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2026 Endorsed Champions

Leading the Fight for Children, Youth & Families

Congratulations to the Children's Campaign Fund 2026 Endorsed Candidates! These leaders have earned the Children's Campaign Fund's endorsement for their commitment to transformational policies that uplift children, youth, and families.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 1

Davina Duerr

Rep. Duerr has been a stalwart supporter for children, youth, and family policy issues. Her support as Committee Chair of Local Government was instrumental in passing zoning legislation that made it easier to build child care centers. We are looking forward to more collaboration with Rep. Duerr!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 1

Shelley Kloba

In our conversations with Rep. Kloba, her priority is clear: Washington families. Her advocacy for kids and families drove her path to the legislature, and she always tries to think about policies through the lens of children. We are enthusiastic about what we'll accomplish together.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 3

Natasha Hill

Rep. Hill has been a tremendous ally for children across Washington state. Her dedication and advocacy to protect the most vulnerable and ensure families have access to what they need is exactly what we need in the legislature.

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 3

Luc Jasmin III

As a child care center owner, Luc Jasmin will be an essential voice in the legislature. He will be a critical champion for early learning, and we are thrilled to support him!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 5

Lisa Callan

Rep. Callan is a fantastic advocate for children, youth, and families. As the primary author of Washington Thriving and a strong champion of the Early Learning Facilities Fund, she has proven to work hard on behalf of Washington’s children. Thank you for your steadfast work!

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 10

Clyde Shavers

Rep. Shavers is a strong ally for children, youth and families and represents his district well. We are eager to continue to work with him to pass good policy solutions to ensure all children in Washington have what they need to thrive.

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 10

Dave Paul

We believe in Rep. Paul to bring people together to create a thriving Washington for our youth. Rep. Paul’s work to make college more accessible and affordable for students lowers the barrier to entry for child care providers. We look forward to sending Rep. Paul back to Olympia to keep working!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 11

Steve Bergquist

Rep. Bergquist rose to the challenge of Chairing the House Early Learning Committee in a difficult year. We appreciate his dedication to preserving child care funding and working to secure the Ballmer Group funding for ECEAP expansion!

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 11

David Hackney

In difficult financial times for the state, Rep. Hackney understands that budgets are moral documents. We believe he will continue to guide the state in prioritizing critical programs for children, youth, and families.

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 12

Mike Steele

Rep. Steele has time and time again gone to bat for early childhood issues. He voted for the Fair Start for Kids Act in 2021 and has continued to be an ally for child care.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 13

Tom Dent

Rep. Dent understands the importance of keeping as many child care providers in the early learning field as possible. He is an important ally to make the business of child care feasible.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 14

Chelsea Dimas

Chelsea Dimas will fight tirelessly for every child to have access to high-quality early learning, as it is a core value of hers. With deep connections to the community, we are excited to support Chelsea and send her to Olympia!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 14

Ezequiel Morfin

Ezequiel Morfin is a dedicated community leader who understands the needs of families in his district. We look forward to seeing what he accomplishes in the legislature!

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 17

Ben Christly

Ben has been involved in his district for many years and has a superpower of listening to his neighbors. He knows that good starts for children are essential to have productive members of society.

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 17

Diana H. Perez

Diana has an impressive background in equity and elevating child care as a priority in her community. Her work in engaging stakeholders and elevating child care will be a value-add for the legislature.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 18

Randi L. Knott

As a parent, Randi knows firsthand the high costs of child care. Her depth of knowledge and connections with her district will serve her well in the legislature.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 21

Strom Peterson

We look forward to working with Rep. Peterson to find ways to make child care more accessible for families, particularly through opening more facilities.

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 21

Lillian Ortiz Self, CCF Evergreen Champion

Rep. Ortiz-Self has been a tireless champion for child care providers and the families they serve — leading on HB 2219 and fighting to preserve critical child care funding in the state budget. Her leadership ensures that children across Washington have access to the quality care and early learning opportunities they deserve.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 22

Beth Doglio

Rep. Doglio is a strong advocate for early learning, particularly as she helped shepherd a child care facility for state employees in Olympia. She has consistently shown her priority are the families in her district, and we anticipate more great policies to work on with her!

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 23

Tarra Simmons

Rep. Simmons is a tenacious advocate for Washington’s most vulnerable, especially children, youth, and families. We are glad to have her on our side!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 23

Greg Nance

Former CCF House Freshman of the Year, Rep. Nance continues to impress us with his dedication to early learning. He has brilliantly championed our issues in the legislature, and we can’t wait to continue our work together.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 24

Adam Bernbaum

Rep. Bernbaum is a brilliant strategist for how to get things done in Olympia. We are thrilled to work with him on the Early Learning Committee and are excited to support him as he continues to fight hard for early learning!

