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The Case For Kim Schrier

“As a mom, and as a pediatrician who has cared for the children of this district for nearly two decades, Congresswoman Kim Schrier is deeply rooted in the Puget Sound community and committed to bettering the lives of Washington’s families. Schrier’s work to reach across the aisle and ability to build consensus with people of all stripes to lower health care cost and support rural communities, especially amidst this pandemic, show exactly why she is so well-positioned for reelection this fall. I have seen the enormous good Kim has done for her community, and I look forward to continuing our shared work on behalf of everyday Americans.” – DCCC Chair Cheri Bustos

To: Interested Parties
From: Andy Orellana, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: August 10, 2020
Subject: The Case For Kim Schrier

In less than two short years, Rep. Kim Schrier is already fulfilling promises and getting things done for Washington State. As a pediatrician, a wife, and a mom with deep roots in Washington, Rep. Schrier spent her career listening to and helping solve problems with thousands of patients and their families across the Puget Sound. Now she is bringing that same dedication and understanding to her work in Congress, holding over 50 town halls across the district and championing legislation to drive down healthcare and prescription drug costs, while working with Democrats and Republicans to secure funding for fighting wildfires, protecting Washington’s farmers, and educating people about the importance of vaccines.

Rep. Schrier knows personally what it means to worry about the rising costs of health insurance and accessibility to the medicines you need. She knows a thing or two about the importance of protecting patients with pre-existing conditions: as a teenager, Schrier was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, inspiring her career as a pediatrician. In Congress, Rep. Schrier has now brought that same determination and dedication to solving the health care challenges families in Washington face daily.

In her first term, Schrier has been laser focused on tackling the challenges she knows firsthand that families face when it comes to their health care. That is why she helped pass a bill that gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for every American and stops pharmaceutical companies from charging Americans more than they charge in other countries. She wants to make it easier for generics to come to market cheaper and more quickly, cap out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for seniors, and rein in the amount drug companies can increase their prices every year.

As the only woman doctor in Congress, Kim brings a critical voice to issues related to health care. And as a physician who has worked in a broken health care system, Kim understands what changes need to be made to make it work better for both patients and providers.

While Washington’s 8th District is anchored by a heavily suburban base outside of Seattle, it stretches over the Cascades and includes much of rural Washington. That’s why Rep. Schrier has been dedicated to addressing the needs of farmers and families, championing common-sense water solutions, rural broadband and wildfire protections. Schrier has helped secure needed funding to combat increasingly frequent wildfires in that have ravaged rural Washington in recent years. In Congress, she has worked with members of both parties to ensure that first responders have additional resources, supplies, and equipment to protect homes, businesses, and local communities.

And when farmers were hit especially hard during the pandemic, Rep. Schrier teamed up with Republicans to introduce legislation to help farmers, especially potato farmers in Washington, with their surplus food by getting it more easily from local farms to local food banks. Their Farmers Feeding Families act would fund states and food bank services to buy from local farmers, to replenish charitable supplies while taking excess produce off farmers’ hands.

Rep. Schrier knows that the beauty and wonder of Washington State must be protected for future generations while ensuring Washington’s farmers remain part the lifeblood of Washington’s economy and bounty. That is why Schrier helped write a bipartisan bill to strengthen protections for the water supply in the Yakima River basin. Her bill, which was signed by the president, aims to protect fish populations, ease delivery of water to families and farmer that need it and maintain thousands of acres of public land and river habitat. It is this common-sense, solutions-oriented local leadership that Rep. Schrier has exemplified and shared with her constituents in her over 50 town halls, and exactly the reason why she is in a strong position to be reelected by the voters come November.

Two years ago, Washington’s 8th District was “one of the hottest congressional races in the country,” with a general election fight that set a record as the costliest U.S. House race in Washington State history with more than $28 million in total spending. But this time, poor Republican recruitment and early fundraising numbers suggests that the 8th District will not be a repeat of 2018. DC Republicans failed to recruit a credible candidate in this seat, cementing Rep. Kim Schrier’s strong prospects for re-election.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

HEADLINE: Auburn Reporter: “More than 100 days into her first term in office, U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier’s plate is loaded with health care, climate change, education” [Auburn Reporter, 4/23/2019]

HEADLINE: Washington State Wire: Schrier, McMorris Rodgers Introduce “Farmers Feeding Families Act” [Washington State Wire, 5/07/2020]

HEADLINE: NCW Life: “Rep. Schrier Seeks Quicker Farm-To-Food-Bank Channel Amid COVID-19 Crisis” [NCW Life, 5/08/2020]

