Please write to FUSE Washington at info@fusewashington.org and let them know that you disagree with their irresponsible endorsement of Nate. Their research appears to have been faulty.
> Last week, we published Our Progressive Voters Guide (PVG) recommending Nate Powell for the 5th Congressional District (CD) in the upcoming August Primary. I understand there may be some questions about this recommendation. I live here and am deeply rooted in our community. I care that our neighbors are taken care of and can afford to live a good life. I also see what happens when Democrats are in charge; in Spokane we’ve passed an LGBTQIA2S+ ordinance protecting the queer community, approved $100,000 in emergency aid for immigrants, and established a fund to build more affordable housing for the communities who need it most. But those progressive wins did not happen without electoral victories. Last year, Fuse contacted tens of thousands of voters to help elect our endorsed progressive champions Sarah Dixit, Zack Zappone, and Kate Telis to the Spokane City Council. This year, we’ve endorsed and recommended progressive leaders like State Representative Natasha Hill and Danny Tarkenton and progressive causes like Yes For Buses to fund Spokane Transit, No Hate in WA State, and No On I-645, the campaign to defend the Millionaires Tax in Washington.
>
> But if you don't live in Spokane proper, your life is very different under MAGA Republican rule. You shouldn't have to live in the city to make sure all your needs are met. Everyone in Eastern Washington should be able to see a doctor when they are sick, and live in a house they can actually afford. The only way we're going to achieve these things for everyone who lives here is if we beat MAGA Republican Congressman Michael Baumgartner in November. And I want to tell you why we think Nate Powell is the only candidate in this race who can do that.
>
> As a Spokane firefighter and first responder, Nate Powell has seen first-hand how growing inequality and billionaire theft has left working people with the impossible choice between healthcare or crippling debt. That’s why he’s one of the only candidates to publicly support Medicare for All and legislation to fight giant corporations from buying up our homes, our data, and our small businesses to pad their pockets. It’s why he’s the only candidate to receive sole endorsements from SEIU 775 and the WA State Labor Council, representing healthcare workers, in-home caregivers, and 600,000 union members across our state.
>
> The PVG is informed and strongly weighted by trusted relationships we have with partner organizations on the front lines fighting for reproductive rights, the environment, workers’ rights, immigrant protections, public education, LGBTQ+ advocacy, affordable housing and more. Our recommendations do not automatically mean recommending the most progressive candidate in a race, but rather, who we think is the best choice for progressive voters. For the 5th CD, that meant weighing the fact that Nate Powell is the only candidate to receive endorsements from our partner organizations, his support for progressive priorities like passing Medicare for All, taxing the ultra-wealthy, stopping data center construction, and committing to fight for working families. It also meant making the honest assessment that in a district a Democrat lost by 21 points in 2024, Powell, as a viable Independent candidate, has the best chance of defeating MAGA Rep. Baumgartner. You can read more about our recommendation process here.
>
> Fuse is aware of Nate’s statements on trans girls in school sports and immigration and we want to be clear – in no way is this recommendation an agreement with these statements, nor a free pass on them. This recommendation does not aim to validate or moderate, but instead, as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders remind us, to create the conditions we need to advocate and build power in a district that has left us behind with politics as usual. It aims to be strategic about how we build power beyond the City of Spokane and in new territory where Democrats have struggled for decades. If Nate Powell is elected to Congress, Fuse looks forward to working alongside many of you in the community to pressure him on these positions and any others that do not align with our progressive values.
>
> Many of you know Fuse has a long history of standing up for marginalized communities – serving as a founding member of the Spokane Immigrant Rights Coalition, the Balance Our Tax Code Coalition to make the wealthy pay what they owe, and Build the Bench, our program developing future local progressive leaders alongside our trusted community partner, the Washington Bus. Before, during, and after this election cycle, these values remain unchanged. Whether it’s pressuring a new member of Congress or protesting against ICE abductions, you will continue to see us show up for progress in Eastern Washington as we always have.
>
> We understand the surprise that may be felt with this recommendation. These are unprecedented times. As someone deeply invested in this community, and on behalf of Fuse, I wanted to be transparent about how we navigated this recommendation and our strategy to build power in CD 5. Fuse’s commitment to fighting for progressive values remains unchanged. I look forward to seeing you out there in the fight.
Done … I wrote to Jeff a week ago. No response.
Keep writing.
Please write to FUSE Washington at info@fusewashington.org and let them know that you disagree with their irresponsible endorsement of Nate. Their research appears to have been faulty.
