Welcome

Dear Supporters,

The dust has settled and the sun has set on the campaign. This campaign was an uphill battle from the beginning.  Despite the disappointing numbers and the defeat we suffered at the polls there were a few victories we must acknowledge. 

The first victory: The vast coalition of support. The contributions of time, money, outreach, and personal support to our campaign was something I found extraordinarily humbling. Simple thanks are grossly insufficient to repay the debt of gratitude I owe to all of you. Nearly half a million individuals voted for me, and many also gave their time and energy to this late effort. I am eternally grateful to all of you.

The second victory: Holding Justice Johnson accountable. I wish the outcome was different, but I was unable to deliver a victory for those whose hopes were my motivations. Washington jurisprudence will again experience the impact of his judicial philosophy. This activism will fall most heavily on those least able to withstand it, and that bothers me deeply. Nonetheless, through this campaign we did put forward a record of these actions by Justice Johnson and laid a foundation for future accountability. 

The final victory: giving the voters a choice and addressing the fact that Judges should have to answer to the people. We did give the people a choice, as our Constitution envisioned. For too long, our process of judicial elections has gone unnoticed. In eight short weeks, I believe the campaign cast some light on the process of judicial elections. Johnson’s re-election did not go unchecked and citizens of Washington received a chance to educate themselves on the influence and importance of such elections. 

I must not let a moment go by without acknowledging the team—from the campaign staff and volunteers, allies of the campaign, my firm partners, and my family: everyone truly put their hearts into this election. I extend my heartfelt thanks to those who blessed me in this endeavor and supported me every step of the way. I am truly fortunate to get to do what I do with such great people.

Above all else, I want to accept full responsibility for this campaign. Despite the widespread support and aid of many to facilitate this effort, in the end we did not succeed. That will weigh heavily on me. But I want to convey my most sincere thanks to all of you who believed in this effort and helped us get as far as we did in such a short time.

Finally, I do wish to extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Justice Johnson. The voters spoke and he will be on our highest court for another term. Despite our differences on many of his opinions, he has a very distinguished record of public service and has shown a great commitment to his work. I commend him for his service and wish him well in his new term. 

I will go back to doing my absolute best to serve my clients and advance the cause of justice in my own way, every single day, in my practice. I don’t know what else the future may bring, but I will always cherish the help and support of so many supporters and will always feel humbled and honored by this experience.

Best Regards,

Stan