By Jefferson Robbins
The Wenatchee World
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Dave Reichert, who’s represented Washington’s 8th District in Congress since since 2005, won’t seek reelection to an eighth term next year.
“It was not an easy decision but I believe it was the right one for my family and me,” Reichert, 67, said in a press release Wednesday morning. “I have spent my entire career and devoted my life to service. I see this not just as a job, but as a calling — a calling I will not walk away from.”
The Auburn Republican served as King County sheriff from 1997 until his 2004 election to the 8th District congressional seat, replacing retiring U.S. Rep. Jennifer Dunn. At the time, his district encompassed suburban King and Pierce counties, including the wealthy communities of Bellevue and Mercer Island. The district map was redrawn in 2012 to include Chelan and Kittitas counties, plus the city of East Wenatchee.
While his district lay entirely west of the Cascades, Reichert faced stubborn Democratic challengers in each two-year term and never drew more than 53 percent of the vote. The redrawing was viewed as a way to create a “safe” Republican district, and since 2012 Reichert has won each reelection bid by a spread of at least 18 percentage points. In 2014 he crushed his Democratic challenger 63 to 36 percent.
Reichert sits on the crucial House Ways and Means Committee and its Subcommittee on Trade. Some of his past votes in the House — to deny federal courts authority in the Terri Schiavo case in 2005; to extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program to cover the children of illegal immigrants in 2009; to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 2010 — ran counter to those cast by the majority of congressional Republicans. He also one of only 20 House Republicans to break from the party in May to vote against repeal of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The measure passed 217-213, but failed in the Senate by one vote.
Since then, Reichert has voted against the No Sanctuary For Criminals Act, a bill to withdraw some federal grants from so-called “sanctuary cities” that do not cooperate with federal immigration agencies, but voted in favor of “Kate’s Law,” a measure to increase prison sentences for undocumented immigrants who illegally reenter the country after being deported.
Five westside Democrats have already announced their candidacy for the seat: Renton mortgage service executive Mona Das, Issaquah City Councilmember Tola Marts, former King County deputy prosecutor Jason Rittereiser, Sammamish pediatrician Kim Schrier, and former congressional staffer Toby Whitney.
No Republican candidate has yet announced.
Reichert said he “will continue to fight for hard working families” during his last congressional term, but also looks forward to spending more time with his own. He and his wife Julie have three adult children and six grandchildren. “They have made great sacrifices and I owe them not only my gratitude but more time together,” he said in his statement.
