Meet Emily
Proven Record
Emily knows what regular people are going through and has a proven record delivering results for our community. She was born and raised in a hard-working union household in the Kitsap Peninsula, worked her way through college waiting tables and built a career helping expand access to affordable health care, including at Planned Parenthood.
The night Donald Trump was elected president, Emily decided to step up and run for State Senate—everything she had worked for was under attack. She organized a grassroots campaign to successfully flip a Republican state senate seat and help Democrats win control of state government.
Emily quickly rose to leadership in the state senate and led passage of landmark legislation to help her community—from protecting abortion access, to expanding Medicaid, to improving apprenticeship programs for high school graduates. Now Emily is serving as our Congresswoman in the other Washington because everything we’ve accomplished at home is under threat by MAGA extremists.
Third Generation
Emily is a third generation Washingtonian, born and raised in Port Orchard, was Deputy Majority Leader in the State Senate, and now represents Washington’s 6th congressional district.
Emily was raised in a proud union household by her dad who worked at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and her mom, an educator at South Kitsap High School.
Emily’s passion to help those around her is rooted in her upbringing. As the oldest of three, she saw firsthand the positive impact government could have when her youngest sister Olivia, who was born with complex medical needs, was able to get the care she needed thanks to Washington state’s Medicaid expansion. While her family didn’t have it easy, the early intervention programs they were able to access helped improve Olivia’s quality of life without bankrupting the family. Emily did her part as the oldest sibling to protect her sister from bullies and help her navigate the world—it’s at the core of Emily’s determination to help the most vulnerable among us.
Emily became the first in her family to graduate college thanks to financial aid and working in retail and waiting tables to pay her expenses. Committed to give back, Emily worked for various non-profits to help expand access to higher education as well as affordable health care. In 2016 she went to work for Planned Parenthood with a mission of helping women access health care, including abortion care.
The night Donald Trump was elected president, Emily decided she had to do more. Despite being told over and over that a queer Latina could not beat an extreme MAGA Republican in Washington’s 26th Senate District – one of the most competitive seats in the state senate – Emily launched a grassroots campaign and proved them wrong. She won by 102 votes, flipping the seat and helping Democrats solidify their majority in the state legislature.
Emily’s Story
Emily’s story is the story of her neighbors, and it’s what inspires her work in government. She quickly rose to leadership in the state legislature serving as Deputy Majority Leader. As state senator, Emily passed critical legislation that improved the lives of the community that helped shape her.
From expanding post-partum Medicaid coverage to banning subminimum wage for folks with disabilities, passing pay transparency laws to championing programs to support low-income college students and apprentices to securing investments in essential infrastructure like Gorst and our ferries – Emily rolled up her sleeves and worked with Democrats and Republicans alike to deliver real results for her community.
Serving on the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee, the Senate Health & Long-Term Care and Ways & Means Committees, Emily remained dedicated to fostering collaboration to implement the best ideas and make Washington state a model for the rest of the country.
Even before the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade in 2022 Emily fought to protect Washingtonians’ right to an abortion. She worked to expand the providers who could offer critical reproductive care making Washington a haven for people seeking abortion care across the country. Ensuring people have a safe place to seek the care they need with the dignity they deserve has always been a top priority for Emily.
Emily understands we all work hard to pay the bills and rising costs are squeezing families. That’s why Emily is taking on the tough fights to expand affordable health care, make college and career education more affordable, expand affordable housing, and combat the corporate greed that is driving up everyday costs. Emily is committed to improving the lives of hardworking people by removing obstacles and creating opportunities for them to make the best decisions for themselves and their families.
Emily decided to run for Congress because everything we’ve accomplished at home is under threat by MAGA extremists in Washington, DC. In Congress is continuing to defend our democracy and fight for our right to make decisions about our bodies, our families, and our futures, expand access to quality health care, and ensure educational opportunities for all – including technical training and apprenticeships. Emily knows our best days are ahead of us, but only when we are willing to work together to find real solutions to our country’s biggest challenges.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives write and vote on federal laws, including the federal budget. Each represents one district and serves a two-year term. Tax bills must start in the House, only the House can impeach federal officials, and members oversee federal agencies through their committees.