A "breaking point" for The Stranger? 2026 Top Two election endorsements draw sharp backlash from readers and activists
The Stranger’s initial endorsements for the 2026 midterms were published this week, first in print and then online, and the 2026 picks really have people talking.
The alt-weekly — which like many publications has become an online daily in the digital era — is well-known for its endorsements, which many respondents of NPI’s Civic Heartbeat research surveys in Seattle and King County have told us that they rely on. The Stranger Election Control Board (SECB), as it calls itself, has even been called a kingmaker. But this year, The Stranger’s endorsements are getting a more hostile reception than in years past, at least from people who are active in Seattle politics.
Perhaps the two greatest surprises, judging from the reaction NPI staff and advisers have seen thus far, were the endorsements of Will Dreher over Ron Davis and State Representative Gerry Pollet for State House in the 46th Legislative District (primarily encompassing neighborhoods in north Seattle) and of Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen over Hannah Sabio-Howell for State Senate in the 43rd Legislative District (which encompasses Capitol Hill, Montlake, and the University District).
“Coming on the heels of Mayor Katie Wilson’s bold endorsement of progressive challengers Ron Davis and Hannah Sabio-Howell, The Stranger’s endorsement of Will Dreher and Jamie Pedersen feels like a betrayal of Seattle’s ascendant progressive movement,” said Scott Alspach, an activist and former chair of the 43rd District Democrats, who shared his impressions of the endorsements with NPI’s Seth Boun.
https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2026/07/a-breaking-point-for-the-stranger-2026-top-two-election-endorsements-draw-sharp-backlash-from-readers-and-activists.html