Although many hoped a different candidate would represent the Republican ticket in November, we now find ourselves at a critical juncture.
We’ve all seen and heard the rhetoric between Republicans during what was a contentious primary. Semi Bird supporters were derided as “Bird Brains,” and Dave Reichert supporters labeled “RINOS” and “establishment shills.”
Now that the dust has settled, many conservatives find themselves understandably disillusioned, frustrated and considering sitting this one out. However, there’s a bigger picture at play that we must consider: our children, our families and the future of our state.
We can’t lose sight of that.
Reichert may not have been the first choice for many of us, and as someone who is staunchly pro-life, I personally struggle with reconciling my beliefs to a candidate who doesn’t share them and has publicly and repeatedly stated so. Reichert’s stance on key issues often feels more like a political calculation than the principled stand I would expect from a conservative candidate.
But here’s the reality: We can’t afford to further hand Washington state over to radical leftists either.
The question is no longer whether Reichert perfectly mirrors our values but whether he is best positioned to protect the liberties that allow us to live out those values.
We already know what Bob Ferguson will do as governor — weaponize the state against its citizens, as he has time and again. Under Ferguson's leadership, we would see more criminals go free, and our state would continue to become increasingly unaffordable, making it harder for families like mine to make ends meet.
As a mom of five, allowing our state to delve further into chaos isn’t an option we can literally or figuratively afford to consider. We’re fooling ourselves if we believe it can’t get worse.
Reichert’s law enforcement background and tough stance on crime and drugs offer a starting point to address some of our state’s biggest issues and will mark a significant shift away from the destructive path the left has been charting for decades.
Support for Reichert moves us back toward common-sense governance, rather than a full-blown sprint into socialism, which Ferguson would guarantee.
The Washington state Constitution declares that “governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.” By not taking our grievances to the ballot box and voting, we are effectively consenting to a future with an unacceptable outcome.
Inaction isn’t a protest — it’s surrender. In November, we need to vote like the future depends on it. There’s too much at stake to sit this one out.
Kristen Chilson
Winlock
