The 1st Congressional District is regarded as a swing seat in the U.S. House of Representatives elections. This year, there’s again a fierce battle between the Republican and Democratic candidates.
Voters, though, have the chance to hold firm with a congressman who has done an outstanding job during his first term representing the district, which includes much of south Snohomish County. Democrat Jay Inslee is a clear choice this year.
That’s true even though Inslee faces a capable Republican challenger, veteran state Sen. Dan McDonald. The two campaigns have locked horns in a barrage of advertising that obscures the genuine strengths of both candidates. Behind the smoke, McDonald is a bit more conservative, Inslee a bit more liberal. Still, McDonald, a moderate Republican, and Inslee, a moderate Democrat, genuinely stress much the same themes of fiscal responsibility, environmental protection and better education.
Inslee is living up to his words in a most impressive fashion. He has worked with exemplary energy on issues close to home. He has been tireless in the pursuit of a fair share of federal money for addressing Puget Sound’s transportation crisis, restoring salmon and protecting natural lands. He has cast a fair share of votes across party lines and, in particular, has worked with Republican members of Congress on a variety of issues. He and Republican Rep. Jack Metcalf, for instance, have devoted great attention on the need to improve federal regulation of fuel pipelines.
Despite being a member of the House minority, Inslee has managed to push the discussion forward on several issues, including privacy and the use electronic signatures on documents. He became interested in privacy on the basis of a letter from a district resident about a bank’s use of customer information.
Voters in the 1st District have an outstanding member of Congress in Jay Inslee. He is energetic, attentive to their needs and reasoned in voting. The district and the Puget Sound region will be the winners if Inslee is re-elected.
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