Pramila Jayapal Kicks Off Reelection With Help From Famous Women

SEATTLE, WA - Democratic U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal's reelection this year is all but guaranteed. She is extremely popular, will likely not face a primary opponent, and the chance of Seattle voters electing a Republican is nonexistent.

But Jayapal is still running a campaign, which she kicked on April 21 in Seattle. And as a sign of her rising-star status, she has attracted campaign donations from prominent women writers and activists, campaign finance filings show.

Jayapal, 52, has raised about $1.4 million total this election cycle and has about half of that in the bank. Contributors to her campaign this cycle include: feminist Gloria Steinem; poet Joan Aleshire; actress and activist Jane Fonda; anti-war activist and CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin; Jennifer Stuller, a pop culture critic; Maisha Closson, a television writer and producer; and Eventbrite CEO Jaleh Bisharat.

There are many reasons why Jayapal has attracted high-profile donors before she has even finished her first term.

Jayapal has stood up to some of the most divisive men in politics and media - starting with the president. Just a few after she took office in 2017, she objected to the Electoral College tally that certified Donald Trump as president. She also skipped his inauguration.

In February, she went on Tucker Carlson's show and coolly explained why she thinks Trump's immigration policies are racist. She also wouldn't let U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, get away with calling her a "lady" on the floor of the House.

Locally, Jayapal is a fixture at protests. Among many others: She stood in front of a giant inflatable Trump chicken during the 2017 Tax March; she also went to Sea-Tac Airport last February to protest Trump's travel ban executive order.

So far, no other candidates have stepped up to challenge Jayapal, whose district covers Seattle, Edmonds, Shoreline, and Vashon Island. But you never know - the primary filing deadline is May 18.

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