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♪♪

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-She pulled off
a stunning upset

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to become Washington's newest
member of Congress.

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So what are
the priorities

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for U.S. Representative
Marie Gluesemkamp Perez?

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-It's more important that people
know that you hear them,

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and that you are understanding
what they're talking about,

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you are understanding
their perspective.

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That's next, on "Seattle
University Conversations."

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Now, your hosts,
Professor Larry Hubbell

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and Joni Balter.

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-Good afternoon.

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Welcome to
Seattle University,

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and welcome to
our special guest,

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who's kind of lighting up
Congress right now,

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U.S. Representative
Marie Gluesemkamp Perez.

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Thank you so much for,
I believe,

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representative,
trekking through the snow --

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the unpredicted snow --
to get here today.

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So, a lot of folks
in the media --

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I think I've used
the term myself --

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have described you as "the
opposite of a coastal elite."

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So, in your own words,
what parts of your background

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do you think give you
sort of extra insight

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into the problems
of working people?

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-Well, like you mentioned,
my husband and I own

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an auto repair
and a machine shop.

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And we are an independent shop,
which is kind of a dying breed.

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We don't --
We're not affiliated with any,

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like, auto manufacturers
or dealerships.

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And so, you know,
the average age of our cars,

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like, that we serve are,
like, 20 years old,

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or, you know,
a dozen years old.

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They're older vehicles.

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And you really are embedded
with your community

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in a way,
when you're a --

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you know, like,
a community auto shop.

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Like, you know --
you know --

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you know who's getting
a divorce,

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you know who can't afford
their bill.

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Like, you know
who's getting a minivan

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'cause they're pregnant.

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You know, like --
so -- you know -- and...

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Like, the rash of catalytic
converter thefts,

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you know, like, all, like,
just, like, eviscerating

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people's savings account,
you know?

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And -- And...

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I think that is a really --
that is a really deep look into,

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like, the intimate parts
of people's lives, you know?

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And it's kind of a --
it's a nice cross-section.

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And, uh...

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You know, and then just living
in a rural community that,

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you know, you have to rely on
your neighbors.

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Like people --
Like in the winter,

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like, you drive around with the
chainsaw in the back of your car

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because there might be
a tree across the road.

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And, like, you -- you --
you need to..

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You know, I don't know if,
like -- you can't, like,

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make your neighbors so mad
they're not gonna -- right?

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You've got to -- You've got to
get along with each other,

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because there's not
a store nearby.

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You might need
to borrow gas.

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Like, those things happen.

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-What happened to
the Democrats?

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I mean, the Democrats used to
really own the working class,

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and now it's increasingly been
moving towards the Republicans.

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-Well, I mean, in the case of
my family in particular,

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I mean, I guess I could say
the spotted owl.

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You know, I mean,
that was just...

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You know, it can't be
overstated, like,

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how many people
lost their jobs.

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And -- And, like,
listen, like, I know

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it was a broad
economic -- right?

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Like, there was
a lot of things

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that went into the collapse
of the timber market.

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But I think that Democrats
kind of put their head

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on the poster
of some of those issues

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that just really --

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you know, my mom grew up
in Forks, Washington,

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which was really kind of
the epicenter of that.

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And, um...

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It -- It just felt like a sort
of callous disregard,

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and, like,
"We're smarter.

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We know the science."

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And, you know, basically
this attitude of, like,

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"Do better."
Like, "Go to college."

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Like, "Get a real job."
You know?

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And...

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people remember that.

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People remember that.

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And it --
it cuts deep.

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Like, it was, like,
humiliating, you know?

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So, it -- and it...

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It's persistent.

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-Now, you're a first-termer,
and you seem to get on to

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the committees that you wanted
to be on,

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which was Agriculture
and Small Business.

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How were you able to
work that?

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-Yeah, that was quite the lobby
because --

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You know, so, the farm bill is,
like, every five years.

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And it's considered
one of the must-piece passes

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of legislation.

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And so, suddenly, everyone wants
to be on ag every,

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you know, five years,
every three terms.

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And so, it did take
a lot of lobbying to do that.

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And...

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I think one of the useful
pieces was, for me,

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like, there are a lot of
members of Congress

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that represent
rural districts broadly,

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but they tend to live in
the urban part

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of the rural district,
or, like, in the city

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in the rural part --
you know, in the rural district.

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So, I think I am one of
the members that actually lives

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in the rural part
of a rural district.

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And, like, you know, like,
I get my water from a well.

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I get my Internet
from a radio tower.

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Like those things --

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-At the end of three
gravel roads, I was told.

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-Yeah. Yeah.

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Right.

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And, you know, the price
of gravel is going -- right?

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So, I think that was
a salient point.

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And I think...

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You know,
one of the heartening things,

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or, like, encouraging things,
for me is that, like,

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my colleagues
in the House,

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like, they -- they want
to understand rural issues.

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Like, they want to hear
from us.

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Like, I was invited
to speak

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at one of the Messaging
Committee meetings,

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and be the --
you know?

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They -- They truly do
want to understand,

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because, I mean,
the writing's on the wall,

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in many ways,
electorally.

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Um, and also...

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I think...

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some of the issues that --
that we care about most,

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as Democrats --
like, you know,

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drug abuse, housing,
you know, economic issues,

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like, those -- those things are
manifest in rural communities

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in a way that we need to
understand, and be relevant in.

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So, I was able to sort of,
like, leverage my background

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to get a good spot.

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Um, and yeah, it was --
it was -- it was fortunate.

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I feel like, you know,
I got ranking member position

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for the Small Business
Committee on, um,

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Rural Development, Energy,
and Supply Chain --

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which, like, you couldn't make
a better committee for me.

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So, that was --
that was really fortunate.

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-I understand you also had
some gripes with the SBA.

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-I do, yeah.

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So, that's --
that's the story.

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So, my my husband and I
actually...

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um, had a terrible landlord,
and we bought our building

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with a loan
from the SBA.

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We were able to buy a separate
building, and move in.

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And I have an undergraduate
degree in economics,

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it literally took me a year
to fill out that application.

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You know, when you think about
how many small business owners

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actually have the capacity
to do that.

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Like, the regulatory hurdle,
it just means that the dollars

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aren't going to who does --
you know,

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might put them
to the highest use,

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but to the people who can hire
a consultant to get the grant

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or to get the loan.

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And we see that all over
rural communities.

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It is so...

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You know, I was actually the --
you know, the part-time director

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for a Stephenson
downtown association,

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which is a rural economic
development kind of...

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And I remember filling out
these grants

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from the state of Washington,
trying to --

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trying to build a park.

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And going to
the grant hearing.

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And I show up, and there --
it's all consultants.

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The bigger cities
have all hired people

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who are obviously
better dressed than me.

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They have really nice graphics
to sell their parks with.

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They have, like, great
renderings, beautiful images.

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And they're a lot
more successful

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at getting these grants.

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And it's just -- it's so
frustrating to rural communities

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to feel like, um...

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we're not on
a level playing field.

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The regulatory hurdles,
the administrative hurdles,

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are just too high
for us to effectively,

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you know,
tell our story.

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-You've talked a lot
during the campaign,

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and even since
you've been in Washington,

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about a
right-to-repair bill.

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Can you explain to all of us
what that is,

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and what steps
you're taking to --

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to to get that through this --
this term, I think.

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-Yeah, so, I'm one of the
co-sponsors on the Repair Act.

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But broadly,
right repair is something

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that we should --
we should all care about,

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not just people --
mechanics, you know?

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And the sort of genesis
of right to repair is,

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actually, John Deere tractor
put a chip on their engines.

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And only the dealerships
were authorized

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to unlock these engines.

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And it was in the
terms-of-service contract.

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So, an entire year
make and model of

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one of the first years
they did this,

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all these farmers didn't
actually have

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the legal right to fix
their own tractors,

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or to take them to
independent shops.

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And people that work in ag
know that, like,

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you only have
a couple of days to cut hay

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when it's maximally nutritive
to stock.

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It's, like, when the seed head
is fully formed,

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but before it's fallen off
the stock.

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So, it's a very
tight timeline

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to have hay
that's worth anything.

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And lo and behold,
these tractors all, you know,

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crap out
at the same time.

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And there are not
enough dealerships

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to get
these tractors fixed.

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And millions of dollars of hay
are lost.

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The price of beef goes up.

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Everything goes up,
you know?

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And -- And farmers come out
with their pitchforks,

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and -- and they're just enraged
that they don't have

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the legal right
to fix their own stuff.

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And so, right to repair laws
sort of go back to where we --

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you know, we assume,
as consumers, that we have,

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you know,
the right to fix our own stuff.

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But that's being taken away
from us.

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And it's not just
tractors.

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You know, like, remember, like,
the first iPhones,

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00:09:52,968 --> 00:09:54,634
you could replace
the battery on,

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00:09:54,634 --> 00:09:57,167
and you can't do that anymore
without voiding -- you know?

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And so, it's consumer
electronics,

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it's home medical
equipment,

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00:10:01,267 --> 00:10:02,634
things where it's, like,

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"I just need to replace
a battery,"

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or "I just need to replace
a gasket.

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00:10:04,767 --> 00:10:08,367
And I can save $2,000
or $10,000."

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00:10:08,367 --> 00:10:12,534
You know, so, it --
it is hitting the middle class

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especially hard.

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Like, I'm someone that has never
bought a new car in my life,

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and I depend on a secondary
market for used cars

243
00:10:22,367 --> 00:10:25,033
that people have fixed,
and maintained them.

244
00:10:25,033 --> 00:10:27,901
And when we don't allow
that work to happen,

245
00:10:27,901 --> 00:10:30,334
we eviscerate
the secondary market.

246
00:10:30,334 --> 00:10:32,067
Things that should
be reusable,

247
00:10:32,067 --> 00:10:33,701
and move through
a couple different owners,

248
00:10:33,701 --> 00:10:36,667
instead become disposable,
and they go to the landfill.

249
00:10:36,667 --> 00:10:39,234
And so, environmentalists should
also be enraged about this,

250
00:10:39,234 --> 00:10:41,400
because it's terrible
for the environment,

251
00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:43,300
it's terrible for
the middle class.

252
00:10:43,300 --> 00:10:45,968
I think it's terrible for
our character, as Americans,

253
00:10:45,968 --> 00:10:49,868
because I really believe part of
our national identity is that

254
00:10:49,868 --> 00:10:53,300
we are a country where
we believe in fixing things.

255
00:10:53,300 --> 00:10:56,133
And we are sort of --
we have this DIY ethos

256
00:10:56,133 --> 00:10:57,767
that you don't see
in a lot of other countries.

257
00:10:57,767 --> 00:11:00,868
Like, you know, we'll --
we'll paint our own walls,

258
00:11:00,868 --> 00:11:03,067
we'll -- we'll change
our own brakes.

259
00:11:03,067 --> 00:11:05,534
Like, we'll do stuff
that's a little more rare

260
00:11:05,534 --> 00:11:07,667
in other places.

261
00:11:07,667 --> 00:11:11,334
And when we take away
the right to fix stuff,

262
00:11:11,334 --> 00:11:15,901
like, that sort of knowledge
gets passed down

263
00:11:15,901 --> 00:11:17,267
in families, right?

264
00:11:17,267 --> 00:11:18,267
You have to learn from --

265
00:11:18,267 --> 00:11:19,534
-Throwaway society.
-Right.

266
00:11:19,534 --> 00:11:20,534
-Throw it out.
-Right.

267
00:11:20,534 --> 00:11:21,667
You know?

268
00:11:21,667 --> 00:11:24,834
And -- And if you skip
a generation,

269
00:11:24,834 --> 00:11:26,467
you lose
the ability --

270
00:11:26,467 --> 00:11:28,701
like, the next generation
is just, like, hosed,

271
00:11:28,701 --> 00:11:30,400
in terms of knowing
how to check their oil,

272
00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,934
and how to
do these things.

