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Meet the Key Districts: Gaining control of the Legislature will be doubly hard if the party loses a Senate seat in the Federal Way area.

Sun, Oct 12, 10 p.m.

Cars today and what tomorrow? Federal Way and neighboring areas are looking beyond the suburban strip mall.

Sun, Oct 12, 10 p.m.

All the pieces are there for the Democrats to control politics in Federal Way and nearby areas. Instead, they are likely to lose a state Senate seat they badly need to keep.

Editor's note: Big issues are looming for our state when the Legislature meets next year.Our roads and bridges are still crumbling. We're still staring at major, court-mandated upgrades to our education system. Gov. Jay Inslee's still pushing for action on climate change lest the acidifying Pacific dissolve every last oyster shell in Shelton. And, whatever we do (assuming we do something) means a battle over how to pay for it: raise taxes, close loopholes or cut services. This is the first of several reports on key districts in the upcoming Nov. 4 general election. The others, in our list revised after the primary results, are the 42nd District in the Northwest corner of the state and the 28th and 45th in central Puget Sound.

This is where the Washington Senate Democrats wobble the most. Where the D's are on defense big-time. The most likely extra Senate seat that the GOP might pick up in November.

It's the 30th Legislative District Federal Way and its sister suburbs.

It's a key to Democratic legislators hopes of moving forward on issues they and Gov. Jay Inslee have made priorites: money for school improvements, new measures to address climate change and passage of a long-stalled transportation package. For Republicans, the election is key to having a say on how those issues are handled, and holding down the rate of state revenue increases.

The Washington Senate is split between 26 members of the Majority Coalition Caucus and 23 minority Democrats. That means the minority Democrats need to hold onto all their seats and pick up two belonging to coalition members to gain control of the Senate, which would give them the governor's office, House and Senate. The 24 Republicans and two Democrats in the Senate majority coalition is the strongest hurdle to Gov. Jay Inslee's agendas, which is good or bad depending on your political beliefs.

Originally posted here:
Democrats' whole game plan at risk in 30th District Senate race