Socialist Kshama Sawant announces bid to defeat U.S. Rep. Adam Smith
Former socialist Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant announced Monday that she's running to unseat longtime U.S. Rep. Adam Smith.
Smith, a Democrat, has represented Washington's 9th Congressional district for nearly three decades. The district stretches over portions of Seattle and Bellevue, as well as Seattle's southeast suburbs.
Sawant served on Seattle City Council from 2014 to 2024. She left that role last year to launch Workers Strike Back, a national labor movement.
In a Federal Election Commission document filed last week, Sawant is listed as an Independent.
'Most of the time, working people have no political representation under capitalism,' Sawant said Monday during a livestreamed news conference. 'Both the Democrats and Republicans serve the interests of the billionaires, and both are war-mongering parties down to their bones.'
Early in her political career, Sawant spearheaded a push to secure a $15 hourly minimum wage for Seattle. She has fought to impose more taxes on big businesses such as Amazon and is an advocate for rent-control efforts.
Sawant is calling for 'an immediate end to the genocidal war and occupation of Gaza,' according to her campaign website. She wants to see more funding for health care, schools and jobs, and is demanding that the U.S. cease all military aid to 'both the Israeli state and the bloody inter-imperialist proxy war in Ukraine.'
Sawant has also criticized Smith as 'pro-corporate' and a 'warmonger.'
'We aren't going to stop right-wing attacks and defeat Trump by staying silent and allowing Democrats like Adam Smith to remain in power,' she said at Monday's event.
In a statement to McClatchy, Smith welcomed Sawant to the race. But he contends Sawant played a part in ensuring President Donald Trump's return to the White House by campaigning against Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, and for Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
The Congress member said Sawant deployed 'divisive' and 'extreme' tactics during her time on Seattle City Council.
'Voters in Washington's 9th Congressional District deserve thoughtful, effective leadership focused on real results — not ideological stunts,' he said. 'This election will offer a clear contrast, and I look forward to the challenge.'
At the June 2 campaign announcement, Sawant condemned other progressive Democrats. She took aim at U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, accusing them of having long since yielded to their party's 'corporate and war-mongering agenda.'
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