Former Washington state Sen. Lisa Brown, of Spokane, is getting a shot of confidence from national Democrats in her bid to upset seven-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers in Eastern Washington’s 5th Congressional District.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has named Brown to its so-called “Red to Blue” program of top-tier challengers as the party seeks to topple GOP incumbents and flip open seats to take a House majority in the 2018 midterm election.
Brown is one of 24 Democratic House candidates to receive the designation, which will grant her campaign additional organizational and fundraising support, and signal her viability to national donors.
National political oddsmakers still predict the 5th District is likely to remain in Republican hands. But motivated Democrats are hoping for a massive midterm wave riding on a backlash against President Donald Trump.
At the very least, the DCCC’s 5th District play could force Republicans to spend money in an effort to protect what had long been thought safe GOP turf. A Democrat has not been elected in the 5th Congressional District since then-House Speaker Tom Foley lost to Republican George Nethercutt in 1994’s Republican wave.
McMorris Rodgers, first elected to Congress in 2004, has won her past three re-election campaigns with 60 percent-plus of the vote. As the fourth-ranking House Republican, McMorris Rodgers is known as a reliable ally of House Speaker Paul Ryan, whose leadership PAC has set up shop in Spokane to help her win reelection.
Brown served two decades in the state Legislature, rising to state Senate majority leader. She later served as chancellor of Washington State University Spokane. She was among six candidates added this week to the “Red to Blue” list by the DCCC. (Seattle Times)
