The Final Drive
We’re getting close to the finish line, with less than two weeks until the ballots are all turned in and we see where we stand. All the work, all the conversations, all the calls, the doorbelling, the community meetings, and the forums — it all comes together right here.
I’m deeply proud of what we’ve done. My parents always told me: do your best, and accept the outcome. I believe we’ve done our best, and I’m excited to see what the outcome will be.
This week, I heard from a South Tacoma resident named Steve who told me something that stuck with me. He said he’s lived in the South End a long time and used to go for walks without a second thought. But now, before stepping out the door, he has to ask himself where it’s safest to walk that day. He sees businesses putting up bars and fences, motorhomes parked for weeks, and piles of trash that never used to be there. And when he visits the North End, he said, it feels like a different city.
I told Steve that I understand exactly how he feels because I grew up in the South End. I know what it’s like to love a neighborhood and still feel like it’s being left behind. My response to him was simple: safety and quality of life shouldn’t depend on what part of Tacoma you live in. We need a fully staffed police department that can respond proactively, not just reactively. We need to focus more resources where they’re most needed, in the South and East Sides, while continuing to invest in our small business districts, clean up our streets, and make it easier for people to feel proud of their neighborhoods again. Every part of Tacoma deserves the same level of care, and as mayor, that’s exactly the kind of focus and fairness I’ll bring.
It hasn’t been an easy week. Campaigns never are. I’ve taken some hits, both from the campaign trail and from council work. But what keeps me going is knowing why I’m doing this. I want to lead and real leadership means taking on tough issues, being honest about where you stand, and accepting that not everyone will agree with you.
In a city of 220,000 people, disagreement is inevitable. But what we can do is listen, reflect, and do our best to serve as many residents as possible. That’s what I’ve tried to do on the Council, and it’s what I’ll continue to do as your mayor, to make sure no one feels left out, that everyone has a place in this city, and that every person feels like they have a chance to be part of Tacoma’s future.
That doesn’t mean it will always be easy. There will be tough conversations and hard decisions. But I’ve shown I’m willing to sit in that space, have those conversations, and do the work to move us forward. That’s the kind of leadership I believe Tacoma needs right now, not someone who waits to see which way the political winds blow, but someone guided by core values and a clear vision for where we can go together.
We’re close now, and every bit of help matters. If you can chip in to help fund our final round of communication, join a doorbelling shift, wave a sign, or make a few phone calls we’d love to have you on the team.
At the end of the day, this campaign has always been about us, the people who believe in Tacoma and are ready to build its future together. Let’s finish strong.
