Down in southwest Washington, up against the Columbia River, is a good example of why liberals find the future so unsettling: Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. This district’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives has been held by a Democrat for 46 of the last 50 years, and since 1999 it has been in the hands of Democrat Brian Baird, the Iraq-war-flip-flopping, health-care-reform-dissing congressman from Vancouver, Washington. Baird won his last four elections with over 60 percent of the vote, and then suddenly announced in December that he’s retiring to “pursue other options.” When he did this, respected political soothsayers in D.C. took one look at his district and declared it a “toss-up” that could easily fall to a Republican this November.
Which makes sense. The average unemployment rate for the seven counties in the district is 12.9 percent. Anger and frustration are high, and voters there haven’t shown any particular loyalty to one party or another over the last decade. Sure, they sent Baird back to Congress six times, but that’s more about his idiosyncrasies matching theirs than about him being a Democrat. This is a confusing, ticket-splitting bunch of voters we’re talking about. They embraced Barack Obama after they twice embraced George W. Bush, went for Democratic Senate candidate Patty Murray and Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi in the same election (2004), and went the other way by picking Republican Senate candidate Slade Gorton and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gary Locke in a different election (2000).
A Republican, in other words, has decent odds of being elected to Congress from the 3rd District this fall. And if that happens, it will be more trouble for progressives—another data point in a narrative, fueled most recently by conservative Scott Brown’s success at grabbing Ted Kennedy’s old Senate seat in Massachusetts, that says voters across the country are rejecting President Obama and Democratic congressional leaders. Rejecting their big reform pushes (including the currently comatose health care bill). Rejecting their failure to fix the economy. Rejecting basic liberal ideals.
The alternative, of course, is for Democrats to win the 3rd in November, and in doing so provide one less reason for the narrative-spinners to draw dire conclusions about Obama’s agenda (while also providing one more Democrat in Congress to help move and shape his proposals).
Enter Denny Heck, 57, born in Vancouver, educated at Evergreen State College, elected to the first of five terms in the state legislature at age 24 (where he eventually became house majority leader), chief of staff to Governor Booth Gardner, cofounder of the state public affairs channel TVW, early investor in Real Networks, successful businessman, self-published author and playwright.
“Everywhere I’ve traveled in the 3rd over the last year, I’ve just been deeply, deeply struck by the fear, the anger, the frustration, the economic stress,” Heck said in a recent phone interview. “You really can’t go anywhere without hearing a pretty moving tale of, you know, ‘My husband drove a fuel truck for 28 years, and now he’s out of work.'”
Finding ways to create jobs, in both the public and private sectors, is “something I have some expertise in,” Heck told me.
He’ll be saying that a lot more over the next few months. The August 17 primary is half a year away, and Heck is not the only Democrat who thinks he can both improve the fortunes of the 3rd District and beat back any Republican who wants to do the same.
Representative Deborah Wallace (D-Vancouver) says her middle-class values and proven track record of winning over swing voters will make her “very competitive” in the race for Baird’s seat. Senator Craig Pridemore (D-Vancouver) says his military and legislative experience will be an asset—as will the fact that, unlike Heck, “I haven’t spent a lot of time with a lot of wealthy people.”
That’s apparent. Pridemore reported an anemic $8,500 on hand as of December 31. As of the same day, Wallace had reported about $23,000. Heck, meanwhile, reported over $210,000. He gave himself half of that haul. Still, the other half, which came from his fundraising network, was almost five times the donations Wallace reported. And Heck has already racked up an impressive list of political endorsements that includes Governor Christine Gregoire, former governor Booth Gardner, and former 3rd District congressman Don Bonker.
“Of all the candidates, Denny is the one who can bring a fresh approach to problem solving,” said former Democratic state party chair Paul Berendt, who is also backing Heck. “Having created jobs in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors, he knows what it will take to create jobs in each. He is just best prepared to hit the ground running and make a difference in Congress.”
No doubt, old political friends have stoked early interest in Heck as a form of payback. (Berendt, for example, has known Heck for 25 years.) “Denny has a lot of contacts with the Olympia power elite,” Pridemore said. “So that didn’t surprise me.” But it’s also not a bad strategy for party leaders given how tough this race is likely to be: Settle on the most viable candidate long before the August primary, throw as much support behind him as possible, and thereby give him an early advantage over the Republicans (who haven’t yet rallied around one candidate).
