The tenth Congressional District is sort of a state unto itself. Straddling Pierce and Thurston counties, it’s house to cities, rural communities, a army base, tribal land and the state Capitol. Democratic incumbent Marilyn Strickland has represented the tenth for 2 phrases. Her document of pragmatic bipartisanship and her sturdy connection to the issues of her constituents make her deserving of a 3rd time period.
The one challenger to lift any cash, Republican Nirav Sheth, is {an electrical} engineer, former Marine and Lakewood police officer. He’s now a small-business proprietor who’s involved about property crimes and the scarcity of cops in addition to excessive fuel costs. These are extra appropriately addressed at an area governmental degree. A district as numerous and sophisticated because the tenth wants a consultant who can serve constituents whereas navigating the complexities of Congress to get issues finished.
An vital district difficulty is housing, because it encompasses Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the biggest base within the area. Strickland is combating to lift the army housing allowance from 95% of native common prices to 100% within the 2025 protection price range, citing that proportion as equal to a few hundred {dollars} in a household’s pocket. She’s conscious of challenges army households face, as she was raised in a single. As a part of her work on the Armed Companies Committee, Strickland is a member of the bipartisan High quality of Life panel, which takes up points like baby care and employment for army spouses — all elements that have an effect on readiness, recruitment and retention of the nation’s armed forces.
As for housing generally, Strickland rightly factors out the problem is a matter of provide and demand. She believes the federal authorities can do a greater job addressing each with extra low-income housing tax credit and greater subsidies so builders shall be incentivized to construct. In 2021, she voted in favor of The Construct Again Higher Act, which allotted billions of {dollars} for housing, and introduced in early July a $500,000 grant for Tacoma-Pierce County Habitat for Humanity — one in all 14 South Sound group initiatives benefiting from Strickland’s efforts this 12 months.
That’s in step with her philosophy round public service. She factors proudly to the “bread and butter” points her workplace handles, from serving to veterans acquire advantages to navigating the Small Enterprise Administration — total, $10 million has been refunded to individuals within the district. Her expertise as mayor of Tacoma and president/CEO of the Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce put her in contact with what makes municipalities, businesses and economies work.
Strickland takes an analogous get-it-done method to urgent points just like the fentanyl epidemic and the disaster on the southern border. Fentanyl is a medically accredited, authorized ache reliever, she notes, plentiful and low cost. Therapy for dependancy is one a part of the puzzle, however we additionally should know the way the drug is manufactured and the place it’s coming from. Strickland helps a bipartisan border safety invoice that features $2 billion for know-how to detect fentanyl — a invoice held up by Republicans.
Safety on the southern border is overwhelmed and insufficient, but migrants and asylum-seekers preserve coming. There needs to be an orderly option to course of individuals, she says. It’s not about turning individuals away, however about recognizing the load on the system. She needs to see that invoice enacted. Her method would fill the roles People can’t, given a labor scarcity and falling birthrate, thereby paving a option to convey gifted individuals in “with out taking a single job away from an American citizen.”
Strickland’s dedication to rise above partisanship as a way to govern and her profitable document in her district make it clear she belongs in Congress for an additional time period.