Gov. Christine Gregoire praised 34th Legislative District Democrats last week for electing state Sen. Eric Poulsen and Reps. Eileen Cody and Joe McDermott.
"This is one dynamite team that you are blessed to have working for you," Gregoire told party members on July 11 at their 2006 Campaign Kickoff at South Seattle Community College.
"The entire state of Washington should be proud of you" for sending the trio to the Legislature.
"It's kind of hard anywhere in Washington to find this combination of issue leadership and just plain courageous leadership," the governor added, urging partisans at the rally to re-elect them.
With Democrats like Poulsen, Cody and McDermott in the Legislature, Gregoire declared, "There is no issue we are not willing to take on. There is no courageous stand we are not willing to take on."
Citing Poulsen's leadership on environmental issues statewide, Cody's work on health care legislation and McDermott's efforts on a variety of education and social legislation, she said "this team played a big role" in making the 2006 Legislature "the best short session in the state of Washington."
But, Gregoire continued, challenges await the 2007 legislative session.
"All families of Washington deserve living-wage jobs with health care and retirement," she said. "Prior budget cuts were made without compassion ... the people in the state of Washington deserve a whole lot better."
Looking ahead, Gregoire indicated that early education tops her list of legislative priorities for next year.
"We want world-class, seamless education" for grades K-12," she said.
Another of her concerns is "600,000 [state residents] without health care." Granting them coverage is "the right thing to do ... we are about to make that happen as well."
And, Gregoire said, "here comes Washington state" as a leader in developing alternative fuels with the first biodiesel refinery in the world and a growing life-sciences industry.
"We want to make this the most economically competitive state in the nation and the world....
"Keep the momentum going," she challenged the local Democrats. "Build on what we have with this team."
Currently, Poulsen, Cody and McDermott all are running unopposed this year.
