Seattle Times endorses Pramila Jayapal for fifth term in US House

Washington state’s leading daily says “Jayapal has been a progressive voice for the people of Washington for years”

By Arun Kumar

Washington state’s leading daily, the Seattle Times, has endorsed Indian American lawmaker Pramila Jayapal, seeking a fifth term from the state’s 7th Congressional District, saying she “stands above” three other candidates in the fray.

“At such an important time in the nation’s history and for its future, the experience, knowledge and passion of incumbent Pramila Jayapal would best serve the people of that district,” the newspaper’s editorial board wrote.

“Seattle is a vibrant, progressive, ever-evolving city — and The Seattle Times is a huge part of why,” Jayapal, who became the first Indian American woman to serve in the US House of Representatives, posted on X. “I’m proud to call this community home, and proud to receive the endorsement of the Seattle Times.”

Noting that “Jayapal has been a progressive voice for the people of Washington for years,” the Times wrote, “she has been a force when it comes to abortion rights, job creation, immigration and protecting the privacy of pharmacy customers.”

“With abortion, Jayapal immediately came to the defense of those who are directly affected by the Supreme Court’s decision to the reverse Roe v. Wade, and even publicly shared her personal story of abortion.”

“With job creation, Jayapal, as a member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, supported the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, intended to boost domestic research and production of semiconductors, a deficiency that was unveiled during the COVID-19 pandemic,” it noted.

READ: Pramila Jayapal, other Indian American lawmakers condemn Republicans for blocking contraception bill (June 11, 2024)

“She also called out the program when it was discovered after the bill was passed that much of the decision making in the allocation of the bill’s $53 billion was being made by the Commerce Department and Wall Street financiers,” the daily stated.

In regards to the Israel-Hamas war, Jayapal told The Times editorial board that she believes Israel has the right to defend itself, but said the US could have done more in the war, earlier.

“We should have been able to use our leverage early as the United States to get humanitarian assistance in,” she said citing the US as the second largest funder for military assistance to Israel.

“We need to pressure Israel and Hamas to come to the table,” said Jayapal, who founded Hate Free Zone — now called OneAmerica — after the terrorist attacks of Sep 11, 2001.

She was among the first to call for a cease-fire and for the immediate release of all hostages, the daily noted.

As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, where she serves as ranking member of the subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, Jayapal, who moved to the US as a teen, said immigration “is the why as in why I came to Congress.”

She has been critical of the funding of immigration services such as for immigration judges. “We have allowed the immigration system to remain out there as a broken system,” she said. “We need an orderly process. We need to increase resources.”

Most recently she called President Joe Biden’s executive order that adds more restrictions to those seeking asylum along the southern border “extremely disappointing.” She said people should be able to seek asylum anywhere along the border, not just at ports of entry.

Three other candidates — Dan Alexander, Cliff Moon and Elizabeth Hallock — “lack the depth of knowledge on key issues,” the daily stated.

“We are at a pivotal point of our democracy,” said Jayapal. “She’s right. And for that reason, along with her status in Congress and fierceness to stand up for what she believes — even against fellow Democrats — she should be returned to Congress,” the Seattle Times stated.