273
00:11:33,934 --> 00:11:37,901
And yeah, so, it sounds like
a niche issue,

274
00:11:37,901 --> 00:11:39,767
but I argue that
this is actually

275
00:11:39,767 --> 00:11:44,100
a very pivotal piece of our
culture and our environment.

276
00:11:44,100 --> 00:11:48,367
-And so, by high-profiling
it yourself,

277
00:11:48,367 --> 00:11:50,534
do you do you think that,
in this term,

278
00:11:50,534 --> 00:11:52,634
you'll you'll be able to --
to get somewhere?

279
00:11:52,634 --> 00:11:54,300
-Well, it's tricky.

280
00:11:54,300 --> 00:11:56,067
There are different pieces
of legislation

281
00:11:56,067 --> 00:12:00,100
that are more narrowly
or more broadly focused.

282
00:12:00,100 --> 00:12:01,968
And so,
I think that it's --

283
00:12:01,968 --> 00:12:04,467
it's possible we will get
parts of it done.

284
00:12:04,467 --> 00:12:06,067
But it's going to take
a long time --

285
00:12:06,067 --> 00:12:07,968
Well, I think it's gonna take,
you know,

286
00:12:07,968 --> 00:12:10,767
a little a little bit of
a longer horizon

287
00:12:10,767 --> 00:12:13,033
to get to the heart
of the issue,

288
00:12:13,033 --> 00:12:14,701
and -- and finding
which pieces

289
00:12:14,701 --> 00:12:16,434
we can get through the House
and the Senate,

290
00:12:16,434 --> 00:12:19,067
and, you know,
finding those coalitions.

291
00:12:19,067 --> 00:12:21,501
And it's always a challenge
because it's like, well,

292
00:12:21,501 --> 00:12:24,734
we can get the ag community
on board for one thing.

293
00:12:24,734 --> 00:12:28,400
So, do we leverage that when --
you know, and try to loop in

294
00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:30,234
the home medical equipment,
also, with that?

295
00:12:30,234 --> 00:12:32,133
Or do we go more narrow
and quicker?

296
00:12:32,133 --> 00:12:34,367
It's all a...

297
00:12:34,367 --> 00:12:37,601
It's all about
building coalitions.

298
00:12:37,601 --> 00:12:38,701
-Given your great affinity

299
00:12:38,701 --> 00:12:41,267
for the working class
and middle class,

300
00:12:41,267 --> 00:12:43,834
how does that translate,
in terms of public policy,

301
00:12:43,834 --> 00:12:46,334
aside from your --
it sounds like your skepticism

302
00:12:46,334 --> 00:12:49,367
about the Endangered
Species Act?

303
00:12:49,367 --> 00:12:50,901
-Um...

304
00:12:50,901 --> 00:12:53,601
So...

305
00:12:53,601 --> 00:12:56,501
I think tax policy
really matters --

306
00:12:56,501 --> 00:12:58,934
like, a clarity and ease
of tax policy,

307
00:12:58,934 --> 00:13:02,767
and a fair,
equitable system.

308
00:13:02,767 --> 00:13:07,434
That's one of the reasons
that I voted against --

309
00:13:07,434 --> 00:13:10,367
you know, they were essentially
defunding the IRS.

310
00:13:10,367 --> 00:13:14,934
Like, right now we have
a hugely underfunded IRS.

311
00:13:14,934 --> 00:13:18,534
And, you know, what they do when
they have an underfunded staff

312
00:13:18,534 --> 00:13:24,334
is they go after
the easiest tax returns.

313
00:13:24,334 --> 00:13:27,901
The simplest tax returns
are typically ones

314
00:13:27,901 --> 00:13:30,100
that have
earned income tax credit --

315
00:13:30,100 --> 00:13:32,367
so, people that work
for a living.

316
00:13:32,367 --> 00:13:34,968
You know, when you're talking
about a billionaire who's got

317
00:13:34,968 --> 00:13:36,868
offshore accounts,
and three different corpo--

318
00:13:36,868 --> 00:13:38,434
or, you know,
five different corporations,

319
00:13:38,434 --> 00:13:40,534
and all kinds,
those much more complex

320
00:13:40,534 --> 00:13:45,100
tax returns have a much lower
rate of being audited.

321
00:13:45,100 --> 00:13:48,200
And so, you know,
the idea is that,

322
00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:50,033
by having more IRS agents,

323
00:13:50,033 --> 00:13:53,167
we'll have the manpower
to go after the fraud

324
00:13:53,167 --> 00:13:58,300
we know is happening, especially
in the higher income brackets.

325
00:13:58,300 --> 00:14:02,100
And, you know,
the Congressional Budget Office,

326
00:14:02,100 --> 00:14:03,634
which is nonpartisan --
it's just --

327
00:14:03,634 --> 00:14:05,601
you know,
it's just economists.

328
00:14:05,601 --> 00:14:06,767
Their estimate was that,

329
00:14:06,767 --> 00:14:09,100
by more adequately funding
the IRS,

330
00:14:09,100 --> 00:14:13,868
we would reduce the national
deficit by $114 million

331
00:14:13,868 --> 00:14:15,133
over 10 years.

332
00:14:15,133 --> 00:14:16,834
Like, that's nothing to
sneeze at, right?

333
00:14:16,834 --> 00:14:18,334
Like, this is...

334
00:14:18,334 --> 00:14:19,367
this is real money.

335
00:14:19,367 --> 00:14:22,000
And it's -- it's --
it's good policy.

336
00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,501
-Billion?

337
00:14:24,501 --> 00:14:26,968
$114 billion,
or million?

338
00:14:26,968 --> 00:14:29,167
-I think it depends on
the horizon.

339
00:14:29,167 --> 00:14:30,400
Yeah.

340
00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,200
-So, you've been quoted
several times

341
00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:34,667
criticizing your own
Democratic Party.

342
00:14:34,667 --> 00:14:37,033
Can you just elaborate on
a few details of that?

343
00:14:37,033 --> 00:14:39,501
Like, so, what are some of
the biggest mistakes

344
00:14:39,501 --> 00:14:42,067
you think the Democrats make,
and...

345
00:14:42,067 --> 00:14:45,834
-Yeah, I mean, I think Democrats
can be really obsessed

346
00:14:45,834 --> 00:14:47,367
with being right
all the time.

347
00:14:47,367 --> 00:14:49,667
And they're sort of
missing the point.

348
00:14:49,667 --> 00:14:53,467
You know, it's -- it's more
important that people know

349
00:14:53,467 --> 00:14:55,133
that you hear them,

350
00:14:55,133 --> 00:14:57,200
and that you are understanding
what they're talking about,

351
00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,701
you are understanding
their perspective.

352
00:15:00,701 --> 00:15:02,300
-Like, I think about...

353
00:15:02,300 --> 00:15:03,567
right, there's
the famous quote --

354
00:15:03,567 --> 00:15:06,200
there's, like "lies,
damn lies, and statistics."

355
00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:07,300
Right?

356
00:15:07,300 --> 00:15:08,300
And so, we get
very obsessed with like,

357
00:15:08,300 --> 00:15:09,801
"Oh, well,
this study says this."

358
00:15:09,801 --> 00:15:12,133
And as somebody that studied
economics in undergrad,

359
00:15:12,133 --> 00:15:14,434
I know that the way that
you design the study

360
00:15:14,434 --> 00:15:16,934
really can pre-determine
the outcome of a study.

361
00:15:16,934 --> 00:15:20,901
And so, it matters what horizon
of things we're talking about.

362
00:15:20,901 --> 00:15:23,000
You know, like,
particularly in timber policy,

363
00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:24,767
it's like we are not
even meeting our own --

364
00:15:24,767 --> 00:15:26,968
like, you know,
the Forest Service is like,

365
00:15:26,968 --> 00:15:28,901
I think we're pulling 30%
of the board feet

366
00:15:28,901 --> 00:15:31,167
off the woods that we say
we should be pulling,

367
00:15:31,167 --> 00:15:33,334
that they
they should be pulling.

368
00:15:33,334 --> 00:15:34,868
And instead,
we're Importing wood

369
00:15:34,868 --> 00:15:38,033
from places that have much lower
environmental standards

370
00:15:38,033 --> 00:15:39,400
than we do.

371
00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:41,767
And so, when you think about
the global carbon cost

372
00:15:41,767 --> 00:15:46,167
of what we're doing, like, there
needs to be a balance, you know?

373
00:15:46,167 --> 00:15:48,067
And when you think about.
wildfires,

374
00:15:48,067 --> 00:15:49,501
you know, you think about
the carbon emissions

375
00:15:49,501 --> 00:15:52,100
of massive wildfires,
you know,

376
00:15:52,100 --> 00:15:53,934
we need
a bigger picture.

377
00:15:53,934 --> 00:15:56,367
And people are bringing up
valid points

378
00:15:56,367 --> 00:16:00,667
that deserve to be brought into
the conversation.

379
00:16:00,667 --> 00:16:01,934
So, I mean, those are --

380
00:16:01,934 --> 00:16:03,534
those are some of the things
I think about.

381
00:16:03,534 --> 00:16:06,534
You know,
maybe that's a little bit more

382
00:16:06,534 --> 00:16:08,100
of a narrow answer
than you're asking.

383
00:16:08,100 --> 00:16:09,400
-No, no, no.

384
00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:11,901
It fits into kind of
some of the things I've read,

385
00:16:11,901 --> 00:16:14,200
and some of the things
I'm thinking about.

386
00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,667
And I also saw a quote from you
talking about, sometimes,

387
00:16:16,667 --> 00:16:20,534
the Democrats will focus on
the poorest of the poor,

388
00:16:20,534 --> 00:16:22,534
but then, when they go into
a community --

389
00:16:22,534 --> 00:16:25,868
and you describe this in one of
the pieces I've read --

390
00:16:25,868 --> 00:16:27,767
you know,
that they end up

391
00:16:27,767 --> 00:16:29,968
not answering the questions
of folks --

392
00:16:29,968 --> 00:16:31,434
working class,
middle class.

393
00:16:31,434 --> 00:16:35,234
-I mean, it is a real problem
that our teachers

394
00:16:35,234 --> 00:16:37,300
can't afford
to buy houses.

395
00:16:37,300 --> 00:16:40,033
You know, I mean,
homeownership really matters

396
00:16:40,033 --> 00:16:41,467
across the spectrum.

397
00:16:41,467 --> 00:16:43,934
And, like, we'll just talk about
very low income housing a lot,

398
00:16:43,934 --> 00:16:46,434
and just, like, really hammer
on housing as a human right.

399
00:16:46,434 --> 00:16:48,400
And it's like, yes,
that is true,

400
00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,968
but when we're not addressing
the fact that, like,

401
00:16:51,968 --> 00:16:55,234
no one in my generation
is able to get their foot

402
00:16:55,234 --> 00:16:57,067
in the door
of the housing market,

403
00:16:57,067 --> 00:16:59,133
we're kind of missing
the forest for the trees.

404
00:16:59,133 --> 00:17:02,501
Like, there is a really big
problem going on,

405
00:17:02,501 --> 00:17:05,667
And -- And like...

406
00:17:05,667 --> 00:17:09,934
When we focus on just
the worst of the worst,

407
00:17:09,934 --> 00:17:11,200
it's also alienating,

408
00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,567
because nobody thinks
of themselves as --

409
00:17:13,567 --> 00:17:15,801
nobody wants to think
of themselves as, like,

410
00:17:15,801 --> 00:17:19,834
the -- the --
the least resourced person.

411
00:17:19,834 --> 00:17:20,968
You know?

412
00:17:20,968 --> 00:17:23,167
And -- And it just
feels like we're --

413
00:17:23,167 --> 00:17:24,400
you know, the middle class,
I think,

414
00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,033
often feels like
we're being talked past,

415
00:17:27,033 --> 00:17:31,100
or you sort of have to...

