A man speaking at a political rally with a microphone, surrounded by supporters holding signs that say "VOTE NO" and "AARP Washington."

No on I-2124, We Care For WA Cares

Protecting Health Care For Elderly, People With Disabilities

Winning a statewide ballot initiative campaign to protect the nation’s first ever public long-term care benefits program for people who are aging, have disabilities, or who are seriously ill or injured, using strategic earned media, grassroots mobilization, websites, social media, and digital advertising.

Challenges

Far-right think tanks and wealthy interests viciously attacked Washington’s long-term care benefits program to help aging people and people with disabilities access care. An onslaught of misleading public narratives seemed poised to convince voters to take critical benefits away from more than 3 million Washingtonians.

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“PowerHouse’s team ran a highly effective communications campaign, training dozens of spokespeople, countering misinformation, and garnering compelling news coverage and editorial support. We couldn’t have protected long-term care benefits for millions without them.”

Adam Glickman

Secretary-Treasurer SEIU 775

Results

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The campaign won, first in the state legislature and then on the ballot!

During the 2022, 2023, and 2024 legislative sessions, our clients defeated attack after attack on Washington’s long-term care benefits, and even passed positive, strengthening improvements to help people access their benefits more easily.

Then, with a broad coalition including AARP, SEIU 775, Washington State Nurses Association, the National MS Society, and many others, we helped defeat I-2124, the initiative to effectively repeal the program, with a vote of 55.4% to 44.6%

How We Did It

PowerHouse Strategic’s team waged a relentless and successful communications campaign to defend  Washington’s benefits program against attacks in the legislature and on the ballot. We developed media-friendly research reports and events, social media accounts,  and hosted multiple press briefings to keep up a steady drumbeat of media coverage. And we built a list of more than 10,000 grassroots supporters and mobilized them during the contentious legislative and ballot initiative fights. 

A woman speaking at a podium during a protest with a sign that reads "VOTE NO ON I-2124". Behind her, a group of protesters hold signs supporting leukemia and lymphoma society, and opposing I-2124, with some signs saying "We care for W".

We helped generate more than 300 stories, 15 op-eds and 44 letters to the editor, and positive endorsements from six Washington state newspapers during the campaign to defeat Initiative 2124. PowerHouse identified and engaged leading national experts as resources for reporters, spurring national coverage in outlets like Forbes and on NPR’s All Things Considered.

Woman in blue holding a small dog in front of a gallery wall with multiple framed photographs and artwork.

The Columbian 7/25/24

Blue spherical object with white curved line design

 Family caregivers, nurses launch campaign to protect Washington’s long-term care benefit, defeat I-2124