Suzan DelBene received the endorsements of Kirkland Mayor Joan McBride, Kirkland Deputy Mayor Doreen Marchione and Kirkland City councilman Dave Asher Thursday in her congressional campaign in Washington’s new 1st District.
“I always say one of my priorities as Mayor of Kirkland is to do everything I can to make sure our city is ‘open for business.’ So it’s important that we have a member of Congress with the right business experience and who knows how to help us attract investment in our community and spur economic growth,” said McBride. “Suzan brings firsthand knowledge of how to create jobs and the right progressive values, which reflect the working families in Kirkland.”
Selected by her peers as Kirkland Mayor since 2010, McBride was first elected to the city council in 1998. A regionally recognized leader, McBride has worked to build a better business climate in Kirkland, encouraging economic development and ensuring that the city provides quality services efficiently and transparently despite recent difficult budget times.
Elected to the council in 2009, Marchione was recently selected by her colleagues in January to be deputy mayor. She is also a former mayor of Redmond and was the executive director of Hopelink for more than 15 years.
“In these tough economic times, it’s important we take steps to help families who are struggling to get back on their feet,” said Marchione. “I’m proud to support Suzan because she knows personally how important it is we have programs like Social Security, Medicare and unemployment benefits to protect our middle class.”
Asher is a leader on smart growth and policies to build livable, sustainable communities, nurturing the businesses and neighborhoods in Kirkland. He’s served on the council since 2000.
“It’s time we have congressional leaders who understand that the foundation of a strong economy is investing in our communities,” said Asher. “Suzan knows what it will take to create and bring jobs to our region; a well-maintained and efficient transportation system, investing in our schools and building livable communities where people want to live, work and play.”
“I’m honored to receive the endorsement of Mayor McBride, Deputy Mayor Marchione and Councilman Asher,” said DelBene. “They are local leaders who tirelessly work on behalf of their constituents, always focused on building a great community that provides economic prosperity and opportunity. In Congress, I look forward to working with them as full partners to get our nation back on track and working again for middle class families.”
These latest endorsements indicate DelBene’s building momentum in her congressional bid. She recently received the endorsement of Gov. Chris Gregoire, Congressman Rick Larsen and State Rep. Marko Liias, as well as the backing of the Aerospace Machinists District 751 and the Teamsters, Joint Council No. 28.
Before entering the 1st District race, DelBene served as head of the Washington State Department of Revenue, where she oversaw more than 1,000 employees. Previously, DelBene pursued a successful career in business, working as a senior executive at Microsoft, and in biotech, technology and micro-finance.
