According to a promo Tweet from Brandi Kruse, a journalist at our local Fox affiliate, former U.S. House Rep. Dave Reichert "is considering" a run for Governor of Washington. Democratic operatives say they've seen the former Congressman attending random GOP dinners across the state, and a tracker says he saw Reichert speak at the Covington Rotary Club last week. He "sounded a LOT like a guy who was rehearsing a new stump speech," wrote the tracker.
But, alas, after the news broke Reichert's team told Kruse "he likes his new job with a private government affairs firm," which means he probably won't run. Reichert is a lobbyist with Gordon Thomas Honeywell, and now represents "various clients."
If nothing else, the fact that the GOP is actively recruiting other candidates for Governor suggests they're not too happy with the Republicans currently running. And who could blame them? So far, the only people they have taking on two-term incumbent and erstwhile 2020 presidential candidate Jay Inslee are a pixilated police chief and a guy who made a racist joke about State Sen. Joe Nguyen's name on the state senate floor. Incredible.
Reichert has "considered" a run for a statewide seat a couple times. In 2016 he paid for polling on a potential gubernatorial bid but decided to seek reelection to the House after seeing the results. He thought about taking on Sen. Maria Cantwell in 2012, but decided to run for reelection instead. This is a dance he does. But as you might expect from a Trump rubber stamp known for hiding from his own constituents, he normally takes the path of least resistance.
That said, I urge the GOP to continue recruiting this man. Please, please run the guy who voted to kick hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians off health care. The guy who voted to gut the Office of Congressional Ethics right after Trump was elected and then voted to hide his tax returns. The guy who puts “hard doors” between himself and his constituents.
Him, or Dino Rossi. Or Joe Fain. Or Mark Miloscia. Or some guy named Kevin. Or Bill Bryant again. Hah, what a bench.
