We endorse: Tacoma’s Strickland would work hard for Washington Congressional Dist. 10
Mayor of Tacoma isn’t an office known as a springboard to Congress. The last person to make the leap was Harry P. Cain, who was elected Tacoma mayor in 1940, then vaulted to the U.S. Senate in 1946.
Marilyn Strickland, Tacoma’s smart, pragmatic and tough-as-nails former two-term mayor (2010-17), is trying to be the first to do it in 80 years. She’d also be the first congresswoman from Tacoma, first African-American to represent Washington state on Capitol Hill and first Korean-American congresswoman from any state.
Those would be nice historical achievements, but they’re not why this Democratic product of South Tacoma should be elected to succeed Rep. Denny Heck in Washington’s 10th Congressional District.
We’re endorsing Strickland because she stands out in a jam-packed primary election field of 19 candidates, distinguished by her wide base of support, firm centrist backbone and diverse leadership experience. Not only has she run a city, but she was CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce the past two years, giving her business-labor crossover appeal.
The crucible that shaped Strickland politically was the 10-year period, including the Great Recession, when she led Tacoma as mayor and City Council member. Strickland notes she’s the only candidate with a local government portfolio, so critical at a time when America is roiled by on-the-ground local issues: people being infected by a scary new virus, small businesses failing and racial injustice reaching critical mass.
“Given what we’re facing now in Washington, D.C., the lens of local government is incredibly valuable,” she told us, and we wholeheartedly agree.
More leaders like Strickland are needed on Capitol Hill to oppose half-baked decisions — say, Congress setting a minimum population of 500,000 for cities to qualify for federal pandemic aid. Or President Trump wantonly sending federal troops into cities.
We limited our endorsement interview to six candidates who raised money in the first quarter, a key sign of campaign viability. Strickland, 57, was joined by Democratic state Reps. Beth Doglio, 55, of Olympia and Kristine Reeves, 39, of Federal Way; Democrat Phil Gardner, 28, of Tacoma, a longtime Heck aide; Joshua Collins, 26, a Tacoma truck driver who identifies with the Essential Workers Party; and Republican Nancy Dailey Slotnick, 56, a Midland resident and JBLM veteran.
Doglio and Reeves rank in the top three with Strickland — not just in the half-million-dollar-plus fundraising club, but in overall political sophistication. They’re both capable leaders and may split the progressive vote. Doglio’s calling card is fighting against climate change; Reeves’ is fighting for working families.
Among the Republicans, Jackson Maynard, an Olympia attorney, has overtaken Dailey Slotnick in fundraising. Maynard’s momentum has grown with endorsements from Rob McKenna and Dino Rossi, former GOP governor candidates.
But make no mistake: The 10th was conceived as a Democratic district nearly a decade ago, a test-tube baby of the last Washington Redistricting Commission. It comprises most of Thurston County and extends north into part of Mason and much of central Pierce County.
Strickland is the kind of Democrat who strives for compromise, like negotiating a phased-in $12 minimum wage ballot proposition in Tacoma when hard-liners demanded $15. On health care reform, she favors realism over idealism, giving a clear prescription for restoring Obamacare’s public option while refusing to embrace Medicare for All.
No wonder she’s supported by former governors Chris Gregoire and Gary Locke.
One good-faith show of Strickland’s commitment to the 10th: In July she completed a move from her downtown Tacoma residence to an East Tacoma home inside district boundaries, which we and others urged her to do.
Now there should be little debate: Marilyn Strickland is an excellent fit to represent the South Sound in Congress. She has the right ideology, biography and geography.
ABOUT OUR ENDORSEMENTS
The News Tribune Editorial Board interviewed candidates and did other research before making our picks in the Aug. 4 primary election. For races with only two candidates, we will wait until general election season. Endorsements are intended to promote civic discourse and encourage voters to dig deeper. Board members include: Stephanie Pedersen, TNT president and publisher; Matt Misterek, editorial page editor; Karen Irwin, editorial writer; Matt Driscoll, local news columnist; and Pamela Transue, community representative and former president of Tacoma Community College.
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 2:00 PM.