416
00:17:31,100 --> 00:17:34,167
you sort of have to, like,
pretend like things are worse

417
00:17:34,167 --> 00:17:36,234
for you than they are
to be relevant to

418
00:17:36,234 --> 00:17:37,567
the conversation,
or something.

419
00:17:37,567 --> 00:17:39,367
Like -- you know --
it's just --

420
00:17:39,367 --> 00:17:43,567
It's hard for people to feel
included in or relevant in

421
00:17:43,567 --> 00:17:46,100
a lot of these policies.

422
00:17:46,100 --> 00:17:47,801
-You've said
in multiple forums

423
00:17:47,801 --> 00:17:51,167
that you're a strong supporter
of the Second Amendment.

424
00:17:51,167 --> 00:17:53,367
And I'm wondering whether
you would like to see

425
00:17:53,367 --> 00:17:58,334
further restrictions
on the purchase or use of guns.

426
00:17:58,334 --> 00:18:00,567
Yeah, I mean, that's --
that's another issue where,

427
00:18:00,567 --> 00:18:04,267
like, rural -- it just is really
different for --

428
00:18:04,267 --> 00:18:07,567
for rural communities.

429
00:18:07,567 --> 00:18:09,901
You know...

430
00:18:09,901 --> 00:18:12,734
And -- And, you know, I say that
as somebody like --

431
00:18:12,734 --> 00:18:15,701
my son's gonna go to public
school, you know, my --

432
00:18:15,701 --> 00:18:18,200
you know, and I --
I really think about that,

433
00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:19,234
you know?

434
00:18:19,234 --> 00:18:20,701
And I -- And I --
And my husband both,

435
00:18:20,701 --> 00:18:22,567
really thought about,
like...

436
00:18:22,567 --> 00:18:24,200
when you run for
public office,

437
00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:27,200
like, your chances of being shot
are pretty high.

438
00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:28,767
And, like, you know, we've...

439
00:18:28,767 --> 00:18:29,801
gotten threats.

440
00:18:29,801 --> 00:18:31,667
You know, I mean, it's --

441
00:18:31,667 --> 00:18:35,367
you know, gun violence is --
is real and relevant to me.

442
00:18:35,367 --> 00:18:38,501
But I also think that
the Second Amendment

443
00:18:38,501 --> 00:18:41,200
is part of
the Constitution.

444
00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,067
And, you know, in terms of
additional restrictions,

445
00:18:44,067 --> 00:18:46,868
like, I think --
one thing I think about is,

446
00:18:46,868 --> 00:18:49,901
like, increasing the age
of purchasing assault weapons

447
00:18:49,901 --> 00:18:52,567
to 21 -- or what are known as
assault weapons,

448
00:18:52,567 --> 00:18:55,667
commonly called
"assault weapons" -- to 21.

449
00:18:55,667 --> 00:18:58,367
I think that's -- that is
something that makes sense.

450
00:18:58,367 --> 00:19:01,400
-Should more restrictions
be put on assault weapons

451
00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:03,767
besides the age?

452
00:19:03,767 --> 00:19:05,300
-Uh...

453
00:19:05,300 --> 00:19:07,534
Yeah, I think the age is the --
is the first --

454
00:19:07,534 --> 00:19:09,734
you know, and that is the thing
that makes sense.

455
00:19:09,734 --> 00:19:10,801
You know?

456
00:19:10,801 --> 00:19:13,634
I think that a lot of...

457
00:19:13,634 --> 00:19:18,501
You know, a lot of
the issues are.

458
00:19:18,501 --> 00:19:22,334
you know, mental health
is a big part of the picture,

459
00:19:22,334 --> 00:19:26,100
and a lack of access to, like,
career trajectories that,

460
00:19:26,100 --> 00:19:28,400
like, makes sense for you.

461
00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,067
Um, I think that,
you know...

462
00:19:31,067 --> 00:19:33,968
I actually think that
eviscerating career

463
00:19:33,968 --> 00:19:37,133
and technical education
in our public schools

464
00:19:37,133 --> 00:19:39,267
is probably
part of the problem.

465
00:19:39,267 --> 00:19:40,934
Honestly.

466
00:19:40,934 --> 00:19:43,968
I know a lot of people,
you know, a lot of my friends

467
00:19:43,968 --> 00:19:46,734
stayed in school
because they liked shop class.

468
00:19:46,734 --> 00:19:49,400
You know, and you start pulling
those things out,

469
00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:52,868
you start telling people that,
if you don't go to college,

470
00:19:52,868 --> 00:19:54,334
you did something wrong
with your life,

471
00:19:54,334 --> 00:19:55,601
or you're not
very smart.

472
00:19:55,601 --> 00:19:58,367
Like, that is very damaging.

473
00:19:58,367 --> 00:19:59,667
And the long --

474
00:19:59,667 --> 00:20:01,901
you know, I think it's had
long-term repercussions

475
00:20:01,901 --> 00:20:05,701
in a lot of the problems
we're seeing today.

476
00:20:05,701 --> 00:20:07,334
-Like, I'm part of
the generation where, like,

477
00:20:07,334 --> 00:20:09,868
all of our shop classes,
like,

478
00:20:09,868 --> 00:20:12,968
got turned into
computer programing classes.

479
00:20:12,968 --> 00:20:15,334
And, like, I think that was just
a huge mistake.

480
00:20:15,334 --> 00:20:21,033
Like, we have to return the
prestige to the trades broadly.

481
00:20:21,033 --> 00:20:22,801
Like, you know...

482
00:20:22,801 --> 00:20:25,701
in Germany,
for instance...

483
00:20:25,701 --> 00:20:28,033
they recognize that, like,

484
00:20:28,033 --> 00:20:30,267
kids are gifted
in mechanical aptitude,

485
00:20:30,267 --> 00:20:32,267
or kinetic brilliance.

486
00:20:32,267 --> 00:20:33,767
And, you know. they're...

487
00:20:33,767 --> 00:20:36,300
at a -- at, like,
third or fourth grade, you know,

488
00:20:36,300 --> 00:20:38,167
they'll say, "Hey, like,
your kid has a talent.

489
00:20:38,167 --> 00:20:39,367
You might want to
steward this.

490
00:20:39,367 --> 00:20:41,067
You might want to go
in that direction."

491
00:20:41,067 --> 00:20:43,834
And we have no problem
doing that for reading or math

492
00:20:43,834 --> 00:20:45,167
for our very young kids.

493
00:20:45,167 --> 00:20:47,067
But we don't acknowledge
the full spectrum of gifts

494
00:20:47,067 --> 00:20:49,234
that kids can
be born with.

495
00:20:49,234 --> 00:20:51,534
And instead, we've made it
something that's,

496
00:20:51,534 --> 00:20:54,133
you know, embarrassing.

497
00:20:54,133 --> 00:20:59,734
And so, I think that this is one
of the cultural shifts, going --

498
00:20:59,734 --> 00:21:02,601
getting back to the place where
we respect work,

499
00:21:02,601 --> 00:21:04,567
where we respect
the trades.

500
00:21:04,567 --> 00:21:06,234
That's something
that's gonna do --

501
00:21:06,234 --> 00:21:07,601
a prof--

502
00:21:07,601 --> 00:21:09,734
that will have a profound.
I think, impact,

503
00:21:09,734 --> 00:21:12,434
on our mental health,

504
00:21:12,434 --> 00:21:16,534
on a lot of these societal
issues that we're seeing.

505
00:21:16,534 --> 00:21:18,033
-Sort of rolling through
the issues here.

506
00:21:18,033 --> 00:21:20,133
You support abortion rights.

507
00:21:20,133 --> 00:21:21,601
Are there any limits

508
00:21:21,601 --> 00:21:25,400
that you think government
should place on abortion rights?

509
00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:29,501
-No. Like,
that's the thing is, like,

510
00:21:29,501 --> 00:21:33,033
when you start having
the government

511
00:21:33,033 --> 00:21:35,834
make laws about who gets what --
Like, I don't want

512
00:21:35,834 --> 00:21:38,067
a 20-year-old
staffer bro telling me

513
00:21:38,067 --> 00:21:40,534
when I can get a medical
procedure and when I can't.

514
00:21:40,534 --> 00:21:42,901
And that's what
ends up happening.

515
00:21:42,901 --> 00:21:47,267
Like, even if
you've been pregnant,

516
00:21:47,267 --> 00:21:50,868
you have a very narrow spectrum
of how much can go wrong,

517
00:21:50,868 --> 00:21:53,501
how quickly, and at what point.

518
00:21:53,501 --> 00:21:56,534
And we are seeing now --
With, you know,

519
00:21:56,534 --> 00:22:00,067
Roe vs. Wade falling,
like, we are seeing

520
00:22:00,067 --> 00:22:03,634
really horrific stories play out
all across the country.

521
00:22:03,634 --> 00:22:07,667
And the government should not
have a role in deciding

522
00:22:07,667 --> 00:22:11,167
who gets what
medical attention when.

523
00:22:13,334 --> 00:22:17,100
-During the campaign,
the primary campaign,

524
00:22:17,100 --> 00:22:20,000
you noted, in an ad,
that your predecessor,

525
00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:25,834
former representative
Jaime Herrera Beutler

526
00:22:25,834 --> 00:22:29,000
"rewarded the special interests
and ignored us."

527
00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:31,501
Yet, you made a point of hiring
several members of her staff.

528
00:22:31,501 --> 00:22:32,801
Why did you do that?

529
00:22:32,801 --> 00:22:36,968
-Well, I think that
it's important to have a staff

530
00:22:36,968 --> 00:22:39,801
that is reflective
of the district.

531
00:22:39,801 --> 00:22:43,100
And, also, these are hugely
talented people that know --

532
00:22:43,100 --> 00:22:46,601
You know, they know the issues.

533
00:22:46,601 --> 00:22:49,601
And I think it's actually
really healthy.

534
00:22:49,601 --> 00:22:52,534
Like, I often
challenge people --

535
00:22:52,534 --> 00:22:55,367
It's like, "How many Republicans
are you friends with?

536
00:22:55,367 --> 00:22:56,667
How many Democrats
are you friends with?

537
00:22:56,667 --> 00:22:59,234
Like, you should have
a bipartisan

538
00:22:59,234 --> 00:23:01,534
sphere of influence around you."

539
00:23:01,534 --> 00:23:03,567
You know, like,
if your ideas are right, like,

540
00:23:03,567 --> 00:23:07,734
you should let them be
challenged and you should have

541
00:23:07,734 --> 00:23:09,167
you know -- Right?

542
00:23:09,167 --> 00:23:11,501
As, you know,
iron sharpens iron,

543
00:23:11,501 --> 00:23:14,634
so, you know, man sharpens man.

544
00:23:14,634 --> 00:23:17,767
Like, you know, you should
have a healthy debate,

545
00:23:17,767 --> 00:23:20,968
and so it's important to,
I think,

546
00:23:20,968 --> 00:23:24,400
build a bipartisan staff
and maintain that.

547
00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,801
-Sort of with that in mind,
I read a story

548
00:23:28,801 --> 00:23:30,767
where you describe

549
00:23:30,767 --> 00:23:33,801
that you sometimes see
your colleagues walking around

550
00:23:33,801 --> 00:23:37,133
with an actual list
of party recommendations

551
00:23:37,133 --> 00:23:41,367
for how to vote
on upcoming legislation,

552
00:23:41,367 --> 00:23:43,868
and you don't do that.

553
00:23:43,868 --> 00:23:47,434
So, I wonder, what's been
the reaction to that?

554
00:23:47,434 --> 00:23:52,000
Are party purists annoyed at you
or are they intrigued or...

555
00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:56,300
-It can be -- Yeah, it can be
kind of harrowing, like,

556
00:23:56,300 --> 00:23:59,234
taking votes that you know
aren't going to be popular.

