Q&A with State Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe

Rosemary McAuliffe

By Doug Petrowski

Editor’s note: This is another in a series of questions and answers with the Washington State legislative candidates whose districts include part of Mountlake Terrace.

Democrat Rosemary McAuliffe is a four-term state Senator running for re-election in District 1. She is being challenged by Guy Palumbo (D) and Dawn McCravey (R) in what is expected to be a very close race. The top two-vote getters from the Aug. 7 primary election will face off in November for the State Senate seat.

Q: Why are you seeking re-election?

A: I am seeking re-election because I have the experience and enthusiasm to work tirelessly for the people of the 1st legislative district. As a mother, grandmother, former school board member and award-winning legislator, I have made a powerful impact on education in Washington state.

Q: What work as a legislator are you most proud of from your past term?

A: The work I am most proud of is the growth of STEM; science, technology, math and science programs in our schools. I have been a leader in the growth of STEM, hands on learning programs in our elementary, middle, and high schools. Our middle school STEM programs grew from five certified teachers in STEM to over 600 certified STEM teachers today because I secured Basic Education Funding to grow these programs and scholarships for teacher’s certifications. I worked to secure grants to fund new and updated career and technical education in middle and high schools in Washington.

Q: Has redistricting made the task of running for re-election more difficult?

A: Redistricting has not made a negative impact on my campaign efforts for re-election because many of our voters have been living and working in the 1st District prior to the last redistricting. I feel that I know what the people of the 1st District value and in turn they know who I am.

Q: Are you in favor of increasing the contribution that state union members pay for their health care benefits from the current 15 percent closer to the average of 25 percent that workers in the private sector pay?

A: This question requires a thoughtful discussion.

Q: Do you support Initiative 502, the legalization of small amounts of marijuana?

A: I support access to medical marijuana for those who need to obtain it for medical purposes.

Q: Do you support the state’s recently passed same-sex marriage law or do you favor changing the law to defining marriage in Washington state to between “one man and one woman?”

?A: I voted for the same-sex marriage law and was proud to have the opportunity to enable all people to be equal under our laws. It was important to allow religious organizations to have the choice to perform same sex marriages.

  1. It sounds like politician speech. Did the good senator actually answer those questions? She’s for medical pot but the question was if she supported I502. She completely punted on the union health insurance question. Probably because they fund her campaigns.

    Typical politican

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Real first and last names — as well as city of residence — are required for all commenters.
This is so we can verify your identity before approving your comment.

By commenting here you agree to abide by our Code of Conduct. Please read our code at the bottom of this page before commenting.