> On Jul 20, 2026, at 5:33 PM, Jeff DeBray, Fuse Votes <info@fusewashington.org> wrote:
>
>
>
> Dear Friend,
>
> Last week, we published Our Progressive Voters Guide (PVG) recommending Nate Powell for the 5th Congressional District (CD) in the upcoming August Primary. I understand there may be some questions about this recommendation. I live here and am deeply rooted in our community. I care that our neighbors are taken care of and can afford to live a good life. I also see what happens when Democrats are in charge; in Spokane we’ve passed an LGBTQIA2S+ ordinance protecting the queer community, approved $100,000 in emergency aid for immigrants, and established a fund to build more affordable housing for the communities who need it most. But those progressive wins did not happen without electoral victories. Last year, Fuse contacted tens of thousands of voters to help elect our endorsed progressive champions Sarah Dixit, Zack Zappone, and Kate Telis to the Spokane City Council. This year, we’ve endorsed and recommended progressive leaders like State Representative Natasha Hill and Danny Tarkenton and progressive causes like Yes For Buses to fund Spokane Transit, No Hate in WA State, and No On I-645, the campaign to defend the Millionaires Tax in Washington.
>
> But if you don't live in Spokane proper, your life is very different under MAGA Republican rule. You shouldn't have to live in the city to make sure all your needs are met. Everyone in Eastern Washington should be able to see a doctor when they are sick, and live in a house they can actually afford. The only way we're going to achieve these things for everyone who lives here is if we beat MAGA Republican Congressman Michael Baumgartner in November. And I want to tell you why we think Nate Powell is the only candidate in this race who can do that.
>
> As a Spokane firefighter and first responder, Nate Powell has seen first-hand how growing inequality and billionaire theft has left working people with the impossible choice between healthcare or crippling debt. That’s why he’s one of the only candidates to publicly support Medicare for All and legislation to fight giant corporations from buying up our homes, our data, and our small businesses to pad their pockets. It’s why he’s the only candidate to receive sole endorsements from SEIU 775 and the WA State Labor Council, representing healthcare workers, in-home caregivers, and 600,000 union members across our state.
>
> The PVG is informed and strongly weighted by trusted relationships we have with partner organizations on the front lines fighting for reproductive rights, the environment, workers’ rights, immigrant protections, public education, LGBTQ+ advocacy, affordable housing and more. Our recommendations do not automatically mean recommending the most progressive candidate in a race, but rather, who we think is the best choice for progressive voters. For the 5th CD, that meant weighing the fact that Nate Powell is the only candidate to receive endorsements from our partner organizations, his support for progressive priorities like passing Medicare for All, taxing the ultra-wealthy, stopping data center construction, and committing to fight for working families. It also meant making the honest assessment that in a district a Democrat lost by 21 points in 2024, Powell, as a viable Independent candidate, has the best chance of defeating MAGA Rep. Baumgartner. You can read more about our recommendation process here.
>
> Fuse is aware of Nate’s statements on trans girls in school sports and immigration and we want to be clear – in no way is this recommendation an agreement with these statements, nor a free pass on them. This recommendation does not aim to validate or moderate, but instead, as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders remind us, to create the conditions we need to advocate and build power in a district that has left us behind with politics as usual. It aims to be strategic about how we build power beyond the City of Spokane and in new territory where Democrats have struggled for decades. If Nate Powell is elected to Congress, Fuse looks forward to working alongside many of you in the community to pressure him on these positions and any others that do not align with our progressive values.
>
> Many of you know Fuse has a long history of standing up for marginalized communities – serving as a founding member of the Spokane Immigrant Rights Coalition, the Balance Our Tax Code Coalition to make the wealthy pay what they owe, and Build the Bench, our program developing future local progressive leaders alongside our trusted community partner, the Washington Bus. Before, during, and after this election cycle, these values remain unchanged. Whether it’s pressuring a new member of Congress or protesting against ICE abductions, you will continue to see us show up for progress in Eastern Washington as we always have.
>
> We understand the surprise that may be felt with this recommendation. These are unprecedented times. As someone deeply invested in this community, and on behalf of Fuse, I wanted to be transparent about how we navigated this recommendation and our strategy to build power in CD 5. Fuse’s commitment to fighting for progressive values remains unchanged. I look forward to seeing you out there in the fight.
>
> Thanks for all you do.
>
> In solidarity,
> Jeff and the entire team at Fuse