Ramiro Valderrama
With the certainty that Donald Trump will be the Republic nominee for president, State Sen. Steve Litzow (R-Mercer Island) was quick to denounce the billionaire in no uncertain terms. Litzow, of the 41st District (the southern half of Sammamish), is targeted by Democrats in this election. The 41st trends Democrat. Litzow’s full comments are below the jump.
Former State Attorney General Rob McKenna, a Republican, said he’ll write in John Kasich’s name for president. But Sammamish Deputy Mayor Ramiro Valderrama, who is running for the State House as a Republican for the 45th District seat held by Democrat Roger Goodman, ducked and weaved when Sammamish Comment asked whether he supports Trump or not. The 45th trends Democratic. The north half of Sammamish is in the 45th.
“I am currently completely focused on the Sammamish City Council and my race and the reform and renewal of Olympia by advocating for our citizens,” Valderrama wrote Sammamish Comment. “Given the fluid nature of the Presidential election process I think it would also be premature to voice on any of the candidates. In the interim all eyes should be on the city and state legislature.”
Litzow’s full comments from his Facebook page:
This has been an interesting, and ultimately a disappointing presidential campaign season. I have repeatedly been asked if I support Donald Trump for President. I want to be clear –
I do not support Donald Trump for President.
While I could point to his racist, misogynist and fascist comments, they don’t bear repeating.
At its core, the Trump candidacy has nothing to do with improving our country for the hundreds of millions of citizens with diverse thoughts, practices, ethnicity, religions and opinions.
The campaign is about inflating Donald Trump’s sense of self, using hate, fear and demagoguery to generate support to achieve his goal which in no way resembles leading a country.
A Trump presidency would be detrimental to our nation’s spirit, economy, safety, and world standing.
For those reasons, I remain #NeverTrump
Sammamish Comment 
WOW! This is your first post that I am vehemently against! I find this post of yours childish and manipulative. I am glad that Valderamma is voting! We know he tends to be Republican so why the shock if he is supporting Trump.
We live in America. AMERICA. We each get to vote for people that stand by ideals that we would like to see in America. I for one would like to see our debt ceiling lower; I believe Trump has the best credentials to do this. I would like to see our trade embargo with China change; I believe Trump is the best person to get this done. I would like to get stronger borders; Trump is the only one who is willing to do this. I would like to see our VETS being better taken care of; Trump is the only one vested in doing this (Hillary… really?). So before you start Trump bashing think about the real issues without throwing stones. Think about how much money of HIS he has spent to run for President. Think about how he is willing to stand against the angry liberals and not change his mind (how unusual!).
When people say he is “racist, misogynist and fascist” I roll my eyes. Let’s look at EVERY other President of our country. EVERY SINGLE ONE. At least Trump is who he is and owns it! –GOOD FOR HIM! He is openly sick of everything being “politically correct” to the detriment of our society. I say GOOD FOR HIM.
I support Trump. I sustain those strong enough to stand against crazy citizens like yourself in supporting Trump. GO TRUMP! Make America GREAT again.
As I tell everyone around me, I don’t care who you vote for, JUST VOTE!
L. Crofts
#TrumpforPresident
#Trump
Ramiro has not endorsed any Presidential Candidate at this point with good reasons. The Washington State Primary has not chosen a Presidential Candidate. He is focused on being your next State Congressman for the 45th District. He is running to represent our citizens in Olympia, our safety and the reforms we need to help us in the 45th District and in the State. He does feel the Voters are quite capable of deciding who they want for president on their own so at the current time he is not getting involved in the Presidential Race and needs your support in his race to represent you here in Washington.
Ramiro is running for state office as a Republican. Asking him his views on the GOP Platform (he says there are many things he doesn’t support in it), and his views on his standard bearer for President are absolutely legitimate inquiries of a candidate. And while I don’t support Steve Litzow’s candidacy, I certainly concur with his assessment of Donald Trump. It’s all well and good to declare yourself non-partisan in city politics, but once you have ambitions beyond that, your election has partisan consequences (committee appointments, redistricting, and a host of other benefits you get from being a member of a majority party).
As a lifelong Democrat, there is absolutely no way I am going to endorse adding to ranks of the GOP in Olympia. Especially not in a year when that party is being led by a amoral, racist misogynist. If Ramiro continues his independent streak and actually crosses party lines to vote in alignment with my values enough over the next few years, he might garner more support. But Washington state has a long history of electing squishy conservatives that do little more than vote in lockstep with the GOP at a national level with the occasional pander to our more moderate tendencies locally.
It’s been a racist-rant-filled month from Trump… and still nothing public, other than changing the subject or blaming someone else from the gallery. How hard is it to denounce racism in 2016?
Every time Trump or his supporters use the word “great”, just substitute “racist”. It works perfectly.
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