Following the primary election, 18th District Rep. Stephanie McClintock does not plan to slow down in her campaign for reelection.
In the Aug. 6 primary election, McClintock garnered 23,739 (55.3%) votes. Her opponent, Democratic candidate Deken Litinich, earned 19,138 (44.58%) votes. Countywide, voter turnout was 40.53%.
McClintock was surprised and elated at being ahead by 10 points but remains focused on meeting her campaign goal of knocking on 12,000 doors — following a brief break.
“I took a couple of weeks off in August just to kind of rest. I got a pulled [muscle] from all the walking. So [I] kind of took a break, and [I’m] already back, back at it as of last weekend,” McClintock said.
As a former Battle Ground Public Schools board member from 2013-17, McClintock will continue to prioritize improving public education in Washington. As a member of last year’s House Education Committee, she plans to reintroduce two bills in a bid for bipartisan support if reelected. The first bill would mandate schools provide exit surveys for parents pulling their children out of public schools. McClintock seeks to address declining trust in public education by learning what aspects parents disagree with.
The second bill seeks to empower schools to establish policies that limit cell phone use, which McClintock believes could improve academic performance and restore confidence in public schools. Recent data from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction showed students scoring below 50% in both math and science on standardized tests.
“There are studies across the state and across this country that show test scores have improved dramatically at schools that have implemented these bans or guidelines, [or] guard rails on cell phone use in schools,” McClintock said. “Once we improve our test scores, the confidence in our school system will be restored … We'll have parents willing to put their kids back into public schools.”
As a member of the House Capital Budget Committee, McClintock is also focused on securing funding for local projects. Last year, she helped allocate capital funds for Madrona Recovery, a 54-bed youth mental health center in Brush Prairie. McClintock plans to work with Battle Ground city and school district leaders to identify future funding needs for the district, leveraging her position on the committee.
“It really puts me in a good position. I'm in on the negotiations. I can be an advocate for those and [apply] a little more pressure,” she said.
McClintock additionally seeks to continue supporting law enforcement in Washington. She successfully secured funding for Vancouver’s Southwest Washington Basic Law Enforcement Academy earlier this year and remains committed to addressing statewide low officer enrollment.
“It's not one bill that can solve all these issues. It's gonna be several things and certainly a change of public perception on how we support our law enforcement,” McClintock said.
As the November election approaches, McClintock plans to participate in more community open houses. She also wants to engage more independent voters and highlight the imbalance in the state Legislature, where Democrats currently hold a 58-40 majority in the House, as a key point in her campaign.
“We do not have balance … and so I'm beating the drum of what Republicans are doing and how we're being shut down,” she said. “... I think it's got … us to where we are,” she said.
Voters can reach McClintock by email at vote4stephanie.mcclintock@gmail.com or by calling 360-600-8170. Learn more about McClintock’s campaign at vote4stephaniemcclintock.com.
