Terrific takeover opportunity. After an ever-so-narrow loss in 2006, former Microsoft manager Darcy Burner is back to challenge GOP Rep. Dave Reichert for Washington state’s eighth district seat. This suburban Seattle district has been in GOP hands since 1982, but it’s been steadily trending blue and voted for Democrats in the past two presidential elections. A charismatic young leader, Burner nearly unseated Reichert in 2006; she will run even stronger with a presidential campaign on the ballot.
A right-wing Bush loyalist. Reichert has provided crucial support for the Bush agenda in Congress. He opposed giving the federal government authority to negotiate lower drug prices and has voted repeatedly to restrict reproductive freedom. And Reichert has provided unwavering support for the president’s Iraq war policy, including voting for Bush’s surge and against a Democratic proposal to redeploy troops according to a specific timeline.
A grassroots superstar. A darling of liberal bloggers, Burner has deftly used her high-tech savvy to organize and raise money. Her determined opposition to the war in Iraq has attracted a huge grassroots following and a cadre of committed volunteers. But Republicans know Reichert’s in trouble and are mobilizing to defend him. They’ve already sent President Bush into the district for a Reichert fundraiser as well as First Lady Laura Bush and they’ve put Reichert’s name on their list of high-priority incumbents to protect. They will spend millions attacking Burner in an effort to hold this seat. She must raise at least $3 million to turn Reichert out of Congress and take this seat over for Democrats in 2008.
Democrats have long seen Washington’s eighth congressional district as a promising takeover opportunity, and Democrat Darcy Burner came closer than anyone ever has to winning it in 2006. A first-time candidate, Burner lost to incumbent Republican Dave Reichert by 7,341 votes out of more than 250,000 cast. She ran a strong race, emphasizing her own moderate views and hitting the incumbent hard on his support for the Bush agenda, particularly the war in Iraq.
Burner regrouped quickly after the 2006 election, immediately launching a bid for a 2008 rematch and clearing the Democratic field of potential challengers. Political experts agree that this will be one of the most competitive races of the 2008 cycle, largely due to her strength and experience, the increasingly progressive electorate in this swing seat, and increased turnout in a presidential year.
Burner grew up in a military family and lived in rural towns all over America to accommodate her father’s Air Force career. Once he retired, the family managed on his pay as a substitute teacher, but was overwhelmed by medical expenses when Burner’s younger sister became ill. The family’s financial struggles greatly influenced her commitment to health care reform and progressive economic policy. Burner put herself through Harvard, where she majored in computer science and economics. She worked at a number of high-tech firms before taking a job as a manager at Microsoft. She left Microsoft in 2004 and ran for Congress in 2006.
Burner is part of a new generation of women leaders who are committed to making the world a better place for their young families. “I am running for Congress because I feel personally responsible for the kind of world we leave our children, including my son, Henry,” says Burner. “I want him to grow up in a world in which government treats everyone fairly and stays out of our private lives; hard work is rewarded; we keep our promises; and we take care of our children and leave them a better world than the one we found.”
The eighth district, situated in suburban Seattle, is the most affluent in Washington, largely due to its status as the linchpin of the state’s high-tech industry. While the seat has been in GOP hands since it was created after the 1980 census, population growth and the high-tech boom have changed the composition of the electorate, particularly on social issues, and it has been steadily trending Democratic. Voters here chose Democrats in the last two presidential elections; the Democratic performance (the percentage of general election voters who have historically voted Democratic) is 51.1 percent.
Reichert, a right-wing congressman and Bush loyalist, opposed a bipartisan measure to allow the federal government to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices for seniors. He has provided unwavering support for the president’s Iraq war policy, including voting for the surge and against a Democratic proposal to set a timeline to redeploy troops. Reichert has supported numerous measures to restrict women’s reproductive rights, even opposing a bill to exempt contraceptives from the “global gag rule” that prohibits U.S. funding for international family planning organizations that even mention abortion as an option for women.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer endorsed Burner in 2006, writing, “Burner … is as informed in her views as she is forceful in delivering them. Frankly … it was difficult to tell who was the incumbent because her answers carried weight.” Her political skills have only improved since then. She has cleared the primary field and secured endorsements from Washington’s two Democratic U.S. senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. A member of the Communications Workers of America, Burner has been endorsed by a number of powerful unions and commands a huge corps of volunteers. Burner also has tremendous support from the blogosphere, which has anointed her with superstar status. This has been a boon to her fundraising.
