Widely known (and reviled) as the most liberal member of the US House, Jim McDermott has fought consistently for progressive principles during his 22 years representing Washington’s District 7. PubliCola sees no reason to oust this stalwart lefty crusader, who has inspired only nominal opposition.
McDermott fought hard (and unsuccessfully) to keep a public option in the health care bill, was one of the loudest (and earliest) voices against the war in Iraq, and argued that Republicans who tried to block the extension of unemployment benefits were “trying to make this president fail at any cost” by “denying unemployment benefits to people who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.”
And McDermott, unlike some of his Congressional colleagues, is no lockstep Democrat. Indeed just this month, the iconoclastic McDermott defied Obama by voting to set conditions on military funding in Afghanistan: Specifically, he voted to deny the president’s request for 30,000 additional troops and requiring him to lay out a timetable for withdrawal.
McDermott is opposed by three Democrats, an Independent, and a guy with no party affiliation. Of those, the most interesting is Scott Sizemore, a political newcomer (and amateur videographer!) whose main issue is the deep-bore tunnel, which Sizemore opposes (and on which McDermott has taken no position). None have the kind of experience that would justify booting Washington’s most stalwart progressive.
PubliCola picks Jim McDermott.
