Pierce County Executive

Pierce County Councilmember Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup) added yet another endorsement to his list of backers. The campaign announced today that the 25th Legislative District Democrats, from Puyallup, Fife, Milton and Edgewood, issued a sole endorsement to Goings at their monthly meeting last week.

"The 25th Democrats are proud to give our sole endorsement to Calvin Goings. His leadership in the private sector and his hands on experience dealing with the key issues facing Pierce County are critical to our future," said Lauren Adler, Chair of the 25th District Democrats.

Pierce County Councilmember Calvin Goings added another environmental group's backing today in his campaign for Pierce County executive when he gained the sole endorsement of the local Sierra Club.

"We believe Calvin Goings best understands the environmental challenges in Pierce County and will provide the leadership necessary to meet them head-on," said Bliss Moore, Chair of the Sierra Club Tatoosh Group.

Goings was also endorsed by the Washington Conservation Voters in July, and remains the only candidate in the executive race with the support of an environmental advocacy group.

A proposed ballot measure intending to raise property taxes in Pierce County to protect farm and conservation land was Pierce County Councilman Shawn Bunneykilled in committee Monday in the Pierce County Council. The bill, which would have raised tax by a few cents per every $1,000 of assessed property value, was proposed by Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg.

But two of those who killed the measure, Councilmembers Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup) and Shawn Bunney (R-Lake Tapps), are vying to replace the outgoing Ladenburg as county executive. Going and Bunney both serve on the Rules Committee along with Council Chair Terry Lee and voted 3-0 to postpone the bill indefinitely.

‘Tis the season for campaign yard signs. With warmer weather hitting even the mild reaches of the Puget Sound and the "top two" primary just two months away, candidate yard signs have begun popping up like dandelions.

A lot of times they give a neighborhood some color and some pride, but not everywhere. Tacoma architect David Boe took offense to the spattering of Pierce County executive signs near his office in downtown Tacoma and wrote the candidates involved, Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup) and Pat McCarthy (D-Tacoma), asking them to fix what he said was an unsafe pedestrian situation caused by their signage. Peter Callaghan at the Tacoma News-Tribune has the full story, with picture, here.

The Tacoma News-Tribune is reporting that the 2nd Legislative District Democrats are taking steps to clarify their endorsement of Pierce County Councilman Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup) for Pierce County Executive. Specifically, they hope to make it clear that they have not endorsed Pierce County Auditor Pat McCarthy (D-Tacoma).

Back in January the Democrats had decided that, with respect to the county's ranked choice ballot, they were comfortable with both Goings and McCarthy campaigning and identifying as Democrats, but they preferred Goings for the post.

However, McCarthy took that decision as an "endorsement" and cited it on her website and in mailings. This angered some LD2 Democrats, and they met on Monday to clarify their position. See an excerpt from their press release below.

The Master Builders Association endorsed Pat McCarthy for Pierce County Executive yesterday, according to the Tacoma News-Tribune.

The Board of Directors of the Master Builders Association of Pierce County has voted to endorse Pat McCarthy for Pierce County Executive. The MBA is a trade association made up of more than a thousand companies representing over 10,000 employees in Pierce County, and advocates for affordable housing.

"After interviewing all of the Pierce County Executive candidates, the MBA felt that Ms. McCarthy's experience, accomplishments, and administrative abilities brought her to the top of the list," MBA President Duke York said in a press release. "Pierce County needs an Executive who will ensure efficient, responsive and responsible performance from regulatory departments while continuing to improve Pierce County's economic outlook."

Tacoma City Councilman Mike Lonergan has declared his intention to stay in the race for Pierce County Executive as an independent candidate, despite having failed in his bid to become the Republican candidate at the Pierce County GOP convention a week ago.

He had this to say in a release about his chances in the upcoming "ranked choice" vote that will be taking place for Pierce County-wide elections.

Tacoma City Councilman and Pierce County Executive candidate Mike Lonergan, who initially announced he would run as an independent, has decided to instead seek the Republican nomination to the post. This decision comes just one day before tomorrow's Pierce County Republican convention and undoubtedly comes as a reaction to the Top Two primary ruling.

The main points of his message is below, from a release.  read more »