EVERETT — Two years ago, the National Republican Congressional Committee set its sights on unseating Rep. Rick Larsen.
This year, the GOP is barely giving a passing glance to the four-term Everett Democrat.
As a result, there’s no guarantee a Republican will emerge from the three challengers in next month’s primary to take on Larsen in November.
The trio includes one Republican, former Snohomish County Sheriff Rick Bart of Arlington, and two Democrats, Doug Schaffer of Snohomish and Glen Johnson of Mount Vernon.
The election is Aug. 19. Under rules of the state’s new primary, the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of political affiliation, advance to the general election.
Larsen, who is under a lot less pressure this time around, is sure to be the top vote getter.
In 2006, Republican Doug Roulstone had raised $603,000 by the time primary ballots went out. Vice President Dick Cheney and former House speakers Dennis Hastert and Newt Gingrich had come to Everett to help him.
Larsen won by a nearly 2-to-1 margin and readied for another fight. He’s collected more than $1 million.
“I’m still doing everything I need to be doing as a candidate as if I had a target on my back,” he said.
Larsen, 43, is seeking a fifth term serving the 2nd Congressional District that stretches from Mukilteo to the Canadian border. It takes in all of Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan counties and much of Snohomish County.
This term his law creating the Wild Sky Wilderness area was signed. And he helped secure a temporary medical clinic for veterans in Sedro-Woolley with a permanent facility expected to open in Mount Vernon next year.
If re-elected, he said one objective will be to obtain funding for road projects when Congress reauthorizes its massive federal transportation funding bill next year.
Energy policy also is going to be a focal point as he works on legislation “to help break our addiction to foreign oil.” He opposes new offshore oil drilling and extraction from the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge.
Larsen, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, opposed the war in Iraq but is not calling for a timetable to withdraw.
He said the focus needs to be on how the U.S. can improve Iraq’s physical security, support political reconciliation and perpetuate reconstruction. The U.S. also must attend to Afghanistan — “the front of the war on terror” — and the entire Middle East.
Bart, 60, is getting none of the aid Roulstone received. He started July with no cash, having raised and spent $31,500 to that point. He’s collected $4,000 in contributions this month.
And while he is the only Republican on the ballot, he holds no illusions he is a shoo-in to advance.
“We’re plugging along, chipping away,” he said. “We’re spending all of our money to get through it.”
He’s campaigned hard on the idea there is “a lack of trust in Congress to solve the real problems facing the nation” and voters want to make a change
Congress needs to curb its appetite for spending and expand its options on energy by drilling offshore and in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, he said.
“Energy is going to be a big deal,” he said.
Schaffer, 59, owner of a management consultant firm, is looking to tap into the reservoir of independent-minded voters in his first run for office.
Though the ballot says he “prefers Democratic Party,” he insisted he is running as an independent. He wants to “provide a choice” to those displeased with what both parties are and are not doing on matters ranging from Social Security to energy to health care.
“I have been dissatisfied the last eight years because Congress has not dealt with some of the nation’s major issues. They’ve made many runs at these issues and not been able to come through with solutions,” he said.
Schaffer said one of his major focuses is boosting investment into fixing public infrastructure such as widening U.S. 2. Money must be spent to expand vocational skills training for high school students, he said.
On the war, he wants to withdraw troops from Iraq only when that nation’s leaders “are comfortable they can cover our exit.”
Johnson, 53, who owns Mother Flight Farm in Mount Vernon, ran against Larsen as a Natural Law Party candidate in 2000.
He said his primary aim is creating a “peace-industrial complex” to replace the “military-industrial complex” that’s guided U.S. foreign policy since President Eisenhower.
He said the nation can step in that direction with a secure food supply free of undue influence from foreign countries that use food as a political weapon. To do this, tens of millions of people must be helped to become productive farmers, he said.
Johnson is the most outspoken opponent of the war, saying he wants “to get out of Iraq as quick as we can.”
He describes himself as a “conservative progressive” who seeks policies attractive to the centrists in the Democratic and Republican parties.
He’s been the most critical of the incumbent.
“Rick Larsen has been part of Congress the last eight years and Democrats haven’t made the most of their opportunities,” Johnson said. “He’s a nice enough guy but he just doesn’t have vision.”
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
Rick Bart
Hometown: Arlington
Age: 60
Experience: Retired law enforcement. Bachelor of arts, criminal justice Seattle University; associate of arts, law enforcement, Shoreline Community College; Snohomish County sheriff, 1995-2008
Web site: www.electrickbart.com
Glen Johnson
Hometown: Mount Vernon
Age: 53
Experience: Mother Flight Farm, owner; associate of arts, agriculture and psychology; Skagit Valley College; congressional candidate, 2000; legislative candidate, 1996
Web site: None
Rick Larsen
Hometown: Everett
Age: 43
Experience: Congressman. Bachelor of arts, political science, Pacific Lutheran University; masters in public administration, University of Minnesota; Congress, 2001-present; Snohomish County Council 1997-1999
Web site: www.ricklarsen.org
Doug Schaffer
Hometown: Snohomish
Age: 59
Experience: Best Consultants, owner. Bachelor of arts, political science, University of California, Berkeley; Master’s in political science, California State University, Fullerton
Web site: www.schafferforcongress.com
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