While it’s unclear how much further Gov. Jay Inslee’s presidential campaign will advance, his time in the race — particularly his two appearances on the nationally televised debate stage — have shone a flattering spotlight on Washington.

Climate change has been the focal point of Inslee’s campaign, and he can point with pride to steps the state has taken to address the issue. These include a measure the governor signed in May that makes Washington the fourth state to establish a mandate to provide carbon-free electricity by a targeted date.

The fact is Washington has been ahead of the game because we heavily rely on clean, renewable hydropower. The state already generates more than 75 percent of its electricity from carbon-free sources. The new law requires utilities to eliminate coal as an energy source by 2025 as the first step toward carbon-free electricity by 2045.

Health care is another area where Washington has carved out a respectable niche. Inslee noted during the July 31 Democratic debate that the state is the first to provide a public option for its residents. The measure allows for people to purchase individual coverage as a state-sponsored plan that is different from Medicare and Medicaid, which have age and income thresholds.

Washington’s public option will cap total provider and facility reimbursement rates at 160 percent of Medicare in an effort to keep premium and deductible costs down.