Round 1: Candidates who Eastside businesses endorse

The Eastside Business Alliance announced its candidate endorsements Thursday, spanning elections in Bellevue, Renton, and Redmond.

This week’s endorsements are the first of many to come from the EBA as the August primaries and November election approach. All endorsed candidates are either incumbents or are currently elected for other city positions.

Joe Fain is the president and CEO of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and Secretary of the Eastside Business Alliance. He said that the EBA represents a range of chambers from Eastside communities. It’s focus is on pro-business and pro-growth issues.

“For incumbents … there’s a record to consider,” Fain said. “…there’s no hard and fast scoring, but there are questions about where they are on different issues of public policy and there’s a survey to be completed which is the basis for conversation when we bring them in for an in-person interview.”

Who Seattle’s tech industry endorses for council

On Thursday, the EBA released its first round of endorsements for candidates across the Eastside who it feels are “pro jobs candidates.”

• Redmond mayor: Angela Birney (current Redmond council member)
• Redmond Council pos. 1: Hank Myers (incumbent)
• Redmond Council pos. 5: David Carson (incumbent)
• Bellevue Council pos. 7: Jennifer Robertson (incumbent)

There was one more endorsement for Renton mayor, however, the Eastside Business Alliance could not choose just one and has suggested three out of four candidates: Randy Corman, Armondo Pavone, and Ruth Perez.

All three Renton candidates are current city council members. The only candidate not to be endorsed by the EBA is Marcie Maxwell who once served as a state representative for Washington’s 41st District.

“Renton is really a bright spot in both south and east King County,” Fain said. “It’s got incredible growth in business. It’s got incredibly thoughtful and effective ways it’s embracing diversity coming to that city and incorporate it into the community. We are excited about candidates who want to continue that positive growth.”

“Those three candidates are all really different, and all offer something different, but all display a real passion for the position, some strong community connections, and some policy chops that our board felt were really important.”

The Eastside Business Alliance is similar to Seattle’s CASE (Civic Alliance for Sound Economy). CASE is organized by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and favors various city candidates. EBA is sponsored by the Bellevue Chamber.

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