakewood a seat at the table is just one reason that The News Tribune Editorial Board endorses Dan Bronoske for House Position 1.
The 28th District is hard to pigeonhole; it’s known for being a political swing district and for diverse territory that stretches from JBLM to local island communities, from suburban DuPont/Steilacoom/UP to the urban core of Lakewood. Bronoske would bring some geographic balance to its legislative delegation.
Bronoske, 40, is a career first responder and former National Guardsman who works for West Pierce Fire & Rescue as an engine company captain. He’s lived in the district half his life, holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Washington and has strong command of key progressive issues, from health care to climate change.
While he has no elected experience, Bronoske knows his way around Olympia as an advocate for worker safety and other union concerns.
Rep. Christine Kilduff, the district’s superb three-term lawmaker who’s not running for reelection, has endorsed Bronoske, her fellow Democrat. He’s well suited to continue Kilduff’s legacy of looking out for workers, military families and people with disabilities.
Bronoske’s opponents in the Aug. 4 primary election are Republicans Chris Nye and Jamie Michaud, both longtime UP residents and real estate professionals.
Nye, 57, a former Army Special Forces team leader, makes the best case to advance to the November runoff. The former two-term UP City Council member knows government from the inside. With a $9 billion shortfall looming in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown, the state could use people like him who’ve balanced city budgets and run small businesses.
But Nye has a rather one-dimensional view of homelessness, which he says is centered on addiction. His blind spot for the larger affordable housing crisis and those living paycheck to paycheck — especially with an economic recession on our doorstep — gave us pause.
For Michaud, 38, combating drug abuse is her singular campaign theme. We respect this first-time candidate’s passion for combating the opioid epidemic, but her focus on compulsory drug treatment raises serious constitutional concerns. She also lacks depth on other policy issues.
After interviewing all three candidates, we came away convinced that Dan Bronoske could be a bright light in the Washington Legislature’s freshman class of 2021.
For the City of Lakewood, certainly, and for the rest of District 28 as well.
ABOUT OUR ENDORSEMENTS
The News Tribune Editorial Board interviewed candidates and did other research before making our picks in the Aug. 4 primary election. For races with only two candidates, we will wait until general election season. Endorsements are intended to promote civic discourse and encourage voters to dig deeper. Board members include: Matt Misterek, editorial page editor; Karen Irwin, editorial writer; Matt Driscoll, local news columnist; and Pamela Transue, community representative and former president of Tacoma Community College.
This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 2:00 PM.