Through the Static

By Hannah Saunders

Washington Congressional District 9 voters have been coming to terms with the race being between 30-year incumbent Adam Smith, who has been approving the endless funneling of aid and munitions to Israel, and socialist Kshama Sawant, a controversial figure who hasn’t always worked well with others. But today, voters have a third option: Melissa Chaudhry, a powerhouse who recently fought across four federal jurisdictions without an attorney— and won— to free her husband from an unlawful ICE detention.

In her campaign launch announcement, Chaudhry referenced Section 224 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which merges portions of the U.S. military with Israel’s and bypasses congressional oversight. If approved, the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, would appoint a Pentagon executive agent to oversee military integration, like joint weapons research, development, and co-production; intelligence sharing; AI; biotechnology; data fusion; and more.

“Adam Smith didn’t just vote for this. He wrote it,” Chaudhry said. “Section 224 moves us from aid we can debate to integration we can barely see. Once our supply chains fuse with a foreign military, public accountability dies. That’s not leadership. That’s abandonment of the oath. People are furious. I’ve heard so many people say that this is clear treason and he should be jailed.”

A recently leaked Pentagon report highlighted how the Israeli espionage threat level is “critical,” and the seven-page Defense Intelligence Agency document stated Israeli intelligence has been caught installing monitoring software on U.S. defense personnel phones, placing listening devices in U.S. Secret Service vehicles; and others.

“When a foreign government has been unrepentantly committing grave human rights violations, the answer is not deeper military integration,” Chaudhry said. “The answer is oversight. Conditions. Backing off, not running forward. Hard questions, asked publicly, with consequences. Congress should be doing its constitutional job.”

Seattle Against War (SAW) has routinely protested outside of Rep. Smith’s home to demand he cut all ties with Israel, but intensities have recently spiked with the Bellevue City Council’s passing of Ordinance 6917, which muzzles free speech. Activists said the elected official refuses to meet with them or hold in-person town halls. Now, those who engage in targeted residential protests in Bellevue in groups of three or more will receive a gross misdemeanor and may face fines or imprisonment.

In April, Sawant stated that her campaign is at risk of failure over the efforts of former campaign members who she exiled. Sawant said their attempts to gather signatures and donations on her behalf create legal risks and that it was an “irresponsible decision.” Sawant, a former Seattle City Councilmember, has a history of not working well with other people, and has on several occasions, fought over microphones with speakers at different community events.

“Care. Courage. The Constitution,” Chaudhry said. “That’s what the 9th District deserves. Not a 30-year incumbent whose top donors include AIPAC, Palantir, and killer robot manufacturers — and whose record of voting for war for the past 30 years shows exactly who he answers to.”

Chaudhry first competed in this race in 2024 as a first-time grassroots candidate. The mother and published author has extensive work experience including in residential behavioral health treatment, food and farming industries, and more. Chaudhry believes her family’s military service background allows her to understand the weight of service and the real costs of war, as her husband currently uses a wheelchair.

“[Smith] is fast-tracking a permanent military merger with a foreign power without debate, without conditions, and without the American people’s consent,” Chaudhry said.

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