The National Republican Congressional Committee, determined not to lose any more House seats, has put Reichert on its “Regaining Our Majority Program” list of endangered incumbents who will receive priority fundraising assistance. It will spend heavily to help him hold on. Burner must raise $3 million to defeat Reichert and win this seat for Democrats.
Burner’s priorities in Congress will be ending the war in Iraq; protecting the environment and working towards energy independence; expanding access to quality health care; strengthening public schools; and defending reproductive freedom.
Giving local educators more control and encouragement is central to Burner’s education agenda. “As the daughter of a public school teacher and a product of a public education, I have immense respect for the work of teachers and school employees,” she says. Burner believes that No Child Left Behind must be reworked to give local schools more control and provide funding to carry out its mandates. She favors increasing teacher salaries and offering scholarships to students majoring in education. She also supports expanding vocational education and apprenticeships for students who do not plan to attend college.
“I grew up in a blue-collar working family and am a working mother myself,” Burner says. Providing options like telecommuting and flex-time will help Americans balance work and family, she says. In addition to the Family and Medical Leave Act, Burner supports Social Security reform to address the retirement inequities women face when they take time away from work to raise their children.
Trade is a necessary part of the global economy, and Washington in particular relies on open markets. “Ensuring that we have fair agreements is necessary for the people of the eighth district,” Burner says. “The U.S. must use its market power to raise the bar on labor, environmental, and intellectual property standards worldwide, rather than accept the lowest common denominator in trade agreements.”
Addressing the deficit is one of her top fiscal priorities. “As a mother and a businesswoman, I manage my household and business finances,” she says. “Balanced budgets are critical to financial health, and we need to bring that principle back to the federal government.”
According to Pentagon estimates, the U.S. is spending $3.9 billion a month on the war in Iraq. “The war is busting our budget, breaking our military, and burning our bridges around the world,” Burner says. “It is time to end it.” Doing so, Burner says, will require: intense diplomacy to stabilize the region, particularly with neighboring Turkey and Iran; gradual and safe withdrawal of troops; humanitarian aid for Iraqi refugees; and incentives for Iraqi factions to look beyond their differences and create a self-sustaining government. Burner, whose father, brother, and husband have all served in the armed forces, says, “I will never stop fighting to make sure we keep our promises to our nation’s veterans.”
Burner supports federal laws to ensure fair treatment without regard to race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. “Congress should pass legislation to protect civil rights in housing, health care, and the workplace,” Burner says.
“I support expanding programs that help local police forces take a hard line against crime,” Burner says, noting that local law enforcement forms the first line of defense against terrorism. Burner supports special efforts to deal with methamphetamine addiction and favors investing in early childhood education programs like Head Start. “Studies show that kids who receive early education are more likely to avoid trouble with the law, earn higher grades, graduate from high school, and earn higher salaries,” Burner says.
Burner views the health care crisis as a moral and economic issue. “Americans’ access to quality health care is a reflection of our nation’s values and priorities,” she says. Emphasizing preventive and routine care is smart business because it reduces the need for more costly catastrophic care. While working towards providing comprehensive coverage for all Americans, Burner favors stop-gap measures to cover the youngest and oldest Americans. This includes allowing people age 55-65 to voluntarily buy into Medicare and reauthorizing SCHIP to make sure more children are covered by health insurance.
“I am proud that the Democratic Congress passed the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. I am also proud that Washington state has led the nation in giving workers a fair wage.” More can be done for low-income Americans by reducing the Earned Income Tax Credit marriage penalty and making it easier for families to buy a first home, meet the cost of raising children, pay for college, and care for aging parents, Burner believes.
On April 22, 2008, Earth Day founder Dennis Hayes proudly announced his endorsement of Darcy Burner. Her environmental priorities are reducing dependence on fossil fuels; investing in alternative energy technology; and protecting public lands and waterways, including the Puget Sound. “National parks in Washington state attract millions of dollars from tourism and recreation into our economy,” Burner says. “These revenues are jeopardized if our parks are not protected.”
Burner is deeply committed to reproductive freedom. “The voters in Washington’s eighth congressional district overwhelmingly support a woman’s right to choose, and they deserve a representative who will fight for their beliefs,” she says. “I support full access for all women to family planning services.”
May 2008