Smith on Politics: Congressman McDermott Says Shoreline Will Be An Important Part Of His District

McDermott says he already has worked for Shoreline

Democratic Congressman Jim McDermott says that Shoreline will be an important part of his district.

Washington’s 7th Congressional District, which McDermott has represented since 1988, will include Shoreline and all of Lake Forest Park.

Redistricting took southeast Seattle and some of the southeast suburbs out of the 7th District and brought Shoreline, Edmonds and Woodway into the District. Most of Lake Forest Park already was in the District.

McDermott said as he toured Edmonds late last week that he had helped Shoreline get federal money for the Aurora project.

McDermott said that he was accustomed to working with suburban cities, citing Burien, which still will be in his district, as an example, and saying that redistricting would lead him to focus on Seattle’s north suburbs rather than its southeast suburbs.

McDermott said that he is confident that Democrats can retake control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the November election. He said that Tea-Party Republicans who helped their party take control of the House in the 2010 election had distinguished themselves by what they are against rather than what they are for.

He said that a Democratic majority would allow Democrats to expand the health-care law, calling the 2010 law a “beachhead” from which future Congresses could expand care.

He said that, while Republicans have been pointing out what is bad about the law, he expects President Obama to start touting what is good about the law.

McDermott admitted that, with redistricting, he may not get the 83 percent majority that he got against an independent candidate in the 2010 general election, but said that he would be happy with anything over 50 percent.

His only announced opponent is Democrat Don Rivers, who reports no campaign cash, compared to $219,042 for McDermott.

Candidates file for ballot positions May 14-18.

U.S. Senate candidate from Shoreline says Cantwell is beatable

Dr. Art Coday, the Shoreline Republican who has announced a campaign against Democratic U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, says that the two-term incumbent is beatable.

Coday, a physician who sees patients in their homes throughout north King and south Snohomish counties, said Saturday that Cantwell has not been a leader on any national issue.

He said that Cantwell has done little besides follow the Democratic Party line.

Coday lost a bid for State representative in 2010. He said Saturday that his 39 percent vote in the 32nd Legislative District was four percentage points better than that year’s Republican U.S. Senate candidate, Dino Rossi, had in the district against Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.

Coday had announced a challenge to Murray before Rossi entered the race. Coday then endorsed Rossi and filed for the open legislative seat against Democrats Cindy Ryu and Doris McConnell. He lost to Ryu in the general election.

He said that the brief 2010 Senate campaign helped him develop contacts around the State for this year’s campaign.

Coday added that campaigning in the traditionally Democratic 32nd District had taught him that most voters were less interested in a candidate’s ideology than in whether they could trust the candidate.

He is a primary-care physician who treats mostly Medicare. Medicaid and uninsured patients. He said that he wants to repeal the 2010 federal health-care law and fix Medicare and Medicaid.

He said that health insurance should be aimed at protecting people from catastrophic events rather than routine coverage and that government-sponsored insurance should be aimed at protecting poor people. He said that Medicare should shift gradually from an entitlement program for all Americans to a merged program with Medicaid for poor Americans.

Coday said that he wants to reduce federal spending and to keep American military strength.

Before he takes on Cantwell, Coday needs to survive the August primary against Republican State Sen. Michael Baumgartner of Spokane, Democrat Cantwell and third-party candidates Max Englerius and Nancy Travis. The top two vote getters in the August primary advance to the November general election.

The five have registered with the Federal Elections Commission as candidates for the position. Registration with the FEC allows a candidate to raise and spend money for the primary and general elections, Candidates file for ballot positions May 14-18.

Recent FEC reports show that Coday has raised $6,690, including $740 in loans, and spent $3,608. Fellow Republican Baumgartner has reported raising $122,756, including $5,000 in loans, and spending $23,149. Cantwell reports raising $5,493,816, including $40,324 in loans, and spending $1,963,959. Neither Englarius nor Travis reports any fundraising or spending.

Kagi praises Kenny on retirement

State Rep. Ruth Kagi praised fellow Democratic Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez-Kenney after Kenney announced Feb. 28 that she would not seek a ninth two-year term in the House of Representatives. Kenney represents the 46th Legislative District, which will include Lake Forest Park beginning with this year’s election. Kagi said this about fellow Ways and Means Committee member Kenney: “She's been a tremendous champion for low income housing, educational opportunities for low income students, and for migrant and seasonal farm workers."  She is going to be very missed in Olympia.”

About this column: Journalist and Shoreline resident Evan Smith has covered local issues for nearly two decades. His politics column appears on Patch every other week.