Lieutenant governor: TNT gets it wrong with Heck

Re: “Heck well prepared for lieutenant governor,” (TNT, 7/23).

The TNT Editorial Board endorsed the wrong candidate. While admitting Marko Liias can handle the position, they support Denny Heck.

They begin with a two-step what-if: Biden gets elected and Jay Inslee is confirmed to a cabinet position by a potentially Republican Senate, opening up the governor’s chair.

Then they point to Heck’s five terms in state Legislature (ended in 1986) and staff position with Gov. Booth Gardner (ended in 1993).

They also like that he’s spent the last 12 years in the other Washington representing one tenth of our state’s population, even though Liias has spent the last 12 years in our Legislature working for all of us.

Liias favors full implementation of Initiative 940, single-payer health care, a carbon-free environment. He strongly supports racial and social justice, immigration and education.

As state Senate majority leader, he knows the people, dynamics and issues. The lieutenant governor is the Senate president and chair of the Senate Rules Committee. Liias is perfect for both roles.

Marko’s our man; he can do it better than anyone can.

This story was originally published July 25, 2020 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Lieutenant governor: TNT gets it wrong with Heck."