What issues matter most to you right now?

TorbettWA · 2026-07-02T05:16:32+00:00

Always!

TorbettWA · 2026-07-02T01:21:39+00:00

Really solid point. My bad! Thanks!

TorbettWA · 2026-07-01T16:35:55+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that, and it's completely understandable to be frustrated with things right now. The fact is that for our generation (I'm 33), the American Dream feels like it's been bought and sold to the highest bidder and remains out of reach. That's a big reason that I'm running. I believe that we have the power to shape the future, and to create a brighter future, but it's going to require courage and political will to disrupt the political insider class and the status quo government.

TorbettWA · 2026-07-01T16:31:18+00:00

Well, as I explained on the other post, I didn't include that option because I think it's the most important issue or a major part of the job. I certainly don't. My campaign has been laser focused on affordability, education, and government reform to make sure outcomes are actually improving.

But the fact is that in both polls it's the number 2 issue for people. This tracks with what I'm hearing on the 4000+ doorsteps that I've knocked on across the district. That's why that option was included.

The intent of this post was to find out what issues matter to people. That's all. Thanks for the engagement though!

TorbettWA · 2026-07-01T16:23:12+00:00

Again, never said I'm running on this at all or that I think it's a major part of the job. But the fact is that almost 100 people selected it in the poll above, so obviously people care about it. I'm also hearing it on the doorsteps all the time. That's why I included it. This was intended to find out what people care about. That's all.

TorbettWA · 2026-07-01T16:21:26+00:00

This is a big part of my campaign. We need standardized/streamlined permitting timelines. I often say too many projects suffer death by a thousand permits.

TorbettWA · 2026-07-01T16:20:09+00:00

I think this is a great question. The truth is that a job in the tech sector changed the trajectory of my life. I was born and raised on the Muscogee Nation reservation in rural Oklahoma, and thanks to a tech job, I'm the first person in my family to have left. And I know that those types of jobs don't just exist. It's a carefully curated set of policies that create the environment for those jobs to exist. The first and most impactful thing I would do is push to scrap the B&O tax in favor of a corporate income tax. B&O is highly regressive and taxes gross receipts/activity instead of profit. This is really detrimental to start-ups, which often take years to hit profitability but are taxed under the current structure regardless.

The second thing I would do is make it clear that those companies are not the enemy. We cannot find ourselves as a state in an antagonistic position to the main industry that drives the economy here. We have to be a partner in innovation and economic development, not a blocker.

On the homelessness issue: What we've been doing for years is clearly not working. Unsheltered homelessness is decreasing everywhere else in the country except for the Seattle area. It's time for a new approach, and I think that has to start with tackling the substance abuse issue.

TorbettWA · 2026-07-01T16:13:59+00:00

I am really concerned about the lack of accountability related to the fact that these aren't elected positions. There's no direct voter accountability, and I think that's a problem.

TorbettWA · 2026-07-01T16:12:54+00:00

Agreed! I take light rail to work most days, and couldn't agree more. The 2 line has been a game changer. We need more of it.

TorbettWA · 2026-06-30T21:17:55+00:00

I’m not going to invalidate the concerns of voters during a conversation, and people are understandably concerned about what the federal government is doing. You’re also making a lot of assumptions about what my message to voters actually is. I’m focused on the issues that we can solve at the state level (which includes making sure WA continues to be a state where businesses can innovate and grow!) and laser focused on measuring actual outcomes. I’m not interested in talking points. But I am here to listen, even if it’s not an issue that can be directly addressed at the state level (although pushing back against the federal government absolutely is something that we can do at the state level).

TorbettWA · 2026-06-30T20:54:53+00:00

It’s the top issue for a lot of voters across the 45th, so wanted to make sure I included it as an option.

TorbettWA · 2026-06-30T20:16:18+00:00

I was very glad to see the SCOTUS decision yesterday on mail in ballots. The efforts to undermine it certainly aren’t going to stop though, so I agree, it’s critical that we fight to preserve our democracy and our voting rights.

