SEATTLE, Wash., May 2, 2023—Democrat Bob Ferguson today announced that he is exploring a run for Washington Governor in 2024. He formally launched an exploratory committee as the first step towards a possible run. He plans to travel to every corner of the state in the coming weeks to listen to Washingtonians.
Ferguson launched his exploratory committee with a 3-minute video. He released an initial list of endorsements that include tribal leaders, the past three presidents of the Washington State Labor Council, and labor unions representing nurses, grocery workers, Hanford workers, truck drivers, corrections officers, and electricians. Ferguson unveiled over 150 public officials who endorse his candidacy. The list includes congresspersons, legislators, mayors, city councilmembers, school board members, and public safety leaders from all corners of the state. He will roll out additional endorsements in the coming days.
“I have never been afraid to take on big challenges, and I’ve never forgotten who I’m fighting for,” Ferguson said. “I look forward to listening and learning from Washingtonians in every county and corner of this great state.”
Ferguson’s exploratory committee will not accept campaign contributions from large corporations — a continuation of his policy as Attorney General.
Ferguson announced several goals for the exploratory phase of his campaign. Those goals include:
- Visit every corner of the state;
- Earn 5,000 grassroots contributions from Washingtonians in all 39 counties;
- Earn 200 endorsements from elected officials.
Statewide Listening Tour
Ferguson will begin his listening tour this month with a trip to Eastern Washington. The listening tour will include public appearances, house parties, meetings with tribal governments, business leaders, and elected officials.
Ferguson visited every Washington county as a candidate for Attorney General, and visited every county again during his first term. As Attorney General Ferguson also visited every Rotary club in the state – approximately 200 clubs across 103 different Washington cities.
Bio: Who is Bob Ferguson?
Bob Ferguson is a fourth generation Washingtonian, husband and father of twins. He is serving his third term as Washington State Attorney General, where he manages the largest law office in the state with more than 1800 employees and 13 regional offices.
Ferguson has lived and worked on both sides of the Cascades. He began his legal career in Spokane clerking for a federal judge appointed by George H. W. Bush.
Ferguson began his political career by running against the Chair of the King County Council – a 20-year incumbent and a Democrat. He was considered an underdog but knocked on more than 22,000 doors and won. Ferguson subsequently voted to shrink the size of the Council from 13 members to 9, even though he knew his district would be eliminated in the ensuing redistricting process. Ferguson wasn’t afraid to risk his career to do the right thing. His district was eliminated, and two years after his first election, Ferguson had to run against another longtime incumbent Democrat. He knocked on another 15,000 doors, and won another underdog campaign.
Ferguson received international recognition for delivering Donald Trump his first defeat when he permanently blocked Donald Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional original travel ban.
Ferguson ultimately stopped more than 50 illegal Trump Administration actions and policies, and led many high-profile legal victories stopping Trump Administration policies that would have harmed Washingtonians. Ferguson’s victories include:
- Protecting DREAMers and leading the lawsuit against Donald Trump’s cruel and unlawful family separation policy;
- Blocking the politically-motivated attack on the U.S. Postal Service and vote-by-mail;
- Protecting reproductive freedom by fighting Trump’s contraceptive access policy, the “gag” rule and “conscience” rule.
- Defending the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and blocking Trump’s “dirty energy plan”.
- Preventing Trump’s attempt to divert money away from Washington to build a border wall; and
- Stopping Betsy DeVos’ illegal attempt to divert CARES Act funding away from Washington public schools.
Ferguson led successful lawsuits against presidents of both parties to increase worker protections for Hanford workers.
As Attorney General, Ferguson created the Wing Luke Civil Rights Division, the Environmental Protection Division, and an Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance. Ferguson also expanded the Consumer Protection, Complex Litigation, and Antitrust Divisions without using taxpayer funding.
Ferguson expanded consumer protections for all Washingtonians. He worked with leaders of both parties to improve Washington’s consumer protection laws. He took on price-gouging and illegal price-fixing schemes that cost Washington families money. He stopped the use of illegal “no-poach” clauses nationwide, resulting in billions of dollars in increased wages for low-wage franchise employees.
Ferguson helped lead the national effort to combat the opioid epidemic. Ferguson’s efforts resulted in more than $1.1 billion for treatment, prevention strategies, and first responders in Washington state.
