43rd District political fight: A First Hill ‘tax the rich’ labor leader is taking on a Capitol Hill architect of the Millionaires Tax — Here’s why

The 43rd

(Image: Hannah for Washington)

A “tax the rich” labor leader from First Hill will take on arguably the most politically powerful — and experienced — resident of Capitol Hill for his seat in Olympia. After years of mostly quiet stability, a political battle is taking shape in the state’s 43rd District.

Hannah Sabio-Howell announced Monday she will run to challenge State Sen. Jamie Pedersen, the current Majority Leader in the Washington State Senate and a veteran lawmaker who has been part of 43rd District leadership for twenty years.

The announcement comes as Pedersen is set to have led legislators to approve a new Millionaires Tax in the state that would impose a 9.9% levy on household earnings above $1 million per year and be Washington’s first-ever income tax. It is a tax progressive leaders like 43rd District Rep. Shaun Scott and Sabio–Howell in her role at labor advocacy group Working Washington have fought for.

Still, Sabio-Howell says she believes the 43rd District needs a “fighter” who will act with urgency to address the affordability crisis. While acknowledging Pedersen’s 20-year legacy including marriage equality, and the capital gains tax, Sabio-Howell says Pedersen’s approach is too slow for the current pace of change and too influenced by corporate interests.

“Washington State could be the best place in the nation to build a life, but right now, particularly in the 43rd District, people can’t afford it,” Sabio–Howell tells CHS. “Our affordability crisis needs to be addressed with urgency. Decades of lawmaking have let the biggest, wealthiest corporations set the agenda. I honor the work Senator Pedersen has done over his 20 years in office on marriage equality and overcoming Tim Eyman’s tax initiatives. But the pace of change over those two decades has been a little too slow for what we deserve and need right now. We need a fighter for our shared vision.”

Pedersen says the fight has already been underway.

“Just look at what has happened in the last two years since I became the (Majority) leader,” Pedersen tells CHS. “Rent stabilization became law, the Recycling Reform Act became law, the permit to purchase firearms became law, unemployment insurance for striking workers became law. We’re about to do the Millionaires Tax. You just have this parade of things that are on the progressive wishlist for decades, and now we’re just knocking them out. There’s a big difference between [introducing a bill] and actually being able to get it across the finish line.”

The race against the veteran lawmaker Pedersen will come as a rare challenge in the 43rd. Four years ago, CHS reported here on the notable political peace in the district as its legislative leaders headed into their respective primaries unopposed.

That establishment was fully shaken up after housing advocate and district political legend Frank Chopp announced his retirement and stepped aside before his passing. In 2024, Shaun Scott scored a landslide victory over Andrea Suarez in the race for Chopp’s seat in the State House of Representatives,

This new era in the 43rd is now bringing a challenger to Pedersen. Sabio-Howell says it is an opportunity for the district to “choose our fighter.”

The race could also increase tumult in the 43rd. Sabio-Howell says she has had “warm conversations” with both Scott and the 43rd’s other district leader, Rep. Nicole Macri about her run.

“With Rep. Scott, we share a commitment to making sure everyday people are directing the state legislature, not wealthy corporations. We talked about universal childcare and universal healthcare,” Sabio-Howell said. “With Rep. Macri, we connected on housing. We share the belief that the state’s job is to make it easier to build housing.”

Macri has previously endorsed Pedersen. The race will bring a summer of choices for Macri and the city’s Democratic lawmakers.

Sabio-Howell has served in recent years as communications directors for Working Washington. She also been part of The Urbanist’s elections committee and Pro Choice Washington. Sabio-Howell worked previously as a communications staffer in the Senate in Olympia. She says that experience will help her bridge some of the gaps in the 43rd.

“I learned early in my career while staffing Rep. Larry Springer that progressive values are not mutually exclusive from pragmatism and effectiveness,” Sabio-Howell said. “The affordability crisis affects wealthy families, too. I’ve spoken with homeowners whose adult children have to move back in with them because they can’t afford a place of their own, or who can’t afford to raise their own kids in the 43rd District. I’ve spoken with elders who are resigned to limited housing options as they age. We all share a commitment to making it possible to afford life here.”

Pedersen, center, and family (Image: Washington Senate)

Pedersen, of course, has built a political career of working across the aisle.

In 2024, State Democrats elected Pedersen as the new Majority Leader in the Washington State Senate. Pedersen joined the Senate representing the 43rd District including Capitol Hill in 2013. He was first elected to the State House of Representatives in 2006.

The Democrats said Pedersen’s election marked “a historic milestone” as Washington became the first state in the nation to have two members of the LGBTQ community serving as legislative leaders at the same time. Pedersen joined Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, who became the first woman and first lesbian to hold that position in 2020.

Now, as he is wrapping up his second year leading the Democrats, Pedersen says this year’s session and the forging of compromises and political strength behind the Millionaires Tax is an illustration of his approach to navigating the political world of 2026.

“It is really the signature accomplishment of the session,” Pedersen said. “It doesn’t bring in money for this year, but it helps us meet our four-year balanced budget requirement, and over time, it helps both rebalance the tax code and also make our tax system more sustainable, adequate, and fairer.”

Sabio–Howell, who helped Rep. Scott organize a “Tax the Rich” forum last summer, says the Millionaires Tax push would not have happened without progressive organizers pushing leaders like Pedersen.

“My most substantive conversation with him was in January. I asked him why he is the best fit for the 43rd District and what his vision is for the next four years,” Sabio-Howell said. “The moment we are in demands a fighter who will act with urgency on the affordability crisis. I wasn’t convinced that his approach meets the moment. He has been in office since 2006. I’m eager to throw my hat in the ring because I want us to have a chance to choose our fighter.”

Pedersen scoffs at the effort he says Sabio-Howell is making to take credit for the tax policy changes he helped lead.

“It makes one laugh — because she was a junior staffer, communication staffer, for people who were not centrally involved in that effort,” Pedersen said. “I worked on capital gains in what was a 10-year effort.”

Whatever comes next in what is now a race, Pedersen, a lawyer, Capitol Hill homeowner, and longtime part of the neighborhood, will have a sometimes tricky path to wind through with voters who might not value the “experience” argument quite as strongly. One Capitol Hill renter — Mayor Katie Wilson — recently showed the way.

Now another First Hill renter thinks it is time for Seattle’s season of change to continue.

“The 43rd is nearly three-quarters renters—more than any other district in the state. Yet, the state legislature has very few renters making decisions,” Sabio-Howell said. “We need strong renter protections; the rent stabilization bill could have and should have been stronger. We also need leadership on issues like the millionaire’s income tax, which I am actively organizing to move to the finish line. We need imaginative policymaking that asks what working people need right now.”

Sabio-Howell launched her campaign Monday with endorsements including Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Port of Seattle Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa.

Pedersen said change may have arrived but that experience and leadership still matters in the 43rd.

“I feel very confident about my position. I’ve had exactly two challenges since the first race, and both times I got 91%. I feel very confident in my record,” Pedersen said.

“I’m 57 — I’m not 80. I worked like crazy to get the job the first time, and I’m happy to do that again if I need to. I can just tell you 100%, we would not be passing a millionaires tax this year without my leadership because the other people who could potentially lead the chamber… that is not a risk that they would take.”

The summer primary is August 4th.

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