Candidate profiles: US Senate district #3, Washington

I’m Jaime Herrera Beutler and I grew up in Southwest Washington. Serving our region’s families and communities is my mission. Of Washington’s 12 members of Congress, I’ve been ranked “most effective” for championing legislation to protect jobs, make health care affordable, and preserve our way of life.

How does your previous experience help qualify you for this U.S. Legislator role? 

Since taking office, I’ve worked with Republicans and Democrats to get things done. From securing funding for the Dallesport Regional Airport expansion and Hood River Bridge replacement, to getting legislation signed into law to manage sea lions destroying our salmon, I’ve worked hard to deliver for our community. 

Tell us why you are running for this office and list your top three concerns.

One: We have to protect jobs and small businesses. Prior to the pandemic we had record low unemployment, and growing wages. I’ll support lower taxes, small business relief and other actions to get us there.

Two: Let’s make health care more accessible and affordable. I’m supporting solutions to lower prescription drug costs and protect coverage for preexisting conditions. 

Three: We need to better manage our forests. With thinning, responsible harvests and maintenance we can make them more resilient to the wildfires that destroyed homes and threatened our health. And it will support jobs in our rural communities, too.

What role do you believe the federal government has in responding to concerns over the climate crisis?

Congress should act to reduce harmful emissions and harness innovation for a cleaner future. I support the Use It Act to foster carbon capture technology and the BEST Act to strengthen renewable energy storage. Forest management to control wildfires will prevent millions of tons of heat-trapping carbon from being released. But we should be leery of public discourse that shames people about climate change; I favor offering positive actions to combat it. And I vehemently oppose carbon taxes that big companies would simply pass on to families, making it more expensive to power their homes and small businesses. 

Please describe a specific piece of legislation you would sponsor or support in the next session. 

I’ll keep pushing for my Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act, allowing folks to pay on average one-third the cost of their current prescriptions.

Give one specific suggestion you have for helping small businesses recover from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

We must extend the Paycheck Protection Program I helped create that’s preserved 9,500 small businesses and 95,000 jobs in Southwest Washington alone. Until we have emerged from this crisis, we must do everything possible to help our favorite main street businesses — and the jobs they support — from permanently shuttering.

Do you support the Port of Hood River’s efforts to replace the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge? Why or why not? 

It’s vital, which is why I fought to secure a $5 million grant to begin the replacement process. This project has my full support.

Carolyn Long

I am the daughter of a family who owned a small business, I grew up in a rural community and know the value of hard work; I worked through college as a union grocery store worker. I’m a mom and have taught at WSU Vancouver for 25 years.

How does your previous experience help qualify you for this U.S. Legislator role? 

I’ve studied the constitution for years, and taught generations of Southwest Washingtonians about the constitution, political institutions and public policy.  I have always focused on listening and bringing people together around difficult issues. In these times of extreme political division, we need leaders in D.C. who will prioritize people over politics. 

  Tell us why you are running for this office and list your top three concerns. 

I am running for office because I’ve seen a void in leadership over the last 10 years. We need a leader who will stand up for Southwest Washingtonians and not for corporate interests. My top three priorities are included within my Pandemic Recovery plan, which includes strengthening the Affordable Care Act and introducing a Public Option, relief for small businesses and working families, and transformational investments in infrastructure which will create family-wage jobs and must include broadband for all so our communities can stay connected. 

What role do you believe the federal government has in responding to concerns over the climate crisis? 

We must work for a just transition to renewable energy sources so future generations will benefit from energy independence and robust clean energy industry. We need to create family-wage green energy jobs. We can protect the natural resources and industries of Southwest Washington by working hard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the board.

Please describe a specific piece of legislation you would sponsor or support in the next session. 

Health care has come up in all of my 60 town halls. I will work to strengthen the ACA, which protects people with preexisting conditions and support a Public Option to give the option to purchase government health care and increase competition to lower costs.

Give one specific suggestion you have for helping small businesses recover from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic. 

 I released my Pandemic Recovery plan with small businesses top of mind. The Paycheck Protection Program helps, but more needs to be done. As someone who grew up with a small business, we wouldn’t have been able to get a PPP loan. Making other micro-loan and emergency loan programs more accessible will help small businesses recover. 

Do you support the Port of Hood River’s efforts to replace the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge? 

 Infrastructure investments bring family-wage jobs and bring $2.20 back to the community for every $1 we put in. In Congress, I would work to get federal funding so working families don’t bear the cost.