Podlodowski reportedly threatened funding to Dems who supported Anderson

The chair of Washington’s Democratic Party reportedly threatened to cut election campaign funding to some state Democrats.

The issue is connected to the support of the nonpartisan Secretary of State candidate Julie Anderson.

Originally published by Axios, State Representative Joe Fitzgibbon said that state chair Tina Podlodowski warned she would withhold party funds because Democratic House speaker Laurie Jinkins is supportive of Anderson.

Hobbs, Anderson, and a write-in Republican vie for Washington secretary of state

Podlodowski also reportedly threatened to limit access to party databases and mailing services if support for Anderson continues.

MyNorthwest has reached out to Podlodowski at the Washington State Democrats office but did not immediately hear back.

On The Gee and Ursula Show, hosts Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin talked about the controversy.

“You are what’s wrong with people getting things right in this country,” Gee said. “Julie Anderson decided to go nonpartisan. Why? Because she felt in her heart that doing the job that she was going to do, and that she wanted to do for Secretary of State, for the state of Washington.”

Gee continued, “This is where politics get in the way of helping our constituents here, the people, the citizens out, and I can’t stand this.”

Podlodowski has denied making threats, but when confronted by Axios with screenshots suggesting she would withdraw party support, she said no financial support for candidates was ever in danger.

Ursula said you have to do what you have to do in order to win elections.

“You can just chalk it up to, oh well, this is what politics [are] about. She’s doing her job as state Democratic Party chair. But I think it’s that ugly side, you know, and they came up with this,” Ursula said.

Producer Andrew “Chef” Lanier disputed this by underlining the importance of having a party that will push back against leadership and not walk in lockstep with those in charge.

“This is not the Trump tribe, where loyalty is more important than anything else. You don’t disavow members of your party who simply choose to have conversations or a meeting with someone who is not a member of your caucus?” Chef said.

“That is ludicrous. I’d also note in the Axios report that Julie Anderson endorsed the former Secretary of State, Kim Wyman, when Podlodowski was running against Kim Wyman for that office. So this looks like political retribution for lack of fealty. And that is not how a functioning party should run,” he continued.

Hobbs defeated Anderson by four percentage points in the 2022 Secretary of State election.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.