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State Democrats want presidential primary debate in Washington

The Democratic National Committee has already selected locations on the East Coast and in the Midwest for presidential primary debates. Washington leaders hope the DNC picks the Evergreen State for a third debate.

State Democrats are urging the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to host its third presidential primary debate in Washington.

“Washington state is kind of a microcosm of the entire country," said Democratic Party Chair Tina Podlodowski. "I mean think about western Washington, eastern Washington. We’ve got everything from high tech to agriculture, fisheries, to so many things that are happening here in this state."

The DNC has planned debates in Detroit and Miami this summer.

Last month, Podlodowski, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, and Seattle Theatre Group Executive Director Josh Labelle asked DNC Chair Tom Perez to consider Seattle’s Paramount Theatre for the committee’s West Coast debate location.

State Democratic leaders are now asking the public to sign a petition backing that plea, which Podlodowski would deliver to the DNC on April 25.

“It would bring terrific dialogue to our state, and not just presidential candidates who generally come for a campaign check," Podlodowski said.

It would be the first time a presidential debate has ever been held in the Pacific Northwest, according to Podlodowski.

In April, Washington state Democratic Party announced it will use the state's 2020 presidential primary to allocate delegates to candidates instead of the precinct caucuses it has used in previous years.

Washington has both a presidential primary and a caucus system. Last month, Gov. Jay Inslee, who is among a growing group of Democratic presidential contenders, signed a measure moving the presidential primary from May to the second Tuesday in March.

Associated Press contributed to this report.

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