State Rep. Gerry Pollet has been a champion for education and the environment, and he has the track record to prove it.
Representing North Seattle’s 46th Legislative District, the Democrat overhauled how reading is taught in schools and increased education funding for children with disabilities, among many other accomplishments.
One of the strongest voices for open government in Olympia, Pollet was the first state lawmaker to post his calendar so voters would know how he spends his time. He also pushed for legislation that requires every public official to get training in the Open Public Meetings Act and the Public Records Act.
Even his opponent in November’s election, attorney Will Dreher, also a Democrat, conceded he respects Pollet’s accomplishments.
So why is Dreher running?
That question deserves scrutiny. Dreher says he wants to champion AI regulatory legislation, which he claims has been lacking. There’s certainly more to be done, but state lawmakers created an AI policy task force in 2024, and this year passed bills on deepfakes and set new safeguards for kids using chatbots. A bill to regulate data centers, co-sponsored by Pollet, failed this year after industry opposition.
Given this context, the $44,400 that Dreher’s campaign received from employees of AI giant Anthropic ought to raise eyebrows. OpenAI employees gave Dreher another $7,200. On his website, Dreher says these donations are from AI folks who want regulation. But maybe lawmakers could achieve that without the seeming conflict of interest.
Dreher has raised about $306,000, according to Public Disclosure Commission records. Only $58,000 comes from donors living in Washington. By comparison, about 65% of Pollet’s campaign contributions come from within the state.
Pollet is endorsed by Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates for his legislative work over the years on women’s health and reproductive freedom.
With lots of money, anyone can make an election seem competitive. But look below the surface, and the choice becomes obvious: Gerry Pollet is the best candidate for 46th Legislative District, Position 1.