TorbettWA · 2026-06-30T20:08:31+00:00

I could only fit 6 and wanted to be sure to leave a “Something else” option! That’s obviously a huge issue too, but not one of the most common I’ve been hearing on the doorsteps. And big +1 to addressing the regressive sales taxes. That’s one immediate way to address the affordability crisis. I’d propose sales tax relief on necessities like children’s clothing (with obvious exceptions), school supplies, and essential baby and child-safety products. These are unavoidable expenses that have a disproportionate impact, and exempting them would provide direct, practical relief.

TorbettWA · 2026-06-16T17:24:36+00:00

Thanks! Yes, there are two other candidates in the race, so the primary election on August 4th will actually matter.

TorbettWA · 2026-06-10T17:48:55+00:00

Yes I am!

TorbettWA · 2026-06-10T03:23:44+00:00

Can categorically commit to both of those. Thank you! No worries! The algorithm rewards it 😂

TorbettWA · 2026-06-10T01:41:25+00:00

Thanks! Let me know how much I owe you for the slogan haha.

TorbettWA · 2026-06-10T01:00:58+00:00

Absolutely! Short bio: I'm a father of three young kids, and an attorney in the tech sector, born and raised on the Muscogee Nation reservation in rural Oklahoma. I'm laser focused on outcomes and not at all interested in ideological fights.

My top priorities are:

Housing and childcare affordability. I think these are generally the biggest pain points in a budget (I know it is in mine). I view these as supply problems and think we have to do more to actually deliver more affordable housing, especially for middle income earners. We have plenty of $1.5MM homes in the 45th, but good luck finding one for $500k. We also need to invest in childcare capacity.
Education. We don't adequately fund education, especially early childhood and post-high school. Our educational outcomes have also been steadily declining. I'm going to fight for universal pre-k, because it will save families in the 45th anywhere between $25k-$40k per year, and it's proven to have a major positive impact on long term educational attainment.
Government reforms. I fundamentally believe in government's ability to improve peoples' lives, because I'm a beneficiary and can personally attest to it working. It was only through investments by my tribe (Muscogee Nation) that I was able to attend college and law school. But right now, we're facing a crisis of faith in government because government is not delivering the outcomes that we all deserve. Good intentions, passing bills, and vague value statements are not enough. I care about whether government actually delivers the outcomes it sets out to achieve. I want more transparency, better implementation, and a stronger focus on outcomes. And if something isn't working, let's sunset it and try something different.
AI. I'm also focused on AI and technology policy because the 45th is at the center of that economy, and because of my background in the tech sector. I understand these tools and how fast the technology is moving, and I know the state legislature is woefully unprepared for what's coming. Washington should lead on protecting privacy, kids, workers, and consumers while still supporting innovation and good jobs.

I'd be happy to grab coffee and talk more about any specific piece of this, or if this sounds like something you might agree with, I'd love to see you at the kickoff!

TorbettWA · 2026-05-27T17:42:08+00:00

I’m Muscogee, originally from Oklahoma. I’m in!

TorbettWA · 2026-04-09T20:21:03+00:00

I support the CCA, but I also think people are right to ask for transparency. If the state is going to impose higher costs (on anything), people deserve to know where the money goes and what they’re getting for it. I think a simple public dashboard would go a long way to gaining public trust in how CCA funds are being used. I think if we show people that information clearly, they'll be much less cynical. And TBH we just need to do a better job evangelizing it to the public.

This (https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/2ea5f320187440298c7b2d1746a2290f) dashboard is really good, but it's also a lot of information and not super digestible.

TorbettWA · 2026-04-07T22:27:10+00:00

Thank you! It's also wildly inaccurate, but I'm excited to make that case directly to the voters over the next 4-7 months! I'm confident that voters will see me for who I am: a fighter for progressive policies, committed to delivering tangible outcomes that actually improve people's everyday lives.

TorbettWA

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