Carlyle, Pettigrew and White in legislative districts 36, 37, 46

Seattle has a few truly competitive state legislative races this year, two all the more interesting because Democrats are running hard against fellow Democrats. This is a direct result of the state's new top-two primary. Our picks in selected races:

36th District (Northwest Seattle, including Magnolia, Queen Anne, Ballard):

In the hottest contest, for House Position 1, our choice is Reuven Carlyle, an upbeat, hardworking Democrat with unusual private- and public-sector experience. His work for new-technology startup companies, including a venture in electric cars, gives him the kind of business experience the Democratic caucus needs.

Carlyle also has a background in public and nonprofit sectors. He was a teenage page of the late U.S. Sen. Warren Magnuson and a legislative aide to former state Rep. Gary Locke. He is a graduate of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. His wife is a doctor at Virginia Mason and his kids are in Seattle Public Schools.

His opponent, John Burbank of the Economic Opportunity Institute, is a longtime advocate and defender of social programs. He promoted the plan to fund child care with a 10-cent tax on espresso drinks, which Seattle voters rejected, and the state plan for paid family leave, which the Legislature passed but did not fund, and which Gov. Christine Gregoire recently pulled the plug on.

Carlyle offers a green-technology background that fits the progressive environmental views of this district.

37th District (Southeast Seattle, Madrona, Mount Baker, Rainier Valley, parts of Renton):

For Position 2, Rep. Eric Pettigrew has earned another term. Pettigrew, in the Legislature since 2002, is a knowledgeable and compelling voice on issues from racial disparities in the child-welfare system and in academic achievement to discrimination in public housing.

The Mount Baker Democrat was instrumental in the state's increase of money into affordable housing, an accomplishment that won him the 2007 Friend of Housing award from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

Pettigrew's leadership and dogged commitment to equity issues outweighs the alternative posed by his opponent, Libertarian candidate Ruth Bennett.

46th District (North and Northeast Seattle):

Two competent Democrats are vying to fill the Position 1 seat vacated by Rep. Jim McIntire. Scott White is the better selection because he is ready to go to Olympia and get to work in a very difficult budget year.

White has served as chief of staff for the King County Council and worked for the executive branch on juvenile-justice and transportation planning. He is backed by the entire 46th District legislative delegation, including state Sen. Ken Jacobsen, Rep. Phyllis Kenney and McIntire, whom he would replace.

White's opponent, Gerry Pollet, is a community activist who authored a misguided statewide initiative years ago. White is better suited to be productive in a difficult economic climate.