Ferguson proposed and passed several high-profile bills, including legislation to ban the sale of high-capacity magazines and provide half of all Washingtonians access to free and reduced-cost hospital care. He worked with Republican legislators to increase the sale age for tobacco and vapor products to 21, combat wage theft, and increase student loan protections.
Ferguson is the son of a Boeing employee and a public school teacher. As a teenager, Ferguson began a short career as a professional chess player. He is a two-time Washington State Chess Champion. He remains an internationally rated chess master.
Ferguson attended the University of Washington where he was elected student body president. As a law student, he advocated for Yacqui Indians in Arizona. He served in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps managing an emergency services office assisting vulnerable clients.
When he’s not working, Ferguson can often be found on a climb with his son or at one of his daughter’s fastpitch softball tournaments.
Initial Endorsements
The following elected leaders and public officials announce their support for Bob Ferguson if he chooses to run for governor. The exploratory committee will be rolling out additional endorsements in the coming days. If you’d like to add your name to this list, email info@bobferguson.com.
Tribes
Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
Organized Labor
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 3000
UFCW 3000 is the largest UFCW local union in the country with over 50,000 members. UFCW 3000 represents Washingtonians working in grocery, retail, health care, meat packing, cannabis & other industries across the state.
Joint Council of Teamsters Local 28
Joint Council of Teamsters No. 28 empowers and supports their local unions and their membership across Washington, Alaska, and Northern Idaho, with 50,000 members in Washington.
Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 598
Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 598 represents nearly 1,300 union-trained craftsmen who serve 21 counties in Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon. Local 598 represents Washingtonians who work at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, paper mills, food processing plants, cold storage facilities, data centers, silicon plants, chemical plants, gas plants, carbon fiber plants, and miscellaneous manufacturing facilities.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 46
Local 46 represents 6,200 members that work in King, Kitsap, Jefferson and Clallam Counties. Local 46 members build everything from schools, bridges, and hospitals, to housing, electric vehicle infrastructure and more. They also represent hundreds of workers in the public sector and at media outlets like KING KIRO, KOMO, and KCTS9.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 77
IBEW Local Union 77 represents over 8,000 hardworking members and 95 percent of utilities throughout Washington. For over 125 years, their members have been responsible for our state’s power generation, transmission, distribution, and delivery. “We are the people, that bring power to the people.”
Elected Leaders and Public Officials
National Congress of American Indians President and Quinault Nation Vice-Chair Fawn Sharp
Samish Indian Nation Chair Tom Wooten
Congresswoman Suzan DelBene
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal
Congressman Derek Kilmer
Congressman Rick Larsen
Congressman Adam Smith
Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti
Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig
Senator Bob Hasegawa
Senator Sam Hunt
Senator Karen Keiser
Senator Patty Kuderer
Senator Joe Nguyen
Senator Marko Liias
Senator Jamie Pedersen
Senator Emily Randall
Senator Christine Rolfes
Senator Rebecca Saldaña
Senator Sharon Shewmake
Senator Jesse Salomon
Senator Yasmin Trudeau
Senator Javier Valdez
Senator Claire Wilson
Senator Lisa Wellman
Representative Jessica Bateman
Representative Lauren Davis
Representative Beth Doglio
Representative Mary Fosse
Representative Roger Goodman
Representative David Hackney
Representative Debra Lekanoff
Representative My-Linh Thai
Representative Nicole Macri
Representative Sharlett Mena
Representative Tina Orwall
Representative Strom Peterson
Representative Gerry Pollet
Representative Marcus Riccelli
Representative Cindy Ryu
Representative Tana Senn
Representative Tarra Simmons
Representative Vandana Slatter
Representative Monica Stonier
Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu
King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski
King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles
King County Councilmember Joe McDermott
King County Councilmember Sarah Perry
King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove
King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay
King County Assessor John Wilson
Thurston County Prosecutor Jon Tunheim
Skamania County Prosecutor Adam Kick
Seattle Port Commissioner Ryan Calkins
Seattle Port Commissioner Sam Cho
Seattle Port Commissioner Fred Felleman
