The control of the House runs through Washington's 8th District
Issaquah -- California gets headlines in the fight for U.S. House control, but a grassroots campaign is underway as Democrats trip to "flip" Washington's 8th District, domain for the past 14 years of retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert.
Republican Dino Rossi, formidable from three statewide races, is cultivating the grass roots of the district's country clubs, with a succession of fundraisers with such groups as contractors and home builders.
Three Democrats are vying to face him, all of them first-time candidates. As in the Golden State, Washington has a top-two primary. It will be Rossi against whichever Democrat emerges from an August primary, held at a time when this state usually tunes out politics.
The Dems were displaying their wares at a Wednesday morning forum sponsored by NARAL Pro-Choice America.
Don't labor under a misconception: All three Democrats are strongly pro-choice. Rossi is pro-life in his personal views, but rarely brings up the subject. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., is the Washington delegation's outspoken abortion foe, having repeatedly attacked Planned Parenthood.
But the Democrats are very different people. Here is what was displayed Wednesday:
--Dr. Shannon Hader has feet planted in her Auburn hometown, while at the same time emphasizing that she was responsible for a $2.4 billion budget at the director of Global HIV and TB at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"My team contributed to 2.2 million HIV-free babies born around the world," said Hader. She was referring to a program, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, that enjoyed broad bipartisan support.
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