Among the Republicans who want the seat: Jon Russell, who touts his experience on the Washougal City Council and has cut a YouTube video comparing himself to a cure for intestinal disorders; former Bush administration bureaucrat David Castillo, who opposes gay marriage and wants to “protect innocent life from conception to death”; and Representative Jaime Herrera (R-Camas), who cut her political teeth as a legislative aide to Republican congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Spokane and is casting herself as “a woman who believes deeply that America is on the wrong track.”
Dwight Pelz, chair of the state Democratic Party, has taken particular note of the threat from Herrera, comparing her to Sarah Palin and calling her a “right-wing Republican” who is “long on style, short of substance.” Heck, who is long on experience and short on flash, could be the perfect foil to a Palinesque Herrera, deflating her the way that Joe Biden, with his calm gravitas, deflated Sarah Palin and her telegenic incoherence during the 2008 vice presidential debate.
But Pelz, while admitting that Heck is “doing a good job,” says it’s far too soon to pick sides.
“Right now we have three great Democratic candidates,” Pelz said. “We’re seeing who can raise money, who can get endorsements, and who can connect with voters. It’s very early in the race.”
Ironically, just one day after Pelz said this, he and the state party took sides in another Washington congressional race, picking Suzan DelBene as the official Democratic nominee to battle Republican incumbent Dave Reichert in the Eastside’s 8th Congressional District. Some of the dynamics in that district are different, but it did seem a violation of Pelz’s own rules.
“We have rules, and we don’t violate our rules unless we violate our rules,” Pelz explained.
Got it.
Meanwhile, Heck is continuing to campaign all over the district, talking about the wrecked economy, and staying on message when asked about the Republican threat and the behind-the-scenes politics of sorting out the Democratic field. “None of that is going to deter me from talking about the thing I want to talk about, which is job creation,” he said. “And if you get really bored with that, I’ll talk about that some more.” 
Denny Heck is one of the smartest people in WA State politics of either party. His creation of TVW is a great civic treasure. And could win that seat for the D’s. He would actually be a good Congressman. Think of a smart savvy Mr. Smith goes to Washington.
I am most impressed by Denny Heck’s experience in the private sector creating jobs. Next, I most appreciate that he created TVW public television to hold government’s feet to the fire through thorough coverage.
Though his top-notch experience in government was longer ago, he knows how to work in a bipartisan fashion to create jobs and has a clear leadership track record to prove it.
Denny began life as a “blue collar kid” from Clark County, where his roots are deep. This is what most of the Third District is made up of, and he gets it. He also has ties to Thurston County, and people need to remember that much of this county is rural and blue collar in nature.
There is no more important time than to choose someone with “job creation” as their number one priority–who knows how to do more than jawbone about it, and has a track record in expanding employment opportunities. I see Denny as attracting well paying jobs to areas of our district that suffer from high and painful unemployment. He sees the real people behind the statistics.
This is the first time in 34 years I have taken sides this early in a contested primary race–but believe this is a necessity to lift our economy from its downward spiral.
Denny also has a great sense of how to knit together growth industries with well paying jobs–for example “green” jobs that produce needed energy.
Most importantly, he listens. Denny Heck will reflect the Third District and will be a representative with integrity. He will also place the highest emphasis on constituent service–which means helping all of us who struggle with government agencies.
I have every confidence Denny will be constantly flying between Washingtons, despite the 3,000-mile criss-cross. His heart is in this Washington–and he will represent us well in the other.
If you have a child or grandchild, or are a young person–Denny is passionate about increasing opportunities for youth to gain job training and educational opportunities.
Denny will also have a positive effect through his ability to work in a truly bipartisan fashion on such key issues as healthcare, education, and natural resources.
I was a senior legislative assistant to former Third District Congressman Don Bonker. My acquaintance with Denny Heck is more recent and I urge all Third District residents to get out and meet with him in his many sit-downs with the regular folks who live in our District. I think you will come away with a high opinion of a rare candidate for public office.
Nancy A. Parkes
The last thing we need is a Martha Coakley in a suit. Someone who is part of the the Democratic establishment is exactly what voters are voting against this year. Heck used to host a TV show called “Inside Olympia.” You can’t get much more insidery than that.
Sounds like Eli Sanders is just taking orders from Gregoire’s staff. Seen as how Eli doesn’t know the 3rd Congressional from his rear end, it’s really safe to ignore this puff piece.
Martha Coakley in a suit is just about right. No matter how much Eli wants to clear out the primary, Clark county voters don’t even know who Denny Heck is, since the majority of population growth in the county occurred after Heck’s departure from the state leg.
I don’t understand that “checkbox” graphic. Are the gray numbers the statewide tally?
Wow, this is the biggest steaming load of an article I’ve read in the Stranger in years.