Seattle Port Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa
Seattle Port Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed
Tacoma Port Commissioner Kristin Ang
Snohomish County Treasurer Brian Sullivan
Thurston County Commissioner Carolina Mejia
Thurston County Commissioner Tye Menser
Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall
Thurston County Assessor Steven Drew
Thurston County Treasurer Jeff Gadman
Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell
Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder
Pacific Mayor Leanne Guier
Vancouver Deputy Mayor Ty Stober
Auburn City Councilmember and former State Labor Council President Larry Brown
Bellingham City Councilmember Kristina Michele Martens
Bellevue City Councilmember Janice Zahn
Burien City Councilmember and former Mayor Jimmy Matta
Covington City Councilmember Jennifer Harjehausen
Covington City Councilmember Sean Smith
East Wenatchee City Councilmember Matthew Hepner
Everett City Councilmember Paula Rhyne
Fife City Councilmember Bryan Yambe
Kenmore City Councilmember and former Mayor David Baker
Kennewick City Councilmember Jim Millbauer
Kent City Councilmember Marli Larimer
Lacey City Councilmember Carolyn Cox
Lacey City Councilmember Michael Steadman
Lacey City Councilmember Robin Vazquez
Mountlake Terrace City Councilmember Rory Paine-Donovan
Olympia City Councilmember Rhenda Iris Strub
Spokane City Council President Breean Beggs
Spokane City Councilmember Betsy Wilkerson
Spokane City Councilmember Zack Zappone
Seattle City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda
Seattle City Councilmember Dan Strauss
SeaTac City Councilmember Peter Kwon
Tacoma City Councilmember Keith Blocker
Tukwila City Councilmember De’Sean Quinn
Tumwater City Councilmember Eileen Swarthout
Vancouver City Councilmember Diana Perez
Edmonds School Board Member Carin Chase
Federal Way School Board Member Luckisha Phillips
Kennewick School Board Member Ron Mabry
Kennewick School Board Member Diane Sundvik
Tacoma School Board Member Chelsea McElroy
King County Conservation District Board of Supervisors Chair Kirstin Haugen
Former Yakama Tribal Councilmember Asa Washines
Former Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark
Former Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson
Former State Senator David Frockt
Former State Senator Adam Kline
Former State Senator Kevin Ranker
Former State Senator Debbie Regala
Former State Representative Laurie Dolan
Former State Representative Deb Eddy
Former State Representative Jesse Johnson
Former State Representative Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney
Former State Representative Ruth Kagi
Former State Representative Betty Sue Morris
Former State Representative Busse Nutley
Former State Representative Tim Probst
Former State Representative Sandra Romero
Former State Representative Larry Seaquist
Former State Representative Gael Tarleton
Former State Representative Deb Wallace
Former Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Andy Miller
Former Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney Adam Cornell
Former San Juan County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord
Former Thurston County Prosecutor Ed Holm
Former Clark County Commissioner John Magnano
Former Clark County Treasurer Doug Lasher
Former Clark County Councilmember Temple Lentz
Former King County Councilmember Larry Gossett
Former Burien Mayor Brian Bennett
Former Lacey Mayor Mark Brown
Former Lacey Mayor Jon Halvorson
Former Lacey Mayor Graeme Sackrison
Former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels
Former Shelton Mayor and Shelton City Commissioner Jim Lowery
Former Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard
Former Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt
Former Lacey Deputy Mayor Cynthia Pratt
Former Pierce County Councilmember Tim Farrell
Former Des Moines City Councilmember Luisa Bangs
Former Lacey City Councilmember Bob Jensen
Former Longview City Councilmember Ken Botero
Former Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Former Seattle City Councilmember David Della
Former Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes
Former Sedro-Woolley City Councilmember Karl de Jong
Former Shoreline City Councilmember Janet Way
Former Vancouver City Councilmember Pay Jollota
Former Washougal Councilmember Joyce Lindsay
Former State Labor Council President Rick Bender
Former State Labor Council President Jeff Johnson
Former State Democratic Party Chair and King County Councilmember Dwight Pelz
Former State Democratic Party Chair Paul Berendt
Former Mabton Police Chief Raul Almeida
Former Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best
Additional Information
To contribute via check, please address to:
Bob Ferguson for Governor Exploratory Committee (D)
PO Box 22169
Seattle, WA 98122
Website: https://www.bobferguson.com/
SOURCE: PAID FOR BY BOB FERGUSON FOR GOVERNOR EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE (D), PO Box 22169 Seattle, WA 98122
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
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