HEADLINE: iFiber One: “Local Congresswoman’s Bill That Secures Additional Grant Funding For Farmers Signed Into Law” [iFiber One, 1/16/2020]

HEADLINE: Seattle Times: “‘SNAP benefits are not a luxury’: DelBene, Schrier denounce food-stamp cuts that will affect thousands in Washington” [Seattle Times, 1/24/2020]

HEADLINE: KNKX: “Rep. Schrier: Rural Hospitals Face Unique Challenges Amid Pandemic” [KNKX, 4/07/2020]

HEADLINE: Kent Reporter: “Rep. Schrier Introduces Bill Requiring All Insurance Plans To Cover Full Cost Of COVID-19 Testing” [Kent Reporter, 3/12/2020]

HEADLINE: iFiber One: “Rep. Schrier introduces bill to provide immediate relief to rural hospitals” [iFiber One, 3/25/2020]

NCW Life: “Wilderness bill passes House with Schrier amendment requiring a study of flooding” [NCWLife, 2/13/2020]

HEADLINE: Auburn Examiner: “Assistance To Firefighters And Military Spouses Included In 2021 NDAA” [Auburn Examiner, 7/27/2020]

HEADLINE: New York Times: “In Congress, Doctors Are Pressing for a More Aggressive Coronavirus Response” [NY Times, 4/04/2020]

HEADLINE: KPQ: “Two Schrier Bills Part of COVID-19 Response Package” [KPQ, 3/14/2020]

HEADLINE: Wall Street Journal: “Some Doctors in Congress Work Two Jobs Amid Coronavirus Outbreak” [WSJ, 4/24/2020]

“’Although we may not agree on all things, we have been very similar in how we think about the response to coronavirus,’ said Rep. Kim Schrier (D., Wash.), who has joined with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.) and a large bipartisan group of lawmakers in both chambers asking federal health agencies to track nationally who has developed antibodies to the virus and may now be immune.” [WSJ, 4/24/2020]

“Meanwhile, the fundraising numbers don’t bode well for Republicans hoping to retake Washington’s 8th Congressional District by unseating Rep. Kim Schrier, D-Sammamish, a pediatrician who two years ago became the first Democrat to win the traditionally Republican district. Republican Jesse Jensen, a military veteran and Amazon manager, raised $64,000 since announcing his candidacy in October. He was left with $28,000 cash on hand as of the end of 2019, according to his FEC filing. By comparison, Schrier has raised more than $2.1 million so far, with $1.6 million cash on hand, according to her Friday filing.” [Seattle Times, 2/01/2020]

“Rep. Kim Schrier (D), the only female doctor in Congress, is more politically secure in her bid for a second term after flipping a suburban Seattle district from Republican control in the 2018 election. Her leading opponent, Jesse Jensen (R), had only $53,000 in the bank on July 15. Schrier had $2.4 million.” [Bloomberg Gov, 8/04/2020]

“Before Schrier’s win, [the 8th District] had always been represented by a Republican since its creation after the 1980 U.S. Census. Two years ago, the district became one of the hottest congressional races in the country […] The general-election fight between Schrier and Republican Dino Rossi set a record as the costliest U.S. House race in state history, with more than $28 million in total spending, fueled by outside groups pouring in tens of millions of dollars. Though political winds can change, the early fundraising numbers suggest the 8th District won’t repeat as a nationally watched contest.” [Seattle Times, 2/01/2020]

“Former Obama White House Deputy Director, and King County Executive Ron Sims […] looked at the 8th Congressional District, which has been considered a swing district for quite some time and is currently represented by Kim Schrier, a first termer from Issaquah. A handful of Republican challengers for that district, including first-time candidate Jesse Jensen, also filed. ‘I think Kim is, uh, she’s going to win. I think I’m pretty, I feel very comfortable saying that about her.’” [KING5 News, 5/15/2020]

PATH TO VICTORY

Washington’s 8th Congressional District encompasses the eastern Seattle suburbs and crosses the Cascade Mountains to include Chelan and Kittitas counties which include rural communities like Wenatchee, Leavenworth, and Ellensburg. The 8th district was created after the 1980 U.S. Census and for the first 35 years of its existence, the district was held by a Republican. At the same time, the 8th district has voted for the Democratic nominee in every presidential election since 1992 including Clinton by 3 points in 2016 and reflecting the purple nature of this district.

While Republicans may have had a strong hold on this seat for decades, it has a growing suburban base and Rep. Schrier’s common sense leadership approach that is laser-focused on local issues and fighting for greater access to affordable health care and prescription drugs. This coupled with an immense campaign war chest advantage for Schrier ensure that she has the resources needed to communicate her message of accomplishments for the people of Washington state, and place her in an incredibly strong position for reelection.

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