Candidate Comparison
Governor
Bob Ferguson (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
| As Attorney General, Ferguson led a coalition of attorneys general to defend the right to strike and protect workers who fight for better wages, benefits, and safer workplaces. Ferguson also defended Washington’s state law that makes it easier for workers to access the compensation benefits they have earned. [1] | Reichert voted against legislation that would strengthen workers’ freedom to organize and collectively bargain. He also voted for a bill that would weaken workers’ ability to collectively bargain with two employers who share joint control over a workplace. [4] |
| As Attorney General, Ferguson defended the Affordable Care Act, which provides affordable health insurance to more than 272,000 Washingtonians, and he supports the Inflation Reduction Act, which reduced prescription drug prices and capped seniors’ monthly insulin costs at $35. [2] | Reichert voted against the Affordable Care Act and cast multiple votes to repeal it. He also voted against allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices with drug manufacturers. [5] |
| As Attorney General, Ferguson sued large food producers for colluding to unfairly raise the price of chicken. Ferguson also partnered with the state legislature to increase the penalty for price-fixing and illegal monopolistic conduct. [3] | As a lobbyist, Reichert pushed foreign governments to adopt a controversial technology that could be used for mass surveillance. He opposes rent-hike caps that make the cost of housing more affordable. [6] |
CHECK THE FACTS:
- “AG Ferguson leads coalition of 16 states in support of workers’ rights before US Supreme Court,” 12/12/22, Atg.Wa.Gov, https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-leads-coalition-16-states-support-workers-rights-us-supreme-court;
“AG Ferguson: Washington Attorney General’s Office defends Hanford workers’ comp law at the Supreme Court today,” 4/18/22, Atg.Wa.Gov, https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-washington-attorney-general-s-office-defends-hanford-workers-comp-law;
- “AG Ferguson’s statement on latest lawsuit defending the Affordable Care Act,” 7/26/18, Atg.Wa.Gov, https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-s-statement-latest-lawsuit-defending-affordable-care-act;
“Economic growth, infrastructure, and good jobs,” accessed 9/28/24, BobFerguson.com, https://www.bobferguson.com/economicgrowth;
“Marketplace 2024 Open Enrollment Period report: final national snapshot,” 1/24/24, CMS.gov, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/marketplace-2024-open-enrollment-period-report-final-national-snapshot?mc_cid=4778a48794;
“On the first anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, millions of Medicare enrollees see savings on health care costs,” 8/16/23, HHS.gov, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/08/16/first-anniversary-inflation-reduction-act-millions-medicare-enrollees-savings-health-care-costs.html;
- Attorney General Bob Ferguson (AGOWA), 1/4/24, X.com, https://x.com/agowa/status/1742952232923062701?s=46;
“AG Ferguson’s price-fixing lawsuit nets $10.5 million for Washingtonians from Tyson Foods,” 10/24/22, Atg.Wa.Gov, https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-s-price-fixing-lawsuit-nets-105-million-washingtonians-tyson-foods;
- U.S. House, Roll Call 118, The Employee Free Choice Act, HR 800, 110th Cong., 3/1/07, Clerk.House.gov, https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll118.xml;
U.S. House, Roll Call 614, Save Local Business Act, HR 3441, 115th Cong., 11/7/17, Clerk.House.gov, https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2017614;
“The So-Called ‘Save Local Business Act’ Harms Workers and Small Businesses”, American Progress Action, 10/3/17, https://www.americanprogressaction.org/article/called-save-local-business-act-harms-workers-small-businesses/;
- U.S. House, Roll Call 165, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HR 3590, 111th Cong., 3/21/10, Clerk.House.gov, https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2010165;
“Marketplace 2024 Open Enrollment Period report: final national snapshot,” 1/24/24, CMS.gov, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/marketplace-2024-open-enrollment-period-report-final-national-snapshot?mc_cid=4778a48794;
U.S. House, Roll Call 460, To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act 2010, HR 6079, 112th Cong., 7/11/12, Clerk.House.gov, https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2012460;
U.S. House, Roll Call 154, To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, HR 45, 113th Cong., 5/16/13, Clerk.House.gov, https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2013154;
U.S. House, Roll Call 23, Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act, HR 4, 110th Cong., 1/12/07, Clerk.House.gov, https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/200723;
- “How WA governor candidates want to tackle housing, homelessness,”7/27/24, SeattleTimes.com, https://www.removepaywall.com/search?url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/how-wa-governor-candidates-want-to-tackle-housing-homelessness/;
“As a lobbyist, Republican Dave Reichert pushed DNA technology that could enable mass surveillance,” 8/5/24, Salon.com, https://www.salon.com/2024/08/05/as-a-lobbyist-dave-reichert-pushed-dna-technology-that-could-enable-mass-surveillance/;