State Senator

Legislative District 26

Deborah Krishnadasan

With an impressive background working in public schools, Sen. Krishnadasan knows the importance of prioritizing our youth. We believe she will continue to promote policies that will benefit our children.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 26

Adison Richards

Rep. Richard’s dedication to finding more ways to increase the supply of child care is the right framing to create a more stable system. We look forward to having him back in Olympia!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 26

Renee Hernandez Greenfield

We are thrilled to support Renee for House, who has a long resume championing early learning. Her immersive knowledge of what families and providers need will be an invaluable resource for the legislature.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 27

Laurie Jinkins

Speaker Jinkins has been an incredible ally and steadfast supporter of early learning. She knows that the biggest thing our state has done was pass the Fair Start for Kids Act, and now the biggest challenge is sticking to it. Join us in supporting her to finish the job!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 27

Jake Fey

Rep. Fey’s work championing homeless students and ensuring stability for a population that faces much instability is tremendous. We look forward to working with him to ensure policies are family-friendly and equitable.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 28

Mari Leavitt

Rep. Leavitt’s work on ECEAP expansion to military families in the last session was a huge step forward in helping our service men and women access essential care. We anticipate more innovative policy solutions from Rep. Leavitt!

State Senator

Legislative District 29

Sharlett Mena

As a member of the House, Rep. Mena was a solid supporter of our priorities. We are excited to work with her in the Senate to advance legislation for children, youth, and families.

Senate

Legislative District 30

Claire Wilson, CCF Senate Champion

As Vice-Chair of the Senate Early Learning Committee, Senator Wilson has been a steadfast leader for child care providers and the families they serve. She fights hard to preserve critical funding and ensuring Washington's youngest learners get the strong start they deserve.

Senate

Legislative District 32

Cindy Ryu

In the House, Rep. Ryu was a consistent supporter for children, youth, and family policies. If she advances in the Senate, we would love to work with her to create a Washington where every family has what they need to thrive.

Senate

Legislative District 32

Jesse Salomon

Sen. Salomon is a strong advocate for our priorities. His dedication to child care, child welfare, and other pro-kids policies are noteworthy. If he returns to Olympia, we would be glad to work with him.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 32

Danica Noble

Danica is a promising candidate from the 32nd. While all candidates are impressive, Danica rose above the rest with her dedication to children’s well being.

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 32

Lauren Davis

Rep. Davis has worked hard to increase access to behavioral health services in her district and is a strong supporter of early learning. Let’s send Rep. Davis back to Olympia to work with her caucus to pass more policies to benefit children, youth, and families.

State Senator

Legislative District 33

Tina L. Orwall

Sen. Orwall has long been a strong champion for children, youth, and families. We look forward to continuing our partnership!

State Senator

Legislative District 34

Emily Alvarado, CCF Evergreen Champion

Senator Alvarado has been a powerful voice for child care providers and the families they serve -- championing policies that ensure every child has access to quality early learning. Her leadership in the Senate reflects a deep understanding of what families need to thrive.

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 34

Joe Fitzgibbon

Rep. Fitzgibbon’s record of ensuring our state prioritizes the needs of children and families is strong, particularly through championing the Millionaire’s Tax in the House. He clearly values strengthening our state’s programs to ensure families can have what they need to thrive.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 36

Julia Grant Reed

Rep. Reed is a strong advocate for quality education from cradle to career. We look forward to working with her to ensuring our programs are robust!

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 37

Sharon Tomiko Santos

Rep. Santos is a solid ally in ensuring we have a strong early childhood education system and K-12 work. We’re eager for her to return to Olympia to protect critical services for families.

State Senator

Legislative District 37

Chipalo Street

In the Senate, Rep. Street will continue to ensure our state budget fairly and restore funding for Fair Start for Kids. We’re excited to support his campaign and see what amazing things he accomplishes in the Senate.

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 37

Jaelynn Scott

Jaelynn is a true community leader. We are impressed by her willingness to dive deep into policies affecting her community. We look forward to seeing what she can get done in the legislature!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 38

Mary Fosse

Rep. Fosse has been a true advocate for child care providers, particularly in championing the Child Care Workforce Standards bill (HB 1128). Her dedication to serving families and children in her district makes her delightful to work with!

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 38

Julio Cortes

Rep. Cortes has championed juvenile rehabilitation efforts, which has been no easy task. We are proud to recognize his dedication and willingness to work on a multitude of issues, including as Vice Chair of the Early Learning & Human Services Committee.

