Prentice, Martinez in Legislative District 11

Sen. Margarita Prentice's two decades in the Legislature and leadership of the all-important Ways and Means Committee positions her as one of the state's most immovable elected officials.

Voters deserve to have entrenched politicians challenged, though. District 11 voters should send Prentice, D-Renton, and fellow Democrat Juan Martinez through to the general election.

Democrat Scott McKay, the third candidate in the race, should not be considered beyond a name on the ballot. McKay is raising no money and is vague on what he wants to do if elected.

The new top-two primary allows two very different politicians of the same party to thrash it out in a reliably Democratic, working-class district. the 11th District includes parts of south Seattle, south Renton, Burien, SeaTac and Tukwila.

Prentice is a tough politician who has served her district well, which is all the more reason she should be able engage Martinez in a substantive campaign.

Martinez — who has worked as a pastry chef for nonprofits and the state Department of Social and Health Services — has taken his challenge seriously and has knocked on more than 5,000 doors. Martinez has a lot more work ahead of him if he wants to beat Prentice. Sore knuckles will take him only part of the way.

What Martinez needs now are more substantive solutions to the issues he has said will be his priorities in Olympia: transportation, education, health care, the environment, homeownership and financial accountability. Martinez has yet to flesh out any real concrete plans to address these oft-used buzzwords.

Prentice has a solid track record to campaign on and has a grasp on the importance the private sector plays in the economy. She must remind voters of that record while also explaining what it is she believes she can still accomplish after 20 years on the job.