Washington’s Dirty Dozen: Modeled after LCV Victory Fund’s federal Dirty Dozen, the Dirty Dozen WA highlights up to 12 of the worst candidates for the environment and environmental justice on the 2026 General Election ballot in November.
Washington voters deserve to know where candidates stand on protecting our environment and democracy. The Washington Dirty Dozen highlights candidates whose records, votes, and public statements raise serious concerns for environmental protection, environmental justice, climate action, and the integrity of our elections.
From the legislature to county government, these candidates have opposed environmental protections, sided against climate action, promoted policies that undermine Washington’s environmental progress, or advanced attacks on Washington’s free and fair elections.
These are not abstract issues. The people elected this November will make decisions about clean air and water, climate pollution, transit, public lands, and the administration of our elections.
Initiative 645
Washington state has the second most regressive tax system in the nation. That means that low-income and working-class people pay a higher share in taxes compared to those at the top. Washington’s tax system is not only unfair, but it fluctuates dramatically, putting essential government programs and projects at risk. When the state budget is in decline, environmental spending is at the front of the line and often cut at a higher rate than other areas of state government. Less funding for the environment means less work in communities to reduce pollution, restore habitat, protect public health, and be responsible resource managers.
Initiative 645 would repeal the Millionaires Tax, making the threat of funding cuts to environmental programs more likely and adding more unfair tax burdens on those who work hard to make ends meet.
Vote NO on I-645.
Stephanie McClintock (R) — 18th LD, House Position 1
Stephanie McClintock has a 10% lifetime score on Washington Conservation Action’s Legislative Scorecard, and has consistently opposed legislation targeting industrial pollution and holding polluters accountable. In 2021, she voted against the Climate Commitment Act and, in 2024, she also voted against key bills focused on closing loopholes and holding major industrial polluters accountable. In 2026, she voted against a bill that would have regulated data centers by protecting rate payers from footing the bill for new data centers, requiring disclosure of pollution releases as well as energy and water use, and supporting public safety in the event of an energy emergency.
Washington Conservation Action has endorsed environmental champion Randi Knott (D) for 18th LD Representative Position 1.
John Ley (R) — 18th LD, House Position 2
Climate change denier and convicted voter-law violator John Ley is running again for 18th LD house representative. In 2018, Ley wrote on his campaign Facebook page that “the global warming scare is basically a hoax,” while promoting claims that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) manipulated temperature data. In 2022, his campaign page shared an article claiming Arctic ice levels disproved climate change, which Facebook flagged as “partly false information.” Ley further answered a candidate questionnaire saying there’s “no evidence” humans cause climate change and that the science is not “settled.” Ley’s disrespect of climate science extends to his disrespect for democracy and Washington’s voting laws. In 2022, officials challenged his voter registration after he listed a Battle Ground address while maintaining a longtime home in Camas. A judge ruled him ineligible for the 2022 legislative race. Ley was later charged with two felonies related to his voter registration and candidacy. In 2025, Ley pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors related to voter-registration violations.
Washington Conservation Action has endorsed environmental champion Deken Letinich (D) for 18th LD Representative Position 2.
Kevin Waters (R)— 17th LD, House Position 1
Kevin Waters has a long record of opposing both climate and voting-rights protections. He voted against legislation strengthening Washington’s Clean Fuels Program, enforcing climate requirements for fossil-fuel suppliers, regulating large data centers, and applying state climate rules to Washington’s remaining coal plant. Waters also sponsored a bill which would have eliminated Washington’s vote-by-mail system and increased barriers to voting in rural communities. Following Trump’s lead on the anti-voter SAVE ACT, he sponsored a bill which would have needlessly required voters to provide a passport, naturalization certificate, or certified birth certificate to simply register to vote.
Washington Conservation Action has endorsed environmental champion Ben Christly (D) for 17th LD Representative Position 1.
David Stuebe (R)— 17th LD, House Position 2
David Stuebe has repeatedly voted against Washington’s climate and clean-energy policies. In 2025 and 2026, he voted against legislation strengthening the Climate Commitment Act, expanding clean-fuels requirements, reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from hydrofluorocarbons, requiring statewide emissions reporting, and strengthening clean-building standards. Stuebe has also opposed environmental regulations to protect Washington’s waters and salmon. In 2026, he signed a “do not pass” committee recommendation to reject legislation that would have phased out a toxic tire chemical linked to salmon deaths.
Washington Conservation Action has endorsed environmental champion Diana Perez (D) for 17th LD Representative Position 2.
Gloria Mendoza (R) — 14th LD, House Position 1
Gloria Mendoza has repeatedly opposed Washington’s climate and environmental protections. She signed committee recommendations to reject legislation strengthening the Clean Fuels Program and banning the toxic tire chemical 6PPD, which threatens salmon populations. In 2026, she voted against HB 2515, which would regulate large data centers, and HB 2367, which ended special treatment of Washington’s last coal plant. Gloria Mendoza’s campaign has also taken thousands of dollars from oil, energy, and utility interests while she has opposed Washington’s climate agenda. Her donors include the Washington Oil Marketers Association PAC, the Western States Petroleum Association-affiliated Affordable Reliable Energy Future PAC, and Marathon Petroleum.