557
00:23:59,234 --> 00:24:03,634
It's -- Yeah,
it is a little bit alienating.

558
00:24:03,634 --> 00:24:10,100
But, you know, it's --

559
00:24:10,100 --> 00:24:12,133
And you have to weigh
the cost of doing it.

560
00:24:12,133 --> 00:24:17,000
Like, there's a cost of not
voting the party line, you know?

561
00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:20,000
-But, I mean, you read
what they're recommending.

562
00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:21,100
-Oh, yeah, yeah.

563
00:24:21,100 --> 00:24:22,601
-It's not like,
"Oh, I'm not interested,"

564
00:24:22,601 --> 00:24:23,968
but then --
You know what I mean?

565
00:24:23,968 --> 00:24:25,801
But it's just I wonder if

566
00:24:25,801 --> 00:24:28,767
they're annoyed at you
at this point.

567
00:24:28,767 --> 00:24:29,968
-It probably depends on
the member

568
00:24:29,968 --> 00:24:31,167
whether
or not they're annoyed at me.

569
00:24:31,167 --> 00:24:32,734
You know, it depends
on their perspective.

570
00:24:32,734 --> 00:24:34,267
or their district that
they're from.

571
00:24:34,267 --> 00:24:37,067
I mean, it's so funny,
because some of these --

572
00:24:37,067 --> 00:24:39,367
Some, they're just like,
"I would be primaried."

573
00:24:39,367 --> 00:24:40,501
You know?

574
00:24:40,501 --> 00:24:43,601
Like, that's --
You know, things that --

575
00:24:43,601 --> 00:24:46,234
Everybody just comes
from such different districts,

576
00:24:46,234 --> 00:24:47,767
and if you only
hang out with people

577
00:24:47,767 --> 00:24:50,367
that come
from districts like you,

578
00:24:50,367 --> 00:24:54,601
that can, I think, really narrow
your perspective on what

579
00:24:54,601 --> 00:24:56,200
the world looks like.

580
00:24:58,234 --> 00:25:03,267
-You opted not to join some of
the House Democratic caucuses,

581
00:25:03,267 --> 00:25:07,167
specifically the
progressives and the moderates

582
00:25:07,167 --> 00:25:09,000
in the New Democratic Coalition.

583
00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:10,400
Why did you make that decision?

584
00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:15,501
-Yeah, I actually haven't joined
any ideologically aligned

585
00:25:15,501 --> 00:25:21,033
caucuses just because I don't
feel like there's one that fits.

586
00:25:21,033 --> 00:25:24,400
You know, I don't fit neatly
into one or the other.

587
00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:26,901
-And, in fairness, I mean,
you were under some pressure,

588
00:25:26,901 --> 00:25:30,133
since the moderates
and the progressives either are

589
00:25:30,133 --> 00:25:32,901
or were led by fellow members of
the Washington delegation.

590
00:25:32,901 --> 00:25:34,067
-Right, right.

591
00:25:34,067 --> 00:25:36,534
They're friends
that lead these, you know?

592
00:25:36,534 --> 00:25:39,601
And so -- And it's
not at all a slight on them.

593
00:25:39,601 --> 00:25:42,901
And I'm not saying
I won't ever join.

594
00:25:42,901 --> 00:25:47,467
But I think especially
as a new, freshman member

595
00:25:47,467 --> 00:25:49,234
really taking my time

596
00:25:49,234 --> 00:25:53,868
and finding my own path
and my own --

597
00:25:53,868 --> 00:25:56,234
you know, my own
set of people that

598
00:25:56,234 --> 00:25:59,767
I'm kind of looking to,
I think I want to be

599
00:25:59,767 --> 00:26:05,701
really careful in how I

600
00:26:05,701 --> 00:26:12,400
sort of build my,
you know, tribe, my people.

601
00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:16,067
-I want to move along to the
bridge over the Columbia River.

602
00:26:16,067 --> 00:26:17,400
-Yeah.

603
00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:19,968
-We've been talking about this
for such a long time.

604
00:26:19,968 --> 00:26:26,200
What is your position?
Replacement? Repair? Light rail?

605
00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:28,767
-Yeah, I mean, the best bridge
is the bridge that gets built.

606
00:26:28,767 --> 00:26:31,667
Like, I actually -- If I have
my baby in the car,

607
00:26:31,667 --> 00:26:35,634
I do not drive across --
There's --

608
00:26:35,634 --> 00:26:38,467
So, there's actually
two bridges right in parallel.

609
00:26:38,467 --> 00:26:41,067
One of them is from, like,
Eisenhower, you know?

610
00:26:41,067 --> 00:26:42,367
There's one that's --

611
00:26:42,367 --> 00:26:44,868
It just celebrated
its 106th birthday.

612
00:26:44,868 --> 00:26:47,167
So, that's the one
going south into Portland.

613
00:26:47,167 --> 00:26:49,567
So, I don't drive on that one
if I've got my kid.

614
00:26:49,567 --> 00:26:52,267
-Time to buy a cake, right?
-Yeah. Yeah.

615
00:26:52,267 --> 00:26:55,834
Yeah. So, we take the
205 otherwise.

616
00:26:55,834 --> 00:27:00,601
So, it is -- And one of
the interesting things is, like,

617
00:27:00,601 --> 00:27:04,367
people think that it's free
to maintain old infrastructure.

618
00:27:04,367 --> 00:27:05,634
It's expensive.

619
00:27:05,634 --> 00:27:09,234
Like, the 205 --
I think they spend like

620
00:27:09,234 --> 00:27:12,100
70K a year maintaining
and operating the 205.

621
00:27:12,100 --> 00:27:13,534
-Would you describe what
the 205, where it goes --

622
00:27:13,534 --> 00:27:14,701
-Oh, the 205 is, like,

623
00:27:14,701 --> 00:27:17,467
the parallel highway
further south.

624
00:27:17,467 --> 00:27:18,701
-Okay.

625
00:27:18,701 --> 00:27:23,834
-And, right, it's like,
maintaining and operating

626
00:27:23,834 --> 00:27:27,234
the I-5 bridge
is like $1.2 million a year.

627
00:27:27,234 --> 00:27:28,634
And that's just kind
of a sunk cost.

628
00:27:28,634 --> 00:27:30,434
And I know that
we're talking about

629
00:27:30,434 --> 00:27:32,267
specifically the I-5 project,

630
00:27:32,267 --> 00:27:34,334
but that goes for so much
of our infrastructure.

631
00:27:34,334 --> 00:27:35,701
Like, we are choosing the most

632
00:27:35,701 --> 00:27:38,100
expensive option for our
infrastructure in America,

633
00:27:38,100 --> 00:27:41,067
which is
just letting stuff decay.

634
00:27:41,067 --> 00:27:43,133
-So replacement.
-Oh, yeah.

635
00:27:43,133 --> 00:27:44,367
We need to replace it.

636
00:27:44,367 --> 00:27:45,801
-And what about light rail?

637
00:27:45,801 --> 00:27:47,534
And what about tolling
and all of that?

638
00:27:47,534 --> 00:27:52,567
-Yeah, I mean,
a lot of those are, like --

639
00:27:52,567 --> 00:27:56,467
It is kind of a bad idea,
I think, for the federal level

640
00:27:56,467 --> 00:27:59,367
to get to like,
"I want the bridge this color."

641
00:27:59,367 --> 00:28:01,167
Like, I want
to get the most federal dollars

642
00:28:01,167 --> 00:28:04,067
I can to get that bridge done
as fast as we can

643
00:28:04,067 --> 00:28:07,300
with Southwest Washington labor
and with American-made steel.

644
00:28:07,300 --> 00:28:09,734
Like, those are the priorities
that I'm thinking about.

645
00:28:09,734 --> 00:28:12,000
And, you know,
if they need light rail,

646
00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:14,033
you know, if they need tolling,
like, those are

647
00:28:14,033 --> 00:28:16,767
gonna be a little more
local decisions.

648
00:28:16,767 --> 00:28:19,467
My job is to, like,
get the money here.

649
00:28:19,467 --> 00:28:22,701
-And what's the likelihood
that that would actually

650
00:28:22,701 --> 00:28:25,367
make any progress
during your two-year term?

651
00:28:25,367 --> 00:28:28,167
-I don't think right now --
I think they're talking 2025

652
00:28:28,167 --> 00:28:30,834
is the estimated start date,

653
00:28:30,834 --> 00:28:33,000
but those funding dollars
need to start lining up now.

654
00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:35,167
-Wouldn't hey need to be
secured during this term?

655
00:28:35,167 --> 00:28:36,167
-Right.
-Yeah.

656
00:28:36,167 --> 00:28:37,300
-Many of them.

657
00:28:37,300 --> 00:28:40,267
-And likelihood?
Thoughts about that?

658
00:28:40,267 --> 00:28:47,467
-So, it depends on how they --
Like, it is --

659
00:28:47,467 --> 00:28:49,734
I think that there
is more funding available

660
00:28:49,734 --> 00:28:52,968
if they choose to have
a bridge design with light rail

661
00:28:52,968 --> 00:28:54,267
or that's light-rail-ready.

662
00:28:54,267 --> 00:28:56,400
Like, those projects just are
more competitive

663
00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:57,734
for national funding.

664
00:28:57,734 --> 00:28:59,467
-And also just for the future of
climate change.

665
00:28:59,467 --> 00:29:02,501
-Right. Well, and that's why
they're more competitive.

666
00:29:02,501 --> 00:29:05,667
You know, that's why they have
a higher chance of success.

667
00:29:05,667 --> 00:29:08,634
-You've indicated
a willingness to work

668
00:29:08,634 --> 00:29:12,300
on both sides of the aisle
for legislation.

669
00:29:12,300 --> 00:29:14,133
How do you decide which members

670
00:29:14,133 --> 00:29:16,968
you can trust enough
to work on a bill together?

671
00:29:16,968 --> 00:29:20,033
-Well, that's --
Yeah, actually,

672
00:29:20,033 --> 00:29:23,267
running an auto shop
is, like, very similar, too,

673
00:29:23,267 --> 00:29:25,100
like, because you have --

674
00:29:25,100 --> 00:29:28,501
-Pull up the hood.
-Well, you know -- Yeah, right.

675
00:29:28,501 --> 00:29:31,968
You have a customer come in,
and if I don't know them,

676
00:29:31,968 --> 00:29:33,767
you know, if they're
a new customer, like,

677
00:29:33,767 --> 00:29:34,968
I'm trying to --
'Cause, you know,

678
00:29:34,968 --> 00:29:36,534
I'll do $1,200
of work for them,

679
00:29:36,534 --> 00:29:39,133
and then I have to decide
if they're going to

680
00:29:39,133 --> 00:29:40,501
take advantage of me or not.

681
00:29:40,501 --> 00:29:42,567
Like, you know
we've had customers say like,

682
00:29:42,567 --> 00:29:44,901
"I want a 40% discount
or I'm going to give you

683
00:29:44,901 --> 00:29:45,934
a bad Google review."

684
00:29:45,934 --> 00:29:48,367
Like, that happens all the time.
-Ooh!

685
00:29:48,367 --> 00:29:53,133
-And so you have to develop a
strong read on people, you know?

686
00:29:53,133 --> 00:29:54,767
-That's true.

687
00:29:54,767 --> 00:29:56,868
-That's how we pay our mortgage

688
00:29:56,868 --> 00:30:00,334
is by being good at
judging people.

689
00:30:00,334 --> 00:30:04,467
And so that's come -- I think
that's been a positive.

690
00:30:04,467 --> 00:30:05,701
You know, but the other thing
is, like,

691
00:30:05,701 --> 00:30:07,400
if I only work with people
that I really like,

692
00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,501
like, I'm not gonna --
Like, it's gonna a narrow team,

693
00:30:10,501 --> 00:30:11,601
right?

694
00:30:11,601 --> 00:30:14,667
So we have to build
a broad coalition

695
00:30:14,667 --> 00:30:16,400
to get things done.

