Washington state needs a senator who is willing to work with both Democrats and Republicans.
That statement may seem obvious. But after three decades in the other Washington, Patty Murray is ranked in the bottom 20% of U.S. senators when it comes to bipartisanship, according to the Lugar Center. It’s no wonder Murray has only passed nine bills since entering the Senate in 1992, only 1.6% of the legislation she has sponsored. The Seattle Times once said Murray is “not known for landmark policy achievements” and “doesn’t have a long record of major legislation in her name.”
If Evergreen State voters give me the honor of representing them in the U.S. Senate for the next six years, I will serve alongside Maria Cantwell, who in stark contrast to Murray, is ranked by the Lugar Center as being much more bipartisan. Cantwell is a Democrat. I’m a Republican. There will be plenty of issues that capture the national spotlight where we will disagree. But when I took on Washington, D.C. and the federal bureaucracy for my husband Scotty and countless other veterans, I fought both Democrats and Republicans. And I worked with both Democrats and Republicans.
My pledge is to work every day with Sen. Cantwell on job security, consumer security and national security, which include many issues that fall under the purview of the Senate’s Commerce Committee where she is the highest ranking Democrat.
As we continue to go through a period of economic turbulence and uncertainty, job security should be a top priority. For instance, Washington state has over 100,000 aviation and aerospace jobs. I’ll work with Sen. Cantwell on growing a safe and competitive domestic airplane manufacturing industry and ensure that any legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration, which expires next year, does no harm to job creation. I’ll also work with Cantwell to pursue free and fair trade agreements that support nearly a million Washington state jobs and protect workers, manufacturers and farmers from unfair trade practices.
We also need an economy that protects consumers’ access to goods at the grocery store and services they receive online. That’s why I’ll work with Sen. Cantwell on preventing future supply chain disruptions and look at comprehensive ways to make sure crises like the baby formula shortage never happen again. Because Washington state has 75 ports located in 33 of our 39 counties, I’ll work with Cantwell to expand capacity at our ports to create jobs and more certainty for our supply chains.
Consumers should also be protected online and Sen. Cantwell has been at the center of negotiations on a national privacy law that aims to create uniform rules and regulations when it comes to the use, abuse and security of consumer data. I’ll work with her on a bipartisan path forward that boosts confidence among consumers online and holds tech companies accountable for any privacy violations.
Cyberspace is also an issue of national security, with recent high profile hacks from foreign adversaries affecting everything from personal data to energy infrastructure. I’ll work with Sen. Cantwell to strengthen America’s cybersecurity posture as the battlefield expands ever more into the digital world.
Over the past month, I’ve also rolled out my “Agenda for Recovery and Reform” to turn crisis into hope for job creators, farmers, crime fighters, parents, students and those most vulnerable. Sen. Cantwell, other Democrats, and even some Republicans, may agree or disagree with the things I have to offer. Here’s the bottom line: When I have an opportunity to work with anyone of any party on anything that’s good for Washington state, I will take that opportunity and run with it. And when I disagree with Sen. Cantwell or anyone in my own party, I will do so with respect and courage.
While Patty Murray spends millions of dollars on attack ads making this campaign about me, I’m making this campaign and will make my tenure in the U.S. Senate about you.
Tiffany Smiley is running to represent Washington in the U.S. Senate.
