Jessica Morse serving alongside troops in Iraq
All of the years I have lived here in Ca’s district 3, I have never paid much attention to District 4, which nudges us a little on our eastern border. Having met one of the Dem candidates running to unseat Tom McClintock next year, I realize my complacency is misplaced and I need to be more aware of what happens next door.
Jessica Morse was brought to my attention because she is a college friend of someone I have known for years and whose opinion I value. She tells me that Jessica is the real deal and would make a great representative for, not only the district, but for CA and the country. I was pleased to be able to see Jessica in action and get a feel for who she is and what she thinks at a fundraising event at my friend’s house.
The first thing she explained was why she was fundraising at the district next door. And this is important for all Americans to consider. District 4 encompasses Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park, two important American landmarks that are dramatically impacted by climate change and a reduction in federal environmental regulations. Tom McClintock’s voting record does not show responsibility of concern of maintaining these national treasures. So that connection woke me up to MY responsibility to care who is representing the district next door. All Americans know how crucial it is to keep places like the majestic Yosemite healthy and vital.
2015 was a wake-up call for her to get more involved in politics and she worked hard to help get Hillary elected. Her values represent those of us here at DK, but she has the background and history that could also appeal to Republican voters in the area as she seeks to oust McClintock.
In CA, we have a top tier, death match primary system. There are a couple of other Dem candidates in this race, but I think she has a better chance of taking the vote of current registered GOP-ers. She did her research and knows how many unregistered eligible voters there are in the district and will be aggressively signing them up to register. She has the 5th generation, hunting, outdoorsy appeal that could swing this district. Her background includes working for USAID in Iraq, as well as serving as an advisor to the US Pacific Command and spent time in Ethiopia, Nepal, Burma and India.
But I think the biggest appeal for me is that she is smart and did her homework. She spent the few months before declaring her candidacy on a listening tour of the district, staying in local homes and attending small get togethers to introduce herself and to hear what concerns people have. She found out that parts of this area still do not have WIFI and people were outraged to hear that it was McClintock that was voting to keep it that way. Or that McClintock backed doing away with regulations that would keep Lake Tahoe blue and the air over Yosemite clean.
What most incensed his constituents was his vote to shut down the government in 2013. This was devastating to the towns around Yosemite who depend on tourism for their livelihood. When I pointed out that he had been re-elected since 2013, she reminded me that a viable Democrat has was never run against him.
In person, she is a mix of force, intelligence, and confidence. She has her facts down and when watching her speak I imagined how she might do in a debate with McClintock. I think she could take him. If she keeps up her personal relationship with the voters, she might be able to turn this red district blue.
Check out her website: www.Morse4Congress.com. There is some more info here: www.crowdpac.com/… This is the type of candidate we need next year.
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