696
00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:18,167
-Well, I have
a question about that.

697
00:30:18,167 --> 00:30:21,901
Are there any -- It's great
that you're talking about

698
00:30:21,901 --> 00:30:23,834
and doing
working across the aisle.

699
00:30:23,834 --> 00:30:26,234
A lot more people
need to do that.

700
00:30:26,234 --> 00:30:29,767
But are there any members
of Congress who are too far

701
00:30:29,767 --> 00:30:31,400
right to kind of trust?

702
00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:33,434
And not to stir up
too much trouble here,

703
00:30:33,434 --> 00:30:36,534
but what about
a national divorce,

704
00:30:36,534 --> 00:30:38,534
you know, red states
and blue states?

705
00:30:38,534 --> 00:30:42,267
-Oh, that is just --
what that is --

706
00:30:42,267 --> 00:30:43,834
that is not serious policy.

707
00:30:43,834 --> 00:30:45,534
That is fundraising.

708
00:30:45,534 --> 00:30:48,934
That is fund--
Like, and, I mean, I think

709
00:30:48,934 --> 00:30:50,467
one of the sort of disturbing

710
00:30:50,467 --> 00:30:54,968
or interesting things about
being in Congress is seeing how

711
00:30:54,968 --> 00:30:56,100
people actually are much more

712
00:30:56,100 --> 00:30:58,601
moderate when the TV cameras
aren't on.

713
00:30:58,601 --> 00:31:00,367
Like, it is
effective fundraising

714
00:31:00,367 --> 00:31:02,100
to say stuff like that.

715
00:31:02,100 --> 00:31:04,234
-Well, because
we're talking about it.

716
00:31:04,234 --> 00:31:07,534
-Right. Yeah.
It raises the profile.

717
00:31:07,534 --> 00:31:10,200
You know, you don't get famous
by being normal.

718
00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:12,834
[ Laughter ]

719
00:31:12,834 --> 00:31:18,834
So -- But, like, I voted on
an amendment that Lauren Boebert

720
00:31:18,834 --> 00:31:20,067
put forward.

721
00:31:20,067 --> 00:31:22,601
Like, if it's a good idea,
I'm going to support it.

722
00:31:22,601 --> 00:31:28,434
It doesn't -- Like, crazy people
can have good ideas sometimes.

723
00:31:28,434 --> 00:31:31,934
-Duly noted. Duly noted.
[ Laughter ]

724
00:31:35,434 --> 00:31:37,400
-As a first-term member
of Congress,

725
00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,267
what do you expect
to be able to accomplish?

726
00:31:40,267 --> 00:31:42,167
And are your options
even more limited,

727
00:31:42,167 --> 00:31:43,734
especially given the fact

728
00:31:43,734 --> 00:31:46,634
that the majority of the houses
are now Republicans?

729
00:31:46,634 --> 00:31:52,434
-Yeah, that's --
It is interesting.

730
00:31:52,434 --> 00:31:54,367
Like, we haven't --
We don't have a lot of, like,

731
00:31:54,367 --> 00:31:58,167
history to judge
either leadership off of.

732
00:31:58,167 --> 00:31:59,901
You know, there isn't that --

733
00:31:59,901 --> 00:32:03,000
You know, Nancy Pelosi
was in forever, right?

734
00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:05,334
We had
a long period of time to say,

735
00:32:05,334 --> 00:32:07,000
"This is how she operates."

736
00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:10,067
We don't have that with
Jeffries and Clark or McCarthy

737
00:32:10,067 --> 00:32:11,200
and Scalise.

738
00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:12,300
Like, we don't.

739
00:32:12,300 --> 00:32:16,200
And so we're still seeing --

740
00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:18,901
You know, one bright flash of
hope is, like,

741
00:32:18,901 --> 00:32:21,100
one of my amendments on a bill
was one of five

742
00:32:21,100 --> 00:32:22,934
that were ruled in order.

743
00:32:22,934 --> 00:32:28,400
And so it was surprising that
they'd let a Democrat bill

744
00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:29,701
or amendment
make it to the floor.

745
00:32:29,701 --> 00:32:32,067
That was encouraging.

746
00:32:32,067 --> 00:32:35,801
That said, like, legislation
moves on, like, geologic time.

747
00:32:35,801 --> 00:32:39,067
Like, it is not small business.

748
00:32:39,067 --> 00:32:43,801
Like, it is a much more
difficult process to, like,

749
00:32:43,801 --> 00:32:45,300
build those coalitions.

750
00:32:45,300 --> 00:32:51,000
So I think it's likely that I
will be more effective or,

751
00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:53,200
like, more of the good
that I can do will come through

752
00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:55,634
ways other than legislation.

753
00:32:55,634 --> 00:32:57,567
It's going to take time.

754
00:32:57,567 --> 00:33:00,300
Like, I think that
I have already been

755
00:33:00,300 --> 00:33:05,000
effective in agenda setting
and sort of talking about, like,

756
00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:07,133
bringing issues to attention

757
00:33:07,133 --> 00:33:11,100
and, you know,
just talking with other members

758
00:33:11,100 --> 00:33:13,834
about issues that are important
and, like, explaining

759
00:33:13,834 --> 00:33:15,734
to other members, like, the
difference between assembly

760
00:33:15,734 --> 00:33:17,133
and manufacturing.

761
00:33:17,133 --> 00:33:19,367
You know, those things --
Like, those conversations are,

762
00:33:19,367 --> 00:33:22,701
I think will have --
It's like a ripple effect.

763
00:33:22,701 --> 00:33:26,667
-And do you see yourself being
on both the committees,

764
00:33:26,667 --> 00:33:29,434
both agriculture and small
business for the long term?

765
00:33:29,434 --> 00:33:31,934
-They are great committees
for me. Yeah.

766
00:33:31,934 --> 00:33:35,734
I'm very optimistic
that those are places

767
00:33:35,734 --> 00:33:42,300
I'll be able to be in for --
well, hopefully a long while.

768
00:33:42,300 --> 00:33:44,567
[ Laughter ]
Yeah.

769
00:33:44,567 --> 00:33:46,834
-I'm not sure if this is the
right moment for this question,

770
00:33:46,834 --> 00:33:50,300
but can you tell us
about the ax throwing?

771
00:33:50,300 --> 00:33:53,334
How did you get into
this recreational activity?

772
00:33:53,334 --> 00:33:54,734
And you even have a --
You have a victory

773
00:33:54,734 --> 00:33:55,868
to tell us about, right?

774
00:33:55,868 --> 00:33:57,000
-Oh, yeah, yeah.

775
00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,133
No, I think I'm like
the fourth-place champ--

776
00:33:59,133 --> 00:34:01,701
one of the fourth-place
champions in Skamania County

777
00:34:01,701 --> 00:34:03,734
for ax throwing.

778
00:34:03,734 --> 00:34:07,200
-Does it have, like, a runner's
high and stuff like that?

779
00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:09,033
-Well, so, we have a
timber carnival every year,

780
00:34:09,033 --> 00:34:11,968
and a lot of, like --
A lot of --

781
00:34:11,968 --> 00:34:13,634
You know, Morton has, like,
the Loggers Jub--

782
00:34:13,634 --> 00:34:17,367
Like, there's a lot of timber
carnivals around the state.

783
00:34:17,367 --> 00:34:24,834
And, yeah, I --

784
00:34:24,834 --> 00:34:29,033
Ax throwing is -- you know,
you see the timber carnival,

785
00:34:29,033 --> 00:34:34,567
and, you know, they're fun.

786
00:34:34,567 --> 00:34:36,400
And it's just really
meaningful to get to, like,

787
00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:40,000
throw your uncle's ax, you know,
or your great-uncle's ax or --

788
00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:42,667
It's just -- It's something --

789
00:34:42,667 --> 00:34:44,367
-Did they use it for that, too?
For ax throwing?

790
00:34:44,367 --> 00:34:45,667
-Yeah. Yeah.
-Okay.

791
00:34:45,667 --> 00:34:47,167
-I mean, so, it's --
-In addition to other things.

792
00:34:47,167 --> 00:34:50,534
-Yeah, so,
it's a double-headed ax,

793
00:34:50,534 --> 00:34:52,067
and it's something.
that you would use for, like,

794
00:34:52,067 --> 00:34:55,367
clearing when you're going
out and estimating how many

795
00:34:55,367 --> 00:34:57,033
board feet are in a given --

796
00:34:57,033 --> 00:34:58,200
-Oh.
-Yeah.

797
00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:00,767
-I didn't know that.
-Yeah, yeah.

798
00:35:00,767 --> 00:35:02,834
I'm the second-place
choker setter, though.

799
00:35:02,834 --> 00:35:04,801
That's where I really shine.
-Wait, wait.

800
00:35:04,801 --> 00:35:07,701
Your staff said you came
in third in ax throwing

801
00:35:07,701 --> 00:35:10,100
at the Skamania timber carnival.

802
00:35:10,100 --> 00:35:11,767
-You know, I don't know
if it was third or fourth.

803
00:35:11,767 --> 00:35:14,467
I'll have to -- I'll look.
I did get $5.

804
00:35:14,467 --> 00:35:15,601
-Oh, wow.
-Yeah.

805
00:35:15,601 --> 00:35:16,767
[ Laughter ]
Yeah.

806
00:35:16,767 --> 00:35:19,834
-Well, well.

807
00:35:19,834 --> 00:35:22,200
-You received only 50.1%

808
00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:25,234
of the vote
in the general election.

809
00:35:25,234 --> 00:35:28,167
Your opponent, as many people
in the audience know,

810
00:35:28,167 --> 00:35:29,734
was a member of the far right,

811
00:35:29,734 --> 00:35:32,067
which probably turned off
some moderate voters

812
00:35:32,067 --> 00:35:33,667
and independent voters.

813
00:35:33,667 --> 00:35:37,067
How can you continue to gain
the support of enough moderate

814
00:35:37,067 --> 00:35:41,000
Republicans and independents
to win again in 2024?

815
00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:43,267
-Yeah, I am the only freshman

816
00:35:43,267 --> 00:35:47,200
in Congress that flipped
a Trump plus-5 district.

817
00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:49,834
Like, I flipped the
biggest-margin district.

818
00:35:49,834 --> 00:35:54,000
And I think flipping is
a term that people use a lot.

819
00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:56,767
I don't know how accurate it is,
because I don't --

820
00:35:56,767 --> 00:35:59,400
Ultimately, like,
when you lift up the hood,

821
00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:01,501
like, I don't think it was
really about people

822
00:36:01,501 --> 00:36:06,701
did not change their views on
things significantly.

823
00:36:06,701 --> 00:36:08,834
I think I'm just
talking about issues

824
00:36:08,834 --> 00:36:11,567
that matter more to more people.

825
00:36:11,567 --> 00:36:15,400
You know, and they're not the
things that you see broadly --

826
00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:18,934
you know, broadcast on Twitter
or, you know,

827
00:36:18,934 --> 00:36:20,467
network television.

828
00:36:20,467 --> 00:36:23,033
But there are things that people
are really passionate about,

829
00:36:23,033 --> 00:36:27,467
and I think that because of
who I am --

830
00:36:27,467 --> 00:36:30,300
Like, I didn't run an auto shop
because I wanted

831
00:36:30,300 --> 00:36:31,601
to run for Congress.

832
00:36:31,601 --> 00:36:34,033
Like, I, you know,
run an auto shop because I like

833
00:36:34,033 --> 00:36:36,901
fixing things and,
you know, love being --

834
00:36:36,901 --> 00:36:39,200
-Cool metaphor.
-[ Laughs ]

835
00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:40,701
Yeah, that is true. Yeah.

836
00:36:40,701 --> 00:36:43,467
It lends itself
to a lot of puns,

837
00:36:43,467 --> 00:36:46,868
most of which I --
you know, we do not use,

838
00:36:46,868 --> 00:36:52,267
But, yeah, and, so, I think it's
just -- It's relevant.

