With ballots out and Election Day approaching on November 3, Lobbing Scorchers sat down for a special election episode with Hannah Sabio-Howell, a former legislative staffer, labor organizer and LS listener running for Washington state Senate in the 43rd Legislative District. Sabio-Howell is challenging incumbent Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen.

The conversation covered several issues with direct implications for Seattle sports fans, starting with Lumen Field’s future.

Asked by Noah Riffe about the upcoming stadium lease negotiations and the possibility of the Sounders and Reign relocating to Renton, Sabio-Howell expressed interest in working through the Public Stadium Authority to negotiate lease terms that would keep both clubs at Lumen Field. She also opposed using public funds to subsidize a new stadium for privately owned teams, noting that the state received no tax revenue from the roughly $9.6 billion sale of the Seattle Seahawks.

On sports betting, Sabio-Howell voiced support for a Washington court ruling restricting Kalshi’s operations in the state and defended the current system limiting legal sports betting to in-person wagering at tribal casinos. She also expressed interest in regulating gambling advertising, describing gambling addiction as a public health concern and drawing comparisons to past efforts to regulate the tobacco industry.

The conversation also touched on a transportation idea familiar to longtime Lobbing Scorchers listeners. During a preseason interview in February, Sounders midfielder Paul Rothrock shared that he and his partner would love to see water taxis connecting neighborhoods such as Ballard to downtown Seattle.

Sabio-Howell enthusiastically supported the concept, pointing to the proposed “Mosquito Fleet” legislation, which would make it easier for local governments to establish passenger-only ferry services. She argued that the 43rd District, which includes much of downtown Seattle and serves as a destination for commuters arriving from Bremerton, Bainbridge Island and West Seattle, could particularly benefit from expanded service. She also contrasted her position with what she characterized as Pedersen’s skepticism toward state funding for regional transit authorities.

Listen to the full interview below for more from Sabio-Howell on the millionaires’ income tax and the ballot initiative seeking to repeal it, gig-worker pay, surveillance pricing, a potential data center moratorium and ballot initiatives concerning transgender participation in youth sports.