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EVERETT—The Snohomish County Republican Party held its convention on Saturday, March 9, at Mariner High School to elect delegates to its party’s Washington State and National conventions. Delegates to the state convention will vote to officially endorse candidates to federal and statewide offices; and a selected few, 43 in total, will be elected to represent Washington state at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to officially nominate the expected Republican Presidential nominee, Donald J Trump.

Republican gubernatorial candidates, Semi Bird and Dave Reichert, and former Congresswoman Jamie Herrera Beutler who is vying for Washington State Public Lands Commissioner, took a few minutes with the Lynnwood Times, after addressing an energized crowd at Saturday’s convention, to share why residents should vote for them.

Jamie Herrera Beutler, Public Lands Commissioner

Jamie Herrera Beutler, former Congresswoman who is running for the state Public Lands Commissioner, informed the Lynnwood Times she “absolutely loves getting the chance to sit down with farmers, foresters, or [simply] moms worried about smoke in the summer.” Beutler noted that recent internal polls have showed she’s ahead but still has plenty of work to do in preparation of the November election.

Beutler is running for Public Lands Commissioner because Southwest Washington is some of the heaviest forested land in the entire country and, a large part of her time as Representative, was spent ensuring federal forests were well managed by removing dead and diseased trees, to prevent uncontrolled wild fires.

“What I like about this [position] is there’s still so much work to be done on the ground and the state needs to step up,” said Beutler.

Beutler added her priority, if elected, is to empower the people that work at the Department of Natural Resources including its “tremendous scientists and foresters who got into DNR because they want to see healthy and resilient public lands,” but “because of political ideology coming from one part of our state” she believes they have been constrained.

“I’m gonna be the first political leader who is not bound to that base to say, ‘I’m going to empower you to do your jobs,’ you know what needs to be done,” said Beutler.

When meeting with several Farm Bureaus across the state, Beutler, in asking how their relationship with the DNR is, commonly hears that bureaus believe the DNR staff want to do the right thing but “because of the political strings that pull them” they are not completely abled and empowered to do it.

Another priority of Beutler’s is to bring back mill infrastructure to Washington state through public and private partnerships which, she said, would help combat the state’s increasing forest fires while creating jobs which, in turn, help fund first responders and our schools.

“I’m not trying to change state law on forest issues, I just want to operate to state law and some of that means we need to selectively harvest to keep the forests healthy. The fires are increasing and there’s this narrative that there’s nothing we can do and it’s all climate change. I challenge that narrative,” said Beutler. “If we were to get rid of the dead and diseased trees and to selectively harvest for the health of the forest, we will see less catastrophic fires.”

Beutler used the example of local tribes who, for many years, managed their forests well through prescribed burns for the overall health of the forest.

Through her time as Congresswoman in the Third Congressional District, and as a former Washington State Representative in Clark County, she added that she has seen the “beast up close” in terms of how elected officials approach public lands and forest issues which she hopes to change it elected.

Lastly Beutler had the following message for local farmers:

“I want the DNR to serve you. I want it to make you successful. Farmers and foresters take amazing care of our land, and these are multigenerational families who, if they just pillaged, they would leave nothing for their family. They’re thinking long-term vision and I want to work with them…In my mind DNR should be there to assist not to treat you like it’s your master.”

Beutler noted that Washington is an abundantly resourceful state and that “if we take care of its lands it will provide for all of us.”

Semi Bird, Gubernatorial candidate

Semi Bird has traveled all over the state for his campaign both on large audience stages and family houses. Because the constitution states, “we the people,” goes where the people are, an approach he says is different from his competitors who he said primarily focus on large budget events.

“We were the party of women’s rights, the party of civil rights, and now we have to be the party for parent’s rights. That’s what the party means to me and that’s what I need to emulate. That’s the leadership to demonstrate that we’re here for all the people, they need to see me, and I need to hear [from] them if I’m going to serve them. That’s what this position is, a position of service,” said Bird.

Bird noted his faith, his love for his family, and his love for his country are what keep him motivated to keep going. He added that he’s not running to “wage war” against Republicans nor Democrats but to represent “everybody and to get us back to common sense” leadership.

“If we continue to fight against one another, we just play into the hands of the elitists who benefit and profit when we fight one another. If we understand America, we should unite with each other and our color differences, and our religious differences, that’s what it’s supposed to be in America – that’s what makes us great,” said Bird.