839
00:36:52,267 --> 00:36:54,334
-Like, if it's broken, fix it?
-Yeah.

840
00:36:54,334 --> 00:36:56,467
Well, yeah,
keeping the wheels --

841
00:36:56,467 --> 00:36:58,534
I mean, it just goes
on and on and on.

842
00:36:58,534 --> 00:37:04,534
But a lot of --

843
00:37:04,534 --> 00:37:09,400
I think, generally, the system
of politics where, like,

844
00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:12,834
you run for -- You know,
and, also, like, by the way,

845
00:37:12,834 --> 00:37:14,100
run for school board.

846
00:37:14,100 --> 00:37:15,634
I'm here to tell --
Like, people need to, like,

847
00:37:15,634 --> 00:37:16,934
run for these seats.

848
00:37:16,934 --> 00:37:19,601
But the system where you try
to, like, work your --

849
00:37:19,601 --> 00:37:22,801
You do these things so that you
can get to higher office

850
00:37:22,801 --> 00:37:25,000
and you sit on these
boards so you can --

851
00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:29,067
You know,
I think that system is bankrupt.

852
00:37:29,067 --> 00:37:31,234
Like, I don't think that's what

853
00:37:31,234 --> 00:37:34,000
most Americans want
in their electeds.

854
00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:36,934
Like, I think they want
people that live normal lives,

855
00:37:36,934 --> 00:37:38,434
that are living the same
lives they are,

856
00:37:38,434 --> 00:37:40,033
that are trying to pay
the mortgage,

857
00:37:40,033 --> 00:37:41,767
that are trying to get
an SBA loan,

858
00:37:41,767 --> 00:37:44,501
that are on eight waiting lists
for daycare, you know?

859
00:37:44,501 --> 00:37:47,501
Like, that stuff resonates.

860
00:37:47,501 --> 00:37:49,400
And it's, I think,
part of how we are going to

861
00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:52,234
build a Congress
that looks more like America.

862
00:37:52,234 --> 00:37:54,133
I mean, so,
you asked about 2024.

863
00:37:54,133 --> 00:37:57,801
And, you know,
Joe Kent is running again.

864
00:37:57,801 --> 00:38:01,567
He announced that on
the Steve Bannon show.

865
00:38:01,567 --> 00:38:06,133
And, you know,
I think there's a really

866
00:38:06,133 --> 00:38:08,367
sort of calcified --
There's a very hard base

867
00:38:08,367 --> 00:38:10,934
of support that
persists for him,

868
00:38:10,934 --> 00:38:12,567
that does not believe that --

869
00:38:12,567 --> 00:38:14,634
Like, there are
so many conspiracy theories

870
00:38:14,634 --> 00:38:19,834
about me and how I won
and where I came from.

871
00:38:19,834 --> 00:38:22,534
And, you know,
just it goes on and on and on.

872
00:38:22,534 --> 00:38:24,834
And those folks
really bought into that.

873
00:38:24,834 --> 00:38:26,667
And I think that
in this district,

874
00:38:26,667 --> 00:38:30,534
like, it's a very unique --
or it's a very interesting mix

875
00:38:30,534 --> 00:38:36,734
of, like, enough
really hard, deep, deep

876
00:38:36,734 --> 00:38:39,467
you know,
right-of-right folks

877
00:38:39,467 --> 00:38:41,367
that it's enough to
carry people like Joe Kent

878
00:38:41,367 --> 00:38:43,033
through the primary.

879
00:38:43,033 --> 00:38:46,467
-Now, you could have Joe Kent
as an opponent in 2024,

880
00:38:46,467 --> 00:38:48,267
but you might have
a more moderate candidate,

881
00:38:48,267 --> 00:38:50,934
like Jaime Herrera Beutler.

882
00:38:50,934 --> 00:38:53,934
Who would you consider the
more -- the tougher opponent?

883
00:38:53,934 --> 00:38:56,868
-That's a good question.

884
00:38:56,868 --> 00:39:00,367
I mean, like I said,
like, I think that the

885
00:39:00,367 --> 00:39:04,167
sort of brand of established
politician is not what

886
00:39:04,167 --> 00:39:08,100
people are excited about
right now.

887
00:39:08,100 --> 00:39:12,834
You know, and I think
that will persist regardless of

888
00:39:12,834 --> 00:39:15,000
who I run against.

889
00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:18,200
And I'm hopeful that,
you know, my time in Congress --

890
00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:21,801
Like, if I only get two years,
like, I'm working my tail off to

891
00:39:21,801 --> 00:39:23,667
make sure that that
was a powerful two years

892
00:39:23,667 --> 00:39:26,033
and we got to
change things about

893
00:39:26,033 --> 00:39:28,601
how the system works,
who gets listened to,

894
00:39:28,601 --> 00:39:31,000
what our priorities are.

895
00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:34,701
And so, you know,
we're working hard to

896
00:39:34,701 --> 00:39:41,601
be relevant and be
effective partners for folks.

897
00:39:41,601 --> 00:39:44,200
-If you don't mind me telling
the audience your age,

898
00:39:44,200 --> 00:39:45,200
you're 34 years old.

899
00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:47,267
-Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

900
00:39:47,267 --> 00:39:49,634
-Is your age of benefit
or is it a drawback?

901
00:39:49,634 --> 00:39:54,400
-I don't know how --
Like, it is an insane schedule.

902
00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:58,334
Like, running a small business
is a 24/7 job.

903
00:39:58,334 --> 00:40:00,801
Like, you know,
being in Congress

904
00:40:00,801 --> 00:40:03,734
can feel like two 24/7 jobs.

905
00:40:03,734 --> 00:40:05,934
Like, it's a lot.

906
00:40:05,934 --> 00:40:09,834
And so, yeah, I think
that it's definitely an asset

907
00:40:09,834 --> 00:40:11,367
to have more stamina.

908
00:40:11,367 --> 00:40:15,734
And, you know,
I mean, I guess folks replace

909
00:40:15,734 --> 00:40:17,067
that with more experience,
you know?

910
00:40:17,067 --> 00:40:19,801
That's ideally what happens.

911
00:40:19,801 --> 00:40:23,901
I think there's probably
benefits to both.

912
00:40:23,901 --> 00:40:25,267
Yeah.

913
00:40:25,267 --> 00:40:28,434
-So, I feel a little
uncomfortable bringing up attire

914
00:40:28,434 --> 00:40:30,734
when talking
with a female politician.

915
00:40:30,734 --> 00:40:35,634
However, you were
recently part of the story

916
00:40:35,634 --> 00:40:37,634
in The New York Times

917
00:40:37,634 --> 00:40:42,467
about Senator John Fetterman
from Pennsylvania.

918
00:40:42,467 --> 00:40:46,734
And, you know, he's known
for wearing shorts and hoodies.

919
00:40:46,734 --> 00:40:49,567
But you had an encounter
with him. You spoke to him.

920
00:40:49,567 --> 00:40:53,000
I'd appreciate it if you could
tell us, tell our audience

921
00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:55,734
about that encounter
and sort of more

922
00:40:55,734 --> 00:40:59,767
why you feel an affinity with
the senator from Pennsylvania.

923
00:40:59,767 --> 00:41:01,934
-Yeah, so,
there was a reception for

924
00:41:01,934 --> 00:41:04,234
newly elected members
of Congress,

925
00:41:04,234 --> 00:41:06,033
which is -- you know,
that's the House and the Senate.

926
00:41:06,033 --> 00:41:11,534
And, so, I was wearing,
you know,

927
00:41:11,534 --> 00:41:14,234
my Carhartt jacket and jeans,

928
00:41:14,234 --> 00:41:16,868
because I think
that it's important, "A,"

929
00:41:16,868 --> 00:41:19,834
to, like,
be who you are, right?

930
00:41:19,834 --> 00:41:25,067
And I think I'm proud of
working in the trades.

931
00:41:25,067 --> 00:41:29,734
And I think that -- you know,
that representation matters,

932
00:41:29,734 --> 00:41:34,868
and so I just am who I am.

933
00:41:34,868 --> 00:41:38,868
And, so,
I went to this reception,

934
00:41:38,868 --> 00:41:41,234
and Fetterman's there.

935
00:41:41,234 --> 00:41:43,033
And he, like -- He stands out.

936
00:41:43,033 --> 00:41:45,033
You know, he looks --
-He's a little tall, right?

937
00:41:45,033 --> 00:41:46,667
-He's tall.

938
00:41:46,667 --> 00:41:48,434
He's tall and he also is just --

939
00:41:48,434 --> 00:41:50,634
You know,
he's got a very unique profile.

940
00:41:50,634 --> 00:41:52,901
And, so, I, like,
saw him and I was like,

941
00:41:52,901 --> 00:41:55,234
"Oh, that's Senator Fetterman."

942
00:41:55,234 --> 00:41:56,701
And I hadn't seen him before.

943
00:41:56,701 --> 00:41:59,234
So I walked up
and introduced myself.

944
00:41:59,234 --> 00:42:03,934
And it took him a minute.

945
00:42:03,934 --> 00:42:07,200
And he kind of, like,
looked at what

946
00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:08,367
I was wearing and he was like,

947
00:42:08,367 --> 00:42:10,868
"Why does she get to
wear jeans, you know?"

948
00:42:10,868 --> 00:42:12,901
[ Laughter ]

949
00:42:12,901 --> 00:42:14,234
So, I don't know.

950
00:42:14,234 --> 00:42:16,000
Maybe we'll see him in
a hoodie going forward.

951
00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:17,367
I hope so.

952
00:42:17,367 --> 00:42:20,100
If that sparks joy for him,
he should do it, you know?

953
00:42:20,100 --> 00:42:22,534
-But do you feel a connection,
like, in sort of

954
00:42:22,534 --> 00:42:25,634
public profile, persona
with him?

955
00:42:25,634 --> 00:42:28,467
-I think that we have a lot
of the same --

956
00:42:28,467 --> 00:42:31,234
A lot of the same issues
matter to us both.

957
00:42:31,234 --> 00:42:34,067
Yeah. Yeah.

958
00:42:34,067 --> 00:42:36,067
-Okay, let's switch to
a completely different area.

959
00:42:36,067 --> 00:42:37,334
That's foreign policy.

960
00:42:37,334 --> 00:42:39,801
Today is the one-year
anniversary of

961
00:42:39,801 --> 00:42:42,434
Russia's war against Ukraine.

962
00:42:42,434 --> 00:42:45,734
Well, actually,
it's the second term --

963
00:42:45,734 --> 00:42:48,300
or the second wave
of the invasion,

964
00:42:48,300 --> 00:42:50,234
because they actually
took over Crimea

965
00:42:50,234 --> 00:42:51,701
more than seven years ago.

966
00:42:51,701 --> 00:42:53,801
But what's your position
on this war?

967
00:42:53,801 --> 00:42:56,067
Do you think, in the long run,
that American resolve

968
00:42:56,067 --> 00:42:59,701
could fade in terms
of its support for Ukraine?

969
00:42:59,701 --> 00:43:04,267
-I don't think America --
I mean --

970
00:43:04,267 --> 00:43:06,734
Well, I think this is --
One of the interesting things

971
00:43:06,734 --> 00:43:08,901
about this engagement is, like,

972
00:43:08,901 --> 00:43:11,901
they have been very
transparent and broad--

973
00:43:11,901 --> 00:43:14,901
You know, they broadcast
Putin's goals.

974
00:43:14,901 --> 00:43:16,667
Like, they --
Remember they were telling us

975
00:43:16,667 --> 00:43:18,033
for weeks in advance,
like, they're going

976
00:43:18,033 --> 00:43:19,334
to invade Ukraine.

977
00:43:19,334 --> 00:43:21,667
And, lo and behold,
they invade Ukraine, you know?

