Kim Schrier has declared victory in a race for U.S. House in Washington state, becoming the first Democrat to win in the sprawling 8th District that stretches from Seattle's eastern suburbs to central Washington farm country.
"Congress is broken, and people in the 8th District are ready for a community pediatrician to bring a dose of common sense to DC," Schrier said in a statement.
Republican Dino Rossi posted a statement on his Facebook page conceding the race Wednesday night hours after the latest vote tallies were posted and Schrier maintained her lead with 53 percent of the vote.
That position is now held by Dave Reichert, who took office in 2005.
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The 8th is the only congressional district that spans the Cascade Mountains from the high-tech Suburb of Issaquah to the export-dependent farm lands of Central Washington.
Rossi is well known here because of his time in the legislature and three statewide races. Schrier is a political newcomer motivated by her work as a pediatrician to make health care her top issue.
“Let me be clear about my plan for health care because there is definitely misunderstanding from my opponent, which is that I believe we should have Medicare as a public option so that anybody at any age especially small business owners could buy into Medicare just like they could buy into private insurance,” she said in the pair’s only debate.
Ross said that Schrier “wants a government takeover of health care and a government takeover of health care means that the government is going to pick your doctor, the government is going to pick your hospital.”
In a TV ad, Schrier links Rossi to a fugitive real estate developer indicted for business fraud. In the debate on Oct. 17, Rossi struck back.
“What it is, is it's a character assassination based upon guilt by association.”
When asked if she would like to defend that ad, Schrier responded: “I stand my ad."
On tariff’s, Rossi avoided direct criticism of President Trump.
“I've been very clear that I don't think anyone wants a trade war.”
Schrier responded, “You don't have to throw uncertainty in and put our farmers at risk in order to secure and renegotiate a better trade agreement.”
At the end of the Oct. 17 debate, there was one bit of common ground. Both candidates agreed on the need for more school resource officers to prevent violence in schools.
Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.
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