In WA’s divided 8th Congressional District, 2 candidates deserve your primary votes

In many ways, the race for U.S. House of Representatives in Washington’s 8th Congressional District mirrors the stark partisan divide seen across the country. Stretching across the Cascades, and including parts of King, Pierce, Snohomish, Chelan, Kittitas and Douglas counties, the district is blue and red, liberal and conservative, urban and rural.

In 2018, Sammamish Democrat Kim Schrier was elected as part of the blue wave that swept the country in response to voters’ disdain for the first two years of former President Donald Trump’s tenure. Besting Republican Dino Rossi, who Washington voters knew well from his previous gubernatorial runs, Schrier flipped a seat that had long been held by Republican Dave Reichert. Two years later, she fended off a challenge from Republican Jesse Jensen.

But times have certainly changed. In 2022, the tables have turned — with the incumbent Schrier now fighting off a host of Republican challengers who smell blood in the water, thanks to President Joe Biden’s dismal approval rating, rising inflation and skyrocketing crime.

With 10 names appearing on the ballot, voters will be tasked with narrowing the field to two during this year’s primary. Given the very real challenges the country faces, and with the balance of Congressional power in Washington D.C. potentially at stake, what they deserve in the general election is a contest that presents a clear choice between traditional progressive and conservative ideas, weeding out the dubious election deniers and fringe elements in the process.

In the opinion of The News Tribune Editorial Board, the two best candidates to make such a race a reality are Schrier, who again earns our endorsement, and Republican Reagan Dunn, a moderate Republican from King County who seems best positioned to push the incumbent on the issues that truly matter to 8th District voters. While Republicans Jesse Jensen and Matt Larkin also have compelling cases to make to voters, in our mind Schrier and Dunn clearly rise to the top.

Schrier, 53, has spent roughly two decades working as a pediatrician, bringing her intimate knowledge of the country’s healthcare system — and its many flaws — to elected office. She’s proud of efforts to reduce the cost of insulin, as well as her support for preserving and strengthening the Affordable Care Act. She also notes that she’s currently the only female doctor in Congress, giving her an important voice in any discussion of women’s healthcare and reproductive rights.

You can perhaps forgive Schrier if she feels unfairly maligned this election cycle. While there’s little doubt that the country – and many of her constituents — are hurting, it’s much less clear that Democratic policies under Biden are entirely to blame, particularly as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to grapple with its many lasting effects. She told The News Tribune Editorial Board that she’s supported tangible steps to tamp down on the rising cost of living, like a bill she sponsored intended to stop price-gouging by oil companies, and considers “bringing down the cost of goods, inflation, gas prices and crime” her top priorities.

Still, no one said politics is fair. If voters of the 8th District were asked the classic campaign question, “Are you better off today than you were two years ago?” many would say no, and with justifiable reason. Even if Democrats aren’t entirely to blame — or even primarily to blame — the fact remains that the party has held control of the White House and Congress for the last two years, and the buck stops with them. On the right, it’s fair to question whether liberal policies have caused inflation and crime to spike. And on the left, it’s more than fair to be frustrated by Democrats’ lack of of urgency and accomplishments in the face of so many crises, from the Supreme Court’s recent attack on abortion rights to climate change and mass shootings.

While Dunn, 51, clearly won’t provide an answer for staunchly left-leaning voters, the longtime King County Council member does provide a sensible alternative for traditionally conservative voters and those who find themselves in the middle.

The son of Jennifer Dunn, who held the same seat for more than a decade, Reagan Dunn is a known quantity in Puget Sound region politics, even if his name recognition wanes east of the mountains. As a moderate Republican, he’s managed to maintain the support of King County voters despite the increasingly unhinged tendencies of the national Republican party, and he’s done so largely by staying clear of the nonsense culture war issues and focusing instead on resonant suburban themes like fiscal responsibility and public safety.

That’s not to say The News Tribune Editorial Board agrees with all of Dunn’s stances. While he has long maintained that the government shouldn’t be involved in a person’s choice to seek an abortion — and says he supports Washington’s current law protecting the procedure — we would like to see him stake a stronger stance against the attacks on reproductive rights launched by his fellow party members in Washington D.C. And while we agree with Dunn on many issues related to gun safety — including the need to strengthen background checks on purchases — we think his overall contention that strict gun control won’t reduce crimes and tragedies like the ones in Uvalde and Highland Park misses the mark.

Ultimately, however, where the divided 8th Congressional District stands on such issues will be up to voters to decide.

Promoting Schrier and Dunn to the general election this November sets up the robust debate people deserve.

News Tribune election endorsements reflect the views of our Editorial Board and are written by opinion editor Matt Driscoll. Other board members are: Stephanie Pedersen, News Tribune president and editor; Jim Walton, community representative; and Pamela Transue, a community representative who serves during election season. The Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom and does not influence the work of news reporting and editing staffs. We do not endorse any candidates who do not interview with us. For questions, email matt.driscoll@thenewstribune.com.