I attended the candidate forum and meet-and-greet put on by the Education Hill Neighborhood Association on Tuesday night. The forum was supposed to feature all three candidates running in the 45th Legislative District state senate race, but many of us were met with disappointment when we learned Republican candidate Jinyoung Lee Englund would not be attending. While Manka Dhingra and Parker Harris took time out of their campaign schedules to attend the forum, Englund was instead attending a campaign fundraiser in Pierce County while her reserved seat at the forum remained empty throughout the night.

As someone who has lived in the 45th District my entire life, it concerns me that Englund would prioritize a fundraising event nowhere near the 45th District over a community event where she could have engaged with local voters who are eager to hear from her.

I ask and encourage Englund to attend upcoming candidate forums and I look forward to finally hearing from her on how she will address the issues facing Washington’s 45th District. Thank you to all the candidates who attended the forum, and thank you to those who organized the event.

Cat Williams

Woodinville