Jay Inslee

Jay Inslee has served as governor of Washington state since 2013. Previously he was a U.S. Representative from 1993-2012 and also served as a prosecutor.

Previous Work Around Poverty and Opportunity

  • Has placed climate change at the center of his presidential campaign and has sought to link the issue to others including economic opportunity.
  • Developed the Career Connect Washington program to provide apprenticeships, learning experiences, job shadows, career planning and internships with companies such as Amazon, Boeing and Microsoft.
  • Created the Poverty Reduction Work Group in Washington, tasked with “developing a strategic plan to reduce poverty, improve communities and make needed progress related to housing, health, integration, employment and education.”

On the Issues

Jobs: Has stressed the need to transition to a green energy economy and create “clean jobs.”

Affordable Housing: Emphasized efforts to reduce homelessness in Washington state through affordable housing. His 2019 budget proposal included “restoring and building affordable housing, increasing housing assistance and improving homelessness efforts.”

Health Care/Insurance: Has expressed support for building on the Affordable Care Act including pushing for a “public option” in Washington state.

Education: Opposed a 2012 ballot initiative to allow charter schools in Washington; has supported tax increases to fund higher teacher pay.

Criminal Justice: Suspended all executions in Washington for the duration of his governorship.

Minimum Wage: He supported legislation gradually increasing the minimum wage in his state from $9.47 to $12.

Safety Net: During the government shutdown, he expanded unemployment benefits to federal workers. He has also opposed SNAP funding cuts proposed by President Trump.

Children/Families: As governor, he signed a 12-week paid family and medical leave bill into law.

Taxes/Tax Credits: In an effort to raise awareness of the Earned Income Tax Credit, as governor he proclaimed Jan. 25, 2019, to be “Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day.”

News Articles

Meet the first Democrat running for president on climate change” (Vox: 3/1/2019)

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee joins 2020 Democratic presidential field” (The Washington Post: 3/1/2019)

What does Jay Inslee believe? Where the candidate stands on 6 issues” (PBS: 3/1/2019)