978
00:43:21,667 --> 00:43:23,567
And -- Putin does.

979
00:43:23,567 --> 00:43:29,400
And, you know,
now they're showing

980
00:43:29,400 --> 00:43:31,334
Putin wants to take
over Belarus,

981
00:43:31,334 --> 00:43:33,734
Putin wants to
take over Moldova.

982
00:43:33,734 --> 00:43:35,234
Like, we should
take them seriously,

983
00:43:35,234 --> 00:43:36,767
and maybe if we had
taken them seriously

984
00:43:36,767 --> 00:43:40,300
when they invaded Crimea
in 2014, we wouldn't be here.

985
00:43:40,300 --> 00:43:42,534
And so I think the cost --
I think a lot of people

986
00:43:42,534 --> 00:43:45,667
are, "A," very committed
to protecting.

987
00:43:45,667 --> 00:43:49,534
these democratically elected --
you know, these countries

988
00:43:49,534 --> 00:43:52,667
that support democracy
and increasingly

989
00:43:52,667 --> 00:43:55,167
concerned about what's
going on with Russia

990
00:43:55,167 --> 00:43:56,367
and the Wagner Group.

991
00:43:56,367 --> 00:43:59,968
And, I mean,
it is very ugly stuff,

992
00:43:59,968 --> 00:44:04,367
and I think the cost of --
the cost of not

993
00:44:04,367 --> 00:44:07,133
acting -- right? --
is pretty high,

994
00:44:07,133 --> 00:44:09,200
because if Ukraine falls,

995
00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:10,501
there goes Belarus,
there goes Moldova,

996
00:44:10,501 --> 00:44:11,601
there goes Poland.

997
00:44:11,601 --> 00:44:13,834
Like, where's that going to end?

998
00:44:13,834 --> 00:44:15,234
-Mm-hmm.

999
00:44:15,234 --> 00:44:18,968
Some Republicans seem to be
less than enthusiastic

1000
00:44:18,968 --> 00:44:21,968
about supporting Ukraine
in the war.

1001
00:44:21,968 --> 00:44:23,267
Do you think this will continue
to be

1002
00:44:23,267 --> 00:44:27,234
a bipartisan support for Ukraine
in the Congress?

1003
00:44:27,234 --> 00:44:30,000
-Yeah, I think they're
relatively divided over that.

1004
00:44:30,000 --> 00:44:33,734
You know, and I think that --

1005
00:44:33,734 --> 00:44:36,634
My sense is, the appetite for
sending troops

1006
00:44:36,634 --> 00:44:40,267
is never going to --
You know, that's not happening.

1007
00:44:40,267 --> 00:44:44,734
But I think broadly, overall,
a strong majority

1008
00:44:44,734 --> 00:44:49,534
of us are supporting continued
military support.

1009
00:44:49,534 --> 00:44:51,267
-Well, I would just ask you,
what have you heard

1010
00:44:51,267 --> 00:44:53,801
in your own district, like,
at a town hall or something?

1011
00:44:53,801 --> 00:44:55,901
Is the resolve still there
or what do you --

1012
00:44:55,901 --> 00:44:56,968
-Oh, yeah.

1013
00:44:56,968 --> 00:45:03,334
I mean, we actually have
quite a few

1014
00:45:03,334 --> 00:45:05,534
Ukrainians, for one thing.

1015
00:45:05,534 --> 00:45:08,000
We have a lot of, you know,
people that have left Russia

1016
00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:11,501
also who have strong feelings
about this also.

1017
00:45:11,501 --> 00:45:17,200
And so, yeah, there is
definitely continued support.

1018
00:45:17,200 --> 00:45:22,033
-Do you see this this war as
strengthening or weakening NATO

1019
00:45:22,033 --> 00:45:23,467
in the sense that, after all,

1020
00:45:23,467 --> 00:45:27,634
NATO members have provided
lots of arms to the Ukrainians?

1021
00:45:27,634 --> 00:45:30,467
-I mean, I think NATO
is more unified

1022
00:45:30,467 --> 00:45:34,367
than it's been in a long time
and very relevant.

1023
00:45:34,367 --> 00:45:38,567
And...yeah.

1024
00:45:38,567 --> 00:45:42,434
-So, I want to go back to
the campaign just for a second.

1025
00:45:42,434 --> 00:45:44,901
You know, just the way
this rolled out

1026
00:45:44,901 --> 00:45:48,234
and, you know, how you
surprised so many people.

1027
00:45:48,234 --> 00:45:51,300
Were you really prepared
to actually win?

1028
00:45:51,300 --> 00:45:54,133
Like, there were
experts at the time,

1029
00:45:54,133 --> 00:45:56,234
pollsters saying you had like
a -- What was it?

1030
00:45:56,234 --> 00:45:59,200
A 2% chance to pull this off?
-Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

1031
00:45:59,200 --> 00:46:02,000
-Did you really get your brain
around that you could win?

1032
00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:03,133
-Oh, yeah.

1033
00:46:03,133 --> 00:46:05,033
I mean, I would not have
put my life in a blender

1034
00:46:05,033 --> 00:46:06,367
if I didn't think I could win.

1035
00:46:06,367 --> 00:46:08,100
Like, I --
-Actual blender.

1036
00:46:08,100 --> 00:46:11,868
-Yeah, no, I knew --
I mean, I know my district.

1037
00:46:11,868 --> 00:46:17,434
Like, I know --
I knew that Jamie was

1038
00:46:17,434 --> 00:46:21,300
very vulnerable and I knew
that the support for Joe was,

1039
00:46:21,300 --> 00:46:25,634
like, very deep,
but, you know, very narrow.

1040
00:46:28,801 --> 00:46:30,100
By which I mean, you know,

1041
00:46:30,100 --> 00:46:32,234
like, they're very ardent
supporters, but not enough,

1042
00:46:32,234 --> 00:46:34,133
not a critical mass of them.

1043
00:46:34,133 --> 00:46:38,200
Like, normal people don't want
to ban all immigration

1044
00:46:38,200 --> 00:46:40,501
for 20 years or whatever
he was talking about.

1045
00:46:40,501 --> 00:46:42,601
I mean, that's crazy pants.

1046
00:46:42,601 --> 00:46:46,534
And, so, I --

1047
00:46:46,534 --> 00:46:49,100
You know, and my husband,
you know, initially was, like,

1048
00:46:49,100 --> 00:46:51,634
very reluctant to -- You know,
'cause it's a family decision.

1049
00:46:51,634 --> 00:46:52,968
It just is.
-It really is.

1050
00:46:52,968 --> 00:46:55,234
-And he was
very reluctant in the beginning.

1051
00:46:55,234 --> 00:46:56,434
And I was like, "Why?"

1052
00:46:56,434 --> 00:46:59,968
Like, you know,
because he's the kind of man

1053
00:46:59,968 --> 00:47:02,434
who, like -- You know,
he really believes me.

1054
00:47:02,434 --> 00:47:05,267
Like, he was like, "If she runs,
she's going to win."

1055
00:47:05,267 --> 00:47:07,167
You know, so his commitment,
you know --

1056
00:47:07,167 --> 00:47:08,934
And I think we actually
just hit a year.

1057
00:47:08,934 --> 00:47:11,801
It was like a year ago that we
rolled out our campaign.

1058
00:47:11,801 --> 00:47:15,033
It was like a year and four days
or something like that.

1059
00:47:15,033 --> 00:47:22,100
So, you know,
it was something that

1060
00:47:22,100 --> 00:47:24,634
I knew it was going to
take a lot of work.

1061
00:47:24,634 --> 00:47:27,400
I knew it was going to
take things falling, you know --

1062
00:47:27,400 --> 00:47:28,734
the right things
falling into place.

1063
00:47:28,734 --> 00:47:32,934
But...yeah.

1064
00:47:32,934 --> 00:47:34,767
-Members of Congress,
I understand,

1065
00:47:34,767 --> 00:47:38,968
have received briefings
on the spy balloons.

1066
00:47:38,968 --> 00:47:40,968
And I wonder if you can give us
any scoop here

1067
00:47:40,968 --> 00:47:44,667
about either
the large sky balloon

1068
00:47:44,667 --> 00:47:45,801
or the other
small science project.

1069
00:47:45,801 --> 00:47:48,334
-Including the
science project, right?

1070
00:47:48,334 --> 00:47:52,968
-Yeah. I mean, those
briefings are, like, classified.

1071
00:47:52,968 --> 00:47:57,534
But I think that one thing
that has been in the media

1072
00:47:57,534 --> 00:48:01,834
and remains true is that
by not shooting them down

1073
00:48:01,834 --> 00:48:03,968
when they were --
"A," you can't --

1074
00:48:03,968 --> 00:48:07,167
you know, recovering something
out of the Bering Sea

1075
00:48:07,167 --> 00:48:09,968
is, like, very, very difficult
compared to, like,

1076
00:48:09,968 --> 00:48:11,834
the coast of South Carolina.

1077
00:48:11,834 --> 00:48:13,167
Very, very different.

1078
00:48:13,167 --> 00:48:16,968
And, so, we learned a lot
by recovering it

1079
00:48:16,968 --> 00:48:19,400
and we also learned a lot
by seeing where

1080
00:48:19,400 --> 00:48:22,634
it was programmed to go,
what their interests are.

1081
00:48:22,634 --> 00:48:24,501
You know, like, the way that I
kind of think about it is like

1082
00:48:24,501 --> 00:48:26,501
if you see your weird neighbor,
like, creeping around

1083
00:48:26,501 --> 00:48:29,734
your property, you know,
sometimes it's worth, like --

1084
00:48:29,734 --> 00:48:31,167
what are they looking at, right?

1085
00:48:31,167 --> 00:48:32,467
You don't always want to
go out...

1086
00:48:32,467 --> 00:48:35,167
-Did this happen or are you
just -- No.

1087
00:48:35,167 --> 00:48:37,133
-...guns blazing, you know?

1088
00:48:37,133 --> 00:48:40,300
That's not always
the strategic choice.

1089
00:48:40,300 --> 00:48:44,000
-By waiting to shoot it
off the Carolina coast,

1090
00:48:44,000 --> 00:48:47,234
were they still able to recover
the necessary information?

1091
00:48:47,234 --> 00:48:49,601
-Oh, yeah. It was basically
recovered intact,

1092
00:48:49,601 --> 00:48:53,801
as far as -- I mean,
most of it was recovered.

1093
00:48:53,801 --> 00:48:55,968
-So, you think that some of
the Republican criticism

1094
00:48:55,968 --> 00:48:57,033
was unfounded?

1095
00:48:57,033 --> 00:48:58,167
-Well --

1096
00:48:58,167 --> 00:48:59,334
-Because they were saying it
should have been

1097
00:48:59,334 --> 00:49:00,734
shot down earlier.

1098
00:49:00,734 --> 00:49:02,634
-Well, and I think it's also --
It's not even, like,

1099
00:49:02,634 --> 00:49:04,067
the R.D. thing.

1100
00:49:04,067 --> 00:49:07,501
It's like, people have this idea
that no one lives in Montana.

1101
00:49:07,501 --> 00:49:09,434
Like, people live in Montana.

1102
00:49:09,434 --> 00:49:11,200
And, like, the thing was like

1103
00:49:11,200 --> 00:49:13,300
three school buses, like, wide.

1104
00:49:13,300 --> 00:49:15,534
Like, it was massive.

1105
00:49:15,534 --> 00:49:19,567
And, so, you know, the whole
goal of our security is

1106
00:49:19,567 --> 00:49:21,200
to keep Americans safe.

1107
00:49:21,200 --> 00:49:22,567
And so, you know, like, take --

1108
00:49:22,567 --> 00:49:25,234
Like, have three school buses
falling out of the sky,

1109
00:49:25,234 --> 00:49:30,100
you know, that is actually,

1110
00:49:30,100 --> 00:49:33,701
I think, one of the examples
of the way that people

1111
00:49:33,701 --> 00:49:35,067
just don't have
a clear picture of

1112
00:49:35,067 --> 00:49:37,334
what rural America really is.