Denny Heck is, quite simply, an insider political hack. All his experience, including his private sector experience, is a direct result of snuggling up to other insider political hacks.
Yep, TVW is cool. Now, I wonder how he convinced the Legislature and corporations to help fund it. Could it be becauses he’s an insider political hack?
Case in point: Paul Berendt, another insider political hack, gives a quote that reads straight out of Heck’s press releases, and manages to use multiple buzzwords without actually saying anything. Eli Sanders prints it approvingly.
The only real reason Sanders seems to so gosh-darn excited by Heck is the money Heck has raised. Well, make that the money he has given himself and the money his insider political hack friends have given him. Sanders doesn’t list those friends.
But Sanders does hype the fact that Craig Pridemore and Deb Wallace haven’t raised much. Or, if you read carefully, hadn’t raised much as of December 31, which was about two weeks after each of them announced their candidacy.
But Heck was able to raise that much in two weeks. Well, of course, that’s what insider political hack friends are for.
If this article is any guide, Pridemore and Wallace spend all their time griping about Heck. Or at least, that’s all Sanders reports about them.
Finally, anyone who knows anything about Olympia knows it is called “The Evergreen State College,” not “Evergreen State College.” If the Stranger wants to write about the 3rd District, find a reporter who occasionally leaves Capitol Hill.
“This district’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives . . . has been in the hands of Democrat Brian Baird, the Iraq-war-flip-flopping, health-care-reform-dissing congressman”
Gee, you think that could be the reason that people would consider voting for a Republican this time? Maybe, unlike the staff of the Stranger, people of the 3rd will give consideration to the content of the candidate’s character, rather than only to the party he or she is affiliated with.
I grew up and lived in the 3rd for 20 years in a conservative, rural town. While he’s got the money, I don’t think Heck has what it takes to win the primary. I think he actually represents what these folks distrust about the political system. Of the 3 major D candidates, my money is on Wallace, who represents the district 100% and has the best chance of beating Herrera (IMHO).
The Stranger is yet again begging to get in bed with the DNC. If you sleep with dogs, don’t bitch about awaking with fleas and VD..
The last thing Washington State as well this nation needs is yet another DNC lemming in Congress.
Throw the entire insider party hack bastards out! No more Barney Franks, Chris Dodds or Nancy Pelossi in Congress!!!!
We are over 12 Trillion dollars in debt thanks to the above mentioned assholes. In Washington State we already have a 3.2 billion dollar deficit.
THROW THE DNC BASTARDS OUT.
IF the GOP bastards don’t get the job done, THROW THOSE GOP BASTARDS OUT AS WELL!!
Vote for someone who will actually serve the people and not just their parties.
It’s our money, it’s our future, it’s our state and it’s our country.
What about Crist? He didn’t even mention her. Well, never mind. She’s kind of a joke here in Vancouver.
Vote for Bart Hammerly! He’s sick of both parties right now.
To Baird’s credit, he opposed the Iraq war when it was first proposed by Bush (not a popular move). His recent “flip-flop” only came after he visited Iraq recently and saw the deteriorating state of the country. At this point, whether we stay or leave is almost moot, the major damage is already done and either choice will likely leave the region devastated for decades.
As for health care, he opposed the bill in its proposed form for a number of legitimate reasons, none of them ideological (if I recall correctly, it was because they were rushing the bill before various budgetary calculations were finished).
I know both of those votes go against the general political leanings of The Stranger, mine as well, but those were pretty cheap shots.
Wow, that article is as vacuous as, well, Heck’s campaign. I note not one place in the article does the author cite Mr Heck’s view on any issue…except, oh yea “jobs”. Heck has not articulated one reason why he should be elected to represent us in the 3rd except his resume. Other commentors here have said it well. The last thing this disrict needs, the country needs is another Bob Forehead who can read DCCC faxes with ease while articulating not one reason he should represnt us – except, oh yea…his resume.
Hey Eli, it’s Deb Wallace not Deborah.
Denny Heck is A POSER, I can’t quite figure out why “The Stranger” which I always thought was more of a “think outside the box” publication would put so much support behind a “Corporate DEM” like Denny Heck [can someone shed some light please]
To me, “Cheryl Crist” would be a “No Brainer”, I also like Deb Wallace.
Pridemore seems an Empty Suit [look at that photo on his campaign website; http://www.craigpridemore.com thats PATHETIC
Maria Salazar is of course, just CLUELESS
I am siting at the WA State Democratic Convention right now listening to Denny Heck…..not a word about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Lots of singing and chanting and cheerleading, more like a high school football pep rally than a convention of adults. Content is nil.