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 39

Ida Keeley

As the former Chair of CCF, we couldn’t be happier to support Ida as she campaigns to succeed our Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Rep. Carolyn Eslick. Ida’s equity lens and child-first mentality has left an impact on CCF, and we hope the legislature gets to learn from her wealth of knowledge!

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 40

Debra Lekanoff

Rep. Lekanoff is a tremendous leader and invaluable member of the caucus. We appreciate her work to always include tribal members as an early partner in stakeholder engagement. We look forward to what we can accomplish in the next few cycles!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 40

Alex Ramel

As a member of Finance, Rep. Ramel has a critical role in ensuring our state has equitable fiscal policies that prioritize children, youth, and families. His critical role on passing the Millionaire's Tax is a step in the right direction to restore funding to programs like the Fair Start for Kids Act!

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 41

Janice Zahn

Rep. Zahn has worked hard to relieve the tax burden on working families and increase tax fairness. Her well-rounded view of supporting children, youth, and families aligns well with CCF’s.

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 41

My-Linh T Thai

Rep. Thai is a strong behavioral health champion as a co-author of Washington Thriving. We are excited to work with her to prioritize funding for critical programs for our children, youth, and families.

State Senate

Legislative District 42

Eamonn Collins

Eamonn impressed us with his dedication to early care and education. If elected, we would love to work with him in the legislature!

State Senate

Legislative District 42

Michael Shepard

Michael has experience working to increase access to affordable child care on a local level. We believe he would be a great addition to the legislature!

State Senator

Legislative District 43

Jamie Pedersen

As the Senate Majority Leader and author of the Millionaire’s Tax, Sen. Pedersen has advanced many priorities to fund essential services for our families. We look forward to continuing our relationship!

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 43

Nicole Macri

Rep. Macri’s depth of knowledge on policies affecting children, youth, and families is a tremendous asset to the legislature. Her willingness to work with stakeholders to find solutions is appreciated!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 44

April Berg

Rep. Berg is a big believer in child care as essential infrastructure, and it’s clear she is a champion for advancing good early learning policy. Her work in finding creative solutions to our state’s budget shortfall through the Millionaire’s Tax is noteworthy.

State Senator

Legislative District 44

John Lovick

Sen. Lovick wants to take a whole community approach to solving problems for his district. We believe in him, and we believe we can accomplish great things together!

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 44

Brandy Donaghy

Rep. Donaghy is a strong supporter for children and is willing to work with a diverse group of stakeholders to get things across the finish line. We are excited for her to return to Olympia!

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 45

Roger Goodman

Rep. Goodman is an integral member of the legislature. He understands how important the child care crisis is for the workforce, and we look forward to finding ways for child care businesses to stay open!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 45

Vanessa Kritzer

Vanessa is a particularly brilliant candidate and mom. Her breadth of knowledge on how child care affects local governments is impressive. We’re excited to see her skills as a stakeholder convener go to work in the legislature.

State Representative Pos. 1

Legislative District 46

Gerry Pollet

Rep. Pollet is a longtime advocate for children, youth, and families, particularly for special education. His work fighting on behalf of the most vulnerable children is noteworthy!

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 46

Darya Farivar

Rep. Farivar is held in high esteem by many of her colleagues as a disability rights champion. She has advanced incredible policies for children with disabilities in our state, and we look forward to continuing our relationship.

State Senator

Legislative District 46

Javier Valdez

Sen. Valdez’s heart is clearly with underserved communities, and his work in the legislature reflects this. His work to make our communities safer for children does not go unnoticed, and we look forward to more great things to come from his leadership.

State Senator

Legislative District 47

Claudia Kauffman

As Chair of Business, Trade & Economic Development and a Member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Sen. Kauffman plays a critical role at the intersection of business and child care. CCF especially appreciates her work supporting tribal foster children.

State Representative Pos 1

Legislative District 47

Debra Entenmen, CCF House Champion

When it mattered most, Rep. Entenman went to bat for Washington's families — fighting to ensure we delivered on our promise by funding early learning instead of cutting child care for those who need it most. Her commitment to equity and action has made a real difference for providers and families across our state.

State Representative Pos. 2

Legislative District 48

Amy Walen

Rep. Walen understands the need for a comprehensive child care system. We look forward to building a system that works for all Washington families with her!

info@childrenscampaignfund.org           (206) 607-2569         2226 Eastlake Ave E #1240 Seattle, WA 98102

Copyright © 2026 Children's Campaign Fund

Effective 4/2026, Children's Campaign Fund is the Doing Business As name for Children's Campaign Fund Action, a 501(c)(4) organization. CCF's affiliated PAC is now Doing Business As "Children's Campaign Victory Fund".

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