WA-03: Jaime Herrera Beutler Moves Hard Right, Endorses Trump

[RandySF]

As Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler attempts to hold onto her seat after a decade in office, she is in for what’s being described as the “fight of her political life” this November. Her perilous political position must be why she’s decided to run to the hard right and keep her base at bay by endorsing President Trump for reelection.

In 2016, Herrera Beutler had still never had a political challenge and felt comfortable enough electorally, to attempt to ignore then-candidate Trump while supposedly writing in former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan for president. Telling the voters in 2016:

“For months I’ve left the door open for Donald Trump to earn my vote. That door has now slammed shut […] I refuse to accept this is the best we can do.”

Apparently the last four years of the Trump Presidency have reopened the door…In 2016, her stance was seen as political posturing and it appears to again be the case …maybe that is why Herrera Beutler “did not elaborate on what had changed over the last four years for Trump to earn her vote.”

Perhaps, Herrera Beutler respects Trump’s leadership during this pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis…only she can say what caused her to change her mind in such an abrupt fashion.

Statement from DCCC Spokesperson Andy Orellana:

“Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler has tried to have her cake and eat it for the last four years. But after ten years in Washington, it’s clear that she’s just another tired DC politician masquerading as an independent voice while actually being a rubber stamp for her party. Now there’s no question – she supports President Trump and his brand of pay to play politics that voters are sick and tired of.”


https://dccc.org/congresswoman-jaime-herrera-beutler-moves-hard-right-endorses-trump/

[greyl]

1. Carolyn Long is the Dem to support in this race.

https://electlong.com/

https://twitter.com/electlong

https://www.opb.org/news/article/congress-southwest-washington-campaign-democrat-carolyn-long-jaime-herrera-buetler/

https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2020/06/carolyn-longs-rematch-with-jaime-herrera-beutler-could-be-washingtons-hottest-race.html

[secondwind]

2. Just contributed. Thanks.

[madaboutharry]

3. The Trump presidency has reminded us that good is always fighting evil.

Weakness, lust for power, avarice - every human frailty is now in the glare of the brightest searchlight. It should not be a surprise. History itself stands as testimony of how easily people forsake decency and goodness for personal gain.

[oasis]

4. Time for her to go.

[maxrandb]

5. Seems every female Retrumplican politician is soooo "concerned" and "troubled"

right up to the moment they kiss Donnie Short Fingers ass.

There's one in Maine that constantly tells us how "uncomfortable" it makes her as she shoves her head up the orange dipshits ass.

I swear, they must all come from those families whose mom would always get that disappointed look on her face as she grabbed the switch and told them; "this is going to hurt me a lot more than it will you"

[Thunderbeast]

6. WA-03 is an interesting district.

Historically Vancouver and it's suburbs have been a bedroom community of Portland...A destination for urban refugees. The northern parts of Clark county is rural and deeply conservative.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Davis_Park,_Washington

While the urban areas depend on common infrastructure with Portland (e.g. transportation) many in the district are tax refugees. If they live and work in Washigton state, they pay no income tax. By shopping across the river in Oregon, they avoid sales tax. Many brag about this arbitrage.

For years, a mega-project to replace the I-5 bridge (one of only two local Columbia River crossings) has been needed. One of the spans was built in 1917! Oregon and Portland insisted that the project include a light rail extension to ease the traffic impacts on all urban freeways. The Washington funding was withdrawn after a state representative from the northern part of the district voted to kill the plan. The underlying racist "dog whistle" was that the train would make it too easy for "urban boys" to cross into their enclave to practice mischief.

Vancouver has become an attractive small city in the past 30 years. While it used to be known as "East Berlin", it now is expanding a vibrant waterfront, hosts a respected and popular jazz festival, and has an excellent school system. Jamie Butler may be running against a new reality...One where the modern Vancouver finally dominates the conservative exurbs.