1113
00:49:37,334 --> 00:49:41,434
-In Biden's --
In President Joe Biden's

1114
00:49:41,434 --> 00:49:42,767
State of the Union message,

1115
00:49:42,767 --> 00:49:45,801
he seemed to be talking a lot
like you do sometimes,

1116
00:49:45,801 --> 00:49:50,701
talking to working-class folks
who went to college or not.

1117
00:49:50,701 --> 00:49:54,667
Did you hear anything
about folks saying, "Wow."

1118
00:49:54,667 --> 00:49:55,968
Like, that they were surprised

1119
00:49:55,968 --> 00:49:58,868
or that they didn't like
the way he was speaking?

1120
00:49:58,868 --> 00:50:02,367
Did he connect with voters
in your district?

1121
00:50:02,367 --> 00:50:07,434
-Yeah, you know,
that was a wild --

1122
00:50:07,434 --> 00:50:10,434
So, I actually brought --
My State of the Union guest was

1123
00:50:10,434 --> 00:50:14,100
the high-school shop teacher
from Kalama High School,

1124
00:50:14,100 --> 00:50:16,033
Corey Torppa, who is amazing.

1125
00:50:16,033 --> 00:50:18,467
He has got a phenomenal --
His program --

1126
00:50:18,467 --> 00:50:21,567
they are building a house
from the ground up

1127
00:50:21,567 --> 00:50:23,934
and then they sell the house
at auction,

1128
00:50:23,934 --> 00:50:27,000
and the proceeds
go back into the program.

1129
00:50:27,000 --> 00:50:29,834
Like, it
is a phenomenal program.

1130
00:50:29,834 --> 00:50:32,567
He's just a very smart,
very passionate guy.

1131
00:50:32,567 --> 00:50:39,834
And I was like --
It felt like Biden's speech was

1132
00:50:39,834 --> 00:50:42,701
pretty well talking to
the issues that matter to us.

1133
00:50:42,701 --> 00:50:46,601
-Do you think Joe Biden
should run again?

1134
00:50:46,601 --> 00:50:49,367
Sorry to --

1135
00:50:49,367 --> 00:50:51,200
-Well, I mean, honestly,

1136
00:50:51,200 --> 00:50:54,434
I'm thinking more
about my race than his race.

1137
00:50:54,434 --> 00:50:57,934
So, yeah, I'll let him
make that decision.

1138
00:50:57,934 --> 00:50:59,567
-Well, let me ask it
another way.

1139
00:50:59,567 --> 00:51:01,868
Would having him
on the top of the ticket --

1140
00:51:01,868 --> 00:51:04,567
do you think it would help you?

1141
00:51:04,567 --> 00:51:07,234
-I don't know. I don't know.

1142
00:51:07,234 --> 00:51:09,067
I mean, I think that there's --

1143
00:51:09,067 --> 00:51:15,167
you know, you work with
what you're dealt, you know?

1144
00:51:15,167 --> 00:51:18,000
But I don't know.

1145
00:51:18,000 --> 00:51:20,734
And I don't know what
the sort of

1146
00:51:20,734 --> 00:51:23,767
cost of an ugly primary
would be either, right?

1147
00:51:23,767 --> 00:51:26,934
-Mm-hmm. And being
in a Republican district,

1148
00:51:26,934 --> 00:51:31,601
is it a bit more of a liability
running in a presidential year?

1149
00:51:31,601 --> 00:51:36,200
-You know, I honestly --
Like, I --

1150
00:51:36,200 --> 00:51:40,868
The things that, like --
that I talk about are --

1151
00:51:40,868 --> 00:51:42,667
generally speaking,
they are not things

1152
00:51:42,667 --> 00:51:44,234
that Biden is talking about.

1153
00:51:44,234 --> 00:51:45,934
I mean, broadly --
I mean, you know,

1154
00:51:45,934 --> 00:51:48,601
the State of the Union
was kind of surprising,

1155
00:51:48,601 --> 00:51:50,467
but, like,
they're not things that other

1156
00:51:50,467 --> 00:51:52,667
national Democrats
tend to be talking about.

1157
00:51:52,667 --> 00:51:56,200
And so it almost feels like
I'm sort of doing my own thing.

1158
00:51:56,200 --> 00:52:00,934
You know, the national agenda --
you know, that matters,

1159
00:52:00,934 --> 00:52:06,534
but, like, if I'm talking about
sort of culture-war issues,

1160
00:52:06,534 --> 00:52:08,534
I'm not talking --
I'm not relevant.

1161
00:52:08,534 --> 00:52:12,434
I'm not doing my job, because
those are things that, like --

1162
00:52:12,434 --> 00:52:14,634
That narrative is shaped
around fundraising.

1163
00:52:14,634 --> 00:52:17,434
It's not the things that
make people's lives better.

1164
00:52:17,434 --> 00:52:19,834
It's not making Social Security
solvent.

1165
00:52:19,834 --> 00:52:22,033
You know,
it's not fixing the tax code.

1166
00:52:22,033 --> 00:52:25,234
You know, it's not getting
our schools up, you know,

1167
00:52:25,234 --> 00:52:27,300
where we need them are
so our teachers

1168
00:52:27,300 --> 00:52:28,601
are able to buy houses.

1169
00:52:28,601 --> 00:52:30,834
Like, those are not the things

1170
00:52:30,834 --> 00:52:34,334
that end up in
political commercials.

1171
00:52:34,334 --> 00:52:37,467
-Well, just flipping that.

1172
00:52:37,467 --> 00:52:42,033
So, what kind of issues would
you emphasize in order to

1173
00:52:42,033 --> 00:52:43,767
encourage fundraising
for your own candidacy?

1174
00:52:43,767 --> 00:52:44,868
-Oh, for me?

1175
00:52:44,868 --> 00:52:50,167
Mm. I mean, I guess I don't.

1176
00:52:50,167 --> 00:52:55,000
I guess -- I mean,
in terms of issues that --

1177
00:52:55,000 --> 00:52:56,367
I mean, what do I
fundraise off of?

1178
00:52:56,367 --> 00:53:01,234
I think I --
The goodwill of people that

1179
00:53:01,234 --> 00:53:03,367
think I'm telling them
the truth, you know,

1180
00:53:03,367 --> 00:53:06,467
that think that --
You know, and I think

1181
00:53:06,467 --> 00:53:10,734
that's what is kind of
how I have stamina

1182
00:53:10,734 --> 00:53:12,300
is just, like, being myself

1183
00:53:12,300 --> 00:53:14,434
and talking about the things
that matter to me.

1184
00:53:14,434 --> 00:53:18,834
And it's been
a very lucky coincidence

1185
00:53:18,834 --> 00:53:20,834
that the things
that impact my life

1186
00:53:20,834 --> 00:53:23,133
are things that are impacting
other people's lives, too.

1187
00:53:23,133 --> 00:53:24,868
Like, you know,
like, we had our shop windows

1188
00:53:24,868 --> 00:53:26,868
broken four times this year,
you know?

1189
00:53:26,868 --> 00:53:29,300
Like, those things --
like, they matter to people

1190
00:53:29,300 --> 00:53:33,234
because they are --
Or I guess 2022.

1191
00:53:33,234 --> 00:53:38,267
But they're the things
that, you know, are important

1192
00:53:38,267 --> 00:53:44,267
to, you know, the middle,
the broad middle.

1193
00:53:44,267 --> 00:53:47,133
-Well, maybe talking about
things like our shop windows

1194
00:53:47,133 --> 00:53:51,167
broken four times connects
with people who are thinking,

1195
00:53:51,167 --> 00:53:53,801
you know, that public safety
isn't exactly rocking right now

1196
00:53:53,801 --> 00:53:55,167
in many communities.

1197
00:53:55,167 --> 00:53:58,734
So I imagine folks
talk to you about that

1198
00:53:58,734 --> 00:54:01,400
and said that that means
something to them.

1199
00:54:01,400 --> 00:54:05,033
And so what would
your role be in that

1200
00:54:05,033 --> 00:54:07,033
as part
of the federal government?

1201
00:54:07,033 --> 00:54:10,467
-Well, one of the problems
is that, like,

1202
00:54:10,467 --> 00:54:14,033
federal dollars are almost
exclusively directed

1203
00:54:14,033 --> 00:54:17,300
towards capital projects
or, like, capital expenses

1204
00:54:17,300 --> 00:54:20,334
and not operating expenses,
especially for the police.

1205
00:54:20,334 --> 00:54:23,033
So, like, I don't know
anybody who's left

1206
00:54:23,033 --> 00:54:24,834
the police department
because they didn't have

1207
00:54:24,834 --> 00:54:26,634
night-vision goggles.

1208
00:54:26,634 --> 00:54:29,868
They leave because,
you know, the starting wage

1209
00:54:29,868 --> 00:54:33,667
is like $35,000 a year
right now across America.

1210
00:54:33,667 --> 00:54:38,000
-Like, it is, like --
It's a joke, you know?

1211
00:54:38,000 --> 00:54:40,767
And so that's the role
that I think

1212
00:54:40,767 --> 00:54:43,234
the federal government --
And, like, I was talking to the

1213
00:54:43,234 --> 00:54:47,133
sheriff of Thurston County,
Derek --

1214
00:54:47,133 --> 00:54:48,501
I'm forgetting his last name.

1215
00:54:48,501 --> 00:54:51,801
And he was like, "You know,
we're getting body cameras

1216
00:54:51,801 --> 00:54:54,567
and night-vision goggles,
like, thrown at us.

1217
00:54:54,567 --> 00:54:56,968
Like I started putting
body cameras on the dogs."

1218
00:54:56,968 --> 00:54:59,000
[ Laughter ]
Like, no joke.

1219
00:54:59,000 --> 00:55:03,100
Like, because -- And, meanwhile,
we have all these vacancies.

1220
00:55:03,100 --> 00:55:04,701
You know, they can't staff up.

1221
00:55:04,701 --> 00:55:06,901
And so, you know,
their folks are, like,

1222
00:55:06,901 --> 00:55:10,000
stressed out and they're --
you know, they're not --

1223
00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:11,901
You know, they don't have
the time for the training

1224
00:55:11,901 --> 00:55:14,033
and they don't --
You know, it's just --

1225
00:55:14,033 --> 00:55:17,934
It's bad business, you know?

1226
00:55:17,934 --> 00:55:20,534
-So there has to be probably
more coordination

1227
00:55:20,534 --> 00:55:23,367
between the capital items

1228
00:55:23,367 --> 00:55:25,400
that the federal government
can help with

1229
00:55:25,400 --> 00:55:28,968
and then the local decisions
that are being made on staffing.

1230
00:55:28,968 --> 00:55:30,601
-Well, and it's not even just
local decisions.

1231
00:55:30,601 --> 00:55:32,467
Like, they are fighting
tooth and nail.

1232
00:55:32,467 --> 00:55:35,767
Like, so many counties
and so many cities are, like --

1233
00:55:35,767 --> 00:55:38,834
They are just, like --

1234
00:55:38,834 --> 00:55:41,667
You know, you'll get trained
in Thurston County

1235
00:55:41,667 --> 00:55:43,601
and then you'll get hired
by King County, you know,

1236
00:55:43,601 --> 00:55:46,133
or you'll -- You know, it's
just -- It's a real competition.

1237
00:55:46,133 --> 00:55:49,067
And people -- they're not able
to hang on to talent,

1238
00:55:49,067 --> 00:55:53,033
especially in smaller
communities or the county level.

1239
00:55:53,033 --> 00:55:55,567
But, well, my argument is like,

1240
00:55:55,567 --> 00:55:58,734
it's not even necessarily
about coordination.

1241
00:55:58,734 --> 00:56