Winning
Last Wednesday my sister in law, Janesmom, posted a FB request for a canvassing partner for this past Saturday. My husband was heading to California to do some work on the house, and I was “free” for the weekend. Janesmom, and her husband, my brother, have been volunteering for Christine Brown for a few months. I decided that it would be a win-win-win-win to make the 4 hour drive to see them, do some leg work for a Democrat in a red district, support my SIL who’s been struggling with our current situation, and to have a fun weekend with my family. The 4th win in the weekend of winning? Having a topic for my diary this week.
The scoop on the race
Christine Brown is running to represent Washington State’s fourth congressional district. Representative Dan Newhouse, a Republican, is the incumbent in the race. The district is located in Eastern Washington, and primarily represents the cities of Yakima, and the Tri-Cities of Richland, Kennewick and Pasco. It stretches from the magnificent Columbia River Gorge, to the Canadian border. Outside of the cities, the area is a regional agricultural hub. You’ll find onions, wheat, cherries, grapes, and the famous Washington apples in this district. The district is also home to the Grand Coulee Dam and the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. This is a district that Sec. Clinton lost in 2016, 56%-34%. It’s definitely a “red” district, much to the frustration of my brother and sister in law.
More about the candidate
Christine Brown is a former Tri-Cities news anchor for the local NBC affiliate. She announced her run in June of 2017.
Our campaign will be talking about shared progressive Democratic values that will help make government work for all of us. We will encourage people who have not participated to take a stand, that this fight is worth it,” Brown said. “We all need to recognize that Democracy is really what is at stake and every single American must vote.
www.columbiabasinherald.com/...
More about her opponent
Her Republican opponent is Rep. Dan Newhouse, who has served since 2015. Newhouse is like a lot of the republicans, he doesn’t hold town halls, votes the party line 100%, takes NRA money, talks big about Dreamers, but does not vote to support them. Oh, and he’s a gentleman farmer who is just fine with taking Dept. of Agriculture welfare payments, also known as subsidies. As Janesmom says, he’s a solid republican, trying to masquerade as a moderate. So, a solid blue wave will go far to help her win.
About the race
To say she’s in a tough race, is an understatement. She does have name and facial recognition since she was on air for 30 years in the Tri-Cities. She is working really hard to get out into this huge district, attending community events and knocking on a lot of doors. In the Tri-Cities, she has folks out every weekend knocking on doors for her.
Here’s a bit more information about her on the campaign website...
Another of my unwavering principles as a journalist was to acknowledge, seek out and understand there are typically several sides to every story. As the News Director, it was one of the core beliefs behind my news philosophy, and was a constant reminder to dozens of young reporters I mentored for more than 20 years. It’s a disciplined characteristic that would bode well for elected officials to master. Unfortunately, it’s difficult for most career politicians to embrace because it’s not a standard that guides them through everyday life. I believe we should expect more from the people we choose to represent us.
As your U.S. Representative, I will encourage, expect and seek out initial and repeated feedback from people living in the 4th Congressional District affected by decisions coming out of Washington, D.C. To come to a well-informed decision to support or oppose a particular issue, I will consider multiple points of view, not just partisan banter that often serves a special interest, but does very little for those truly in need. My track record for objectivity was demonstrated for 20+ years as a News Director. I will continue to examine different perspectives and opinions before drawing any conclusions as your next Congresswoman. I don’t believe in making decisions that benefit the few at the expense of the many.
www.christinebrownforcongress.com/...
“Knock knock, knocking on the door, somebody ringing a bell”
Saturday morning was beautiful, blue skies for miles, and plenty of heat since we were in the desert. I slathered on plenty of sunscreen, wore a long sleeve white dri-fit shirt and a brimmed hat in the hopes of staving off sunburn and heatstroke. We met at the library to get our marching orders, and off we went. All told we probably knocked on ~12 doors and spoke with about 6 people, and two dogs. Everyone was friendly and reminded us to stay cool. There were a couple of people who said they were definitely voting for Christine. One woman wasn’t sure, but was happy to review the material, and then tell her husband who they’d be voting for. Her words, not mine. Janesmom also had the opportunity to chat with a former co-worker from over a decade ago. She looked at the name on the list, and said, “I used to work with a woman with the same name.” Sure enough, the door opened and it was her former co-worker.
We were feeling good about our strategy for getting through our list, staying cool, and not having to talk to any cranky republicans. Turns out there was a snafu in the packets and we ran into another team working our turf. Fortunately they had knocked on doors we hadn’t. Both teams had started at opposite ends of the map. They finished the list, and we had grand plans of heading back to the library for another list. Turns out there was only one packet that didn’t get distributed earlier, and it was in an outlying area. We decided we’d done enough for the day, and headed home. No sunburns, no heatstroke, and best of all, no cranky people. All in all a pleasant experience for my first time knocking on doors for decades.
Roll on, Columbia, roll on!
In honor of Washington’s 4th Congressional District, I leave you with this scratchy recording of a classic song that celebrates the mighty Columbia River, which runs through the district, and borders it in the stunning Columbia River Gorge.