Last Washington Supreme Court race. Position 4. Sean O’Donnell v Ian Birk.
I’d actually rather see Charles Johnson not retire and stick around. At least he supported the dissent on the natural gas initiative.
This is the toughest race for me. There are positives and negatives for O’Donnell, but Birk looks like he might be another Bob Ferguson hack, but not on the same level as others.
Funding… it’s the most expensive of the five races.
Birk 447,575
O’Donnell 359,938
IAN BIRK was appointed to the court of appeals in 2022. He’s backed by Inslee, Ferguson, Nick Brown, Pramila Jayapal and unions. His statement: “I’m proud to be the only candidate in this position with statewide judicial experience and an appellate track record demonstrating respect for the rule of law, its impacts on communities, and all people we serve. With my background representing everyday Washingtonians, I will bring a unique perspective to the Supreme Court, where I’ll continue authoring opinions that are independent, fair, and grounded in shared values.”
You’d think his rulings should be grounded in the constitution or law, and I’m not sure what “shared values” means. His endorsements include Nick Brown, several Supreme Court justices and Jayapal.
SEAN O’DONNELL has been on the King County Superior Court since 2012. His statement: “I know the role the law plays to protect and serve us all. I began my legal career helping bring the Green River Killer to justice. As Chief Family Law Judge, I helped start a protection order court that resulted in hundreds of firearms being surrendered by people who committed acts of domestic violence. We live in unprecedented times for our democracy. As a Justice, I will defend our rights and the Constitution, maintain impartiality, and always remember that my rulings affect real people.”
This doesn’t give me a lot of confidence either. I hesitate to vote for someone supported by Christine Gregoire and Dave Upthegrove, but he’s also received donations from Rob McKenna.
I’d vote for either of these two over any of Stephens, Melody, Hawk or Angelis, but neither are as good of candidates as Stevens, Larson, Bloom or Edwards.
I lean for O’Donnell and his pragmatic approach over Birk, but I’m open to ideas on this race if anyone has thoughts.