These Pacific Northwest Democrats Say They’re Moderates. Their Records Show Otherwise.
Jamie McLeod-Skinner and Kim Schrier have long supported progressive policies.
Jamie McLeod-Skinner and Rep. Kim Schrier. Josh Christenson • September 29, 2022 4:15 pm
Democrats in tight House races in the Pacific Northwest are pledging to buck the Biden administration, casting themselves as moderates willing to buck the president’s agenda. But their records may undermine their efforts.
Oregon Democratic candidate Jamie McLeod-Skinner promised in a campaign ad to “lower costs” and “stand up to her own party,” which she says is “not getting the job done in Congress.” Until recently, the congressional hopeful called herself a “proud progressive” and supported progressive legislation like the Green New Deal.
Incumbent Rep. Kim Schrier (D., Wash.) said in a campaign ad earlier this year that she was “taking on the Biden administration” over its proposed gas tax suspension. But Schrier has voted with Biden 100 percent of the time, passing trillions of dollars’ worth in federal stimulus that economists say has fueled inflation.
The ads come as vulnerable Democrats rush to court voters who are dissatisfied with Biden’s handling of the economy. Nearly three-quarters of Americans list inflation as their top concern in the midterm elections, an ABC News/Washington Post poll found this week.
In Schrier’s case, the pivot to pocketbook issues clashes with her legislative record. In February, Schrier introduced a bill to suspend the federal gas tax until 2023, months before the administration’s request for a mere three-month gas tax holiday. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D., Ore.) at the time said the gas tax suspension was “not going to give consumers significant relief” and would instead drain funding to infrastructure and related jobs.
Schrier admitted in a June 2021 telephone town hall that Democrats’ spending led to inflation.
“We knew that there was a possibility that this could lead to inflation,” Schrier said. “We all feel it a little bit, that everything feels a little more expensive. On top of that, gas is more expensive.”
A spokeswoman for Schrier did not respond to a request for comment.
In April, McLeod-Skinner affirmed her support for the
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