The debate between Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican Joe Kent in the race for the 3rd Congressional District made it clear Kent has a clear understanding of the issues, well developed solutions and an understanding of the differences between federal and state responsibilities.
Gluesenkamp Perez barely knows the issues, has no plan and does not understand federalism.
Gluesenkamp Perez has squandered her time preparing for this run for Congress. It is too late to retool her presentation and develop a comprehensive plan. She is destined for defeat.
Kent has done over 250 town halls. I attended one of his first in April 2021 at the Veterans Memorial Museum.
Kent was clear, focused and cordial. He laid out a plan and talked to everyone present and has done so routinely since. Those early town halls were critical for early fact finding, making personal connections with constituents and refining his communication skills.
An example is the discussion over the Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River. Kent made clear it is a federal bipartisan issue and defined the problems succinctly, from bridge replacement to the Link extension and tolls.
Gluesenkamp Perez barely mentioned worrying about crossing the bridge with her child and travels over the I-205 bridge instead.
People expect their representative to make specific points and justify them with facts. Kent did that. Gluesenkamp Perez filled her time attacking Kent or with her own complaints at running a business, which is in Oregon and not Washington. She had note cards and was still unable to address the questions asked. In stark contrast, Kent was quick, effective and concise with his message.
It does not require a good memory; he always says the same thing. Gluesenkamp Perez’s incessant droning about business problems made her sound more like a Joe Kent constituent looking for help than a political challenger.
I see no way for Gluesenkamp Perez to recover from her inferior performance before the general election. Politics has turned to tribalism, and many people will vote the party ticket regardless of a candidate’s qualifications.
The challenge for anyone who doubts these facts is to sit through the debate video and run a scorecard based on points and counterpoint. Intellectually, integrity leaves no better choice and Joe Kent has my vote.
Ray Anderson
Ethel