A few issues Bird mentioned on his radar is electric fuel sources and housing affordability of which he criticized lawmakers for their hypocrisy of vouching for impoverished individuals while contradictorily, he alleges, raising housing costs by implementing restrictions, affecting builders.

Last weekend Bird received 80.3% (369 votes) at the Spokane County Convention which he said was “encouraging” considering the Washington State Republican Convention is scheduled to be held at the Spokane Convention Center in April.

When addressing how his campaign is running on a relatively small budget of approximately $400 thousand compared with his opponent Dave Reichert of over $2 million Bird shared its all about the message.

“It’s not about the money. The money will come after we win the convention when the donors see that we have a good, strategic campaign. That we have a great message that will speak to all Washington citizens,” said Bird. “I’m not compromising my values. I’m bringing a message to people who don’t vote for conservatives that inspires them with common sense and creates value for them.”

Bird, who has no prior executive experience, addressed criticism of his inexperience stating it’s the “wrong perspective to think you have to be a congressman or senator,” adding that he’s “way more qualified than any of the other candidates” with his master’s degree in human resource development, considering over 70,000 employees in the state are represented by labor.

What’s more he stated he has bargaining agreement experience from working in Human Resources, business experience as a small business owner himself, and PhD studies in organizational psychology specific to organizational performance.

“When you look at executive experience, I’m good enough as a subject matter expert to consult the largest executives in our nation, and leaders of nations that they say I’m not credible or viable as a chief executive of our state, it doesn’t make sense. I actually have the knowledge, experience, and abilities to do the job and that’s what we should be looking at, not who held another political position,” said Bird. “I have the knowledge, skills, and experience to be very successful if you want change in Washington. If you want more of the same then yeah, put another politician in because they will politician.”

Bird remarked that, to anyone who traditionally does not vote conservative, that he is a constitutionalist first and foremost adding that it’s a “shame” to have to declare one party or another. He added that voters should, instead of focusing on party, look at a candidate that represents change for a better future, and their own personal values.

By “values” Bird said he means having the freedom of believing what you choose to believe, and having the freedom to live how you want to live your life.

“I’m not here to judge your lifestyle. I’m here to protect your civil liberties,” said Bird.

Dave Reichert, Gubernatorial candidate

Dave Reichert shared that his campaign has been positively received by many with over $2 million raised so far, nearly half a million in February alone, and $13,000 in individual contributions from every county in the state. He noted that his campaign is in a dead heat with Bob Ferguson with 48% of the nearly, 25% undecided voters, while Ferguson’s campaign sits at 32%.

Reichert noted that voters should choose him as Governor because of his background working as a U.S. Air Force reserve, the King County Sheriff’s Office for 33 years, the largest Sheriff’s Office in Washington state, and the 14 years’ experience working in Congress where he chaired the Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee, the Tax Committee, the Human Resources Committee, and the Trade Committee each of which, he added, deal with issues that many Washingtonians currently face.

Reichert entered law enforcement when he was 21 years old and was placed into many “life and death” situations including having his throat slit when he was 22-years-old. He mentioned that experiences like these challenged him, but he never once gave up.

“I was a leader in my community when I was a child. I was the protector of the kids in my neighborhood, a protector of my six younger brothers and sisters, even in the small college I went to I was elected as the Judicial Board Chairman, from there I wanted to be a police officer,” said Reichert.

Additionally, Reichert noted that his experience as an elected official gives him an upper hand to his opponent—Semi Bird—because he already has existing connections and relationships in Olympia and Washington D.C.

“I know people back there (D.C.), on both sides of the aisle, in both the Senate and the House. So, if we want to advocate for Washington State…I already have a relationship with Trump, his nickname for me was Sheriff. I already have a relationship with Biden. I traveled with him when he was a Senator, I met with him when he was the Vice President, he knows who I am,” said Reichert. “I think that’s a great advantage, to have someone who already has those kinds of connections.”

Reichert’s priorities are public safety, homelessness—which he said is really substance abuse and mental health—the economy, education and parent’s having control of their child’s wellbeing.

He added that what he felt went well at this year’s legislative session was the passing of the three Let’s Go Washington initiatives and what didn’t go well was that law makers tried to pass additional taxes.

“Their mission is to continue to keep taxing us, continue to pile on regulations. What went wrong is they didn’t listen to the people of Washington State, again,” said Reichert. “Honesty is a good quality to have in leadership, integrity, having that heart of a servant. I know how to inspire people to work for the people of Washington State with the heart of the servant.”

Author: Kienan Briscoe