Washington Conservation Action has endorsed environmental champion Chelsea Dimas (D) for 14th LD Representative Position 1.
Deb Manjarrez (R) — 14th LD, House Position 2
Deb Manjarrez has repeatedly opposed Washington’s climate and environmental protections. She voted against strengthening the Climate Commitment Act, opposed the Clean Fuels Program, and voted against legislation to phase out 6PPD, a toxic tire chemical linked to salmon deaths. As a member of the House Environment & Energy Committee she also opposed a bill which sought to address the enormous energy and water demands of the growing data-center industry. Deb Manjarrez has benefited from significant support from the oil and energy industries. Her campaign received thousands in donations from Affordable Reliable Energy Future PAC, and Marathon Petroleum.
Washington Conservation Action has endorsed environmental champion Ezequiel Morfin (D) for 14th LD Representative Position 2.
Drew MacEwen (R) — 35th LD, Senate
Drew MacEwen has a 6% lifetime score on Washington Conservation Action’s Legislative Scorecard, and has been a consistent opponent of climate action. In 2021, he voted against the Clean Fuels Standard and the Climate Commitment Act. He has also used his position as ranking Republican on the Environment, Energy and Technology Committee to oppose clean recycling reform. In 2024, MacEwen furthered his opposition to climate protections by calling for the repeal of the Climate Commitment Act, Washington’s landmark law to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and support communities. MacEwen has also been a consistent opponent of voting rights, voting against legislation strengthening Washington’s Voting Rights Act by requiring preclearance of certain local election changes to protect against racial discrimination.
Washington Conservation Action has endorsed environmental champion Carolina Mejia (D) for 35th LD Senator.
Eileen Quiring O’Brien — Clark County Auditor
Eileen Quiring O’Brien is running for Clark County Auditor, a position responsible for administering elections and issuing marriage licenses, despite a documented record of questioning election results and opposing same-sex marriage. O’Brein regularly posts election conspiracy theories on social media and claimed to be “neutral” when asked if she agreed that President Biden won the 2020 election in our 2026 endorsement questionnaire.
In addition to denying our elections, O’Brein has denied the existence of systemic racism. In June 2020, while chair of the Clark County Council, O’Brien said, “I do not agree that we have systemic racism in our county. Period.” She previously served in the Oregon Legislature, where she opposed same-sex marriage, and when asked during her 2026 Auditor campaign, if she would issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in accordance with Washington law she initially responded that she would “have to think about it.” Treating Washington’s residents equally under the law and the facts of the 2020 election cannot be up for debate for Clark County’s Auditor.
Washington Conservation Action has endorsed Mitchell Kelly for Clark County Auditor.
Michelle Belkot — Clark County Council, Position 2
Michelle Belkot has built her political record around opposing major public investments in transit and climate-related infrastructure. She has been a vocal opponent of light rail and public transit as a component of the I-5 Bridge replacement’s emissions-reduction and multimodal transportation strategy. Michelle Belkot has also repeatedly sided with development interests over environmental and growth-management safeguards. In 2024, she voted to keep the Chelatchie Bluff surface-mining overlay in place despite the county being found out of compliance with the Growth Management Act and already losing the county $2.9 million in grants for noncompliance.
Washington Conservation Action has endorsed environmental champion John Zingale for Clark County Council Position 2.
Steve Duenkel (R) — Mason County Auditor
Mason County Auditor Steve Duenkel is running to oversee Mason County’s elections despite his dangerous history of election denialism and promoting Trump’s lies regarding election security. Duenkel has repeatedly questioned the results of the 2020 election saying, “there’s lots of questions about what happened in 2020.” In a 2023 interview, he refused to say whether Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. Instead of acknowledging the reality of Trump’s 2020 defeat, he joined an infamous election conspiracist in a door-to-door effort to hunt for voter fraud, promoted the right-wing propaganda film 2000 Mules, which advanced unproven and discredited claims of widespread ballot tampering, and questioned the use of Washington’s vote-by-mail system.
Washington Conservation Action has endorsed Tamra Ingwaldson (D) for Mason County Auditor.
Dan Griffey (R) — 35th LD, House Position 1
Dan Griffey has a 9% score on Washington Conservation Action’s Legislative Scorecard, reflecting a long record of voting against Washington’s climate and environmental priorities. He voted against the Climate Commitment Act and Clean Fuels Program in 2021, opposed legislation strengthening the Clean Fuels Program in 2025, and voted against legislation enforcing the Climate Commitment Act for fuel suppliers. In 2026, Griffey also voted against legislation strengthening compliance with Washington’s Voting Rights Act.
Washington Conservation Action has endorsed environmental champion Jim Pierson (D) for 35th LD Representative Position 1.
No candidate authorized this ad. It is paid for by WA Conservation Action Votes, 1417 Fourth Ave Suite 800, Seattle, WA 98101. Top 5 Contributors: ST Impact LLC, WA Conservation Action, Ellen Ferguson, Sarah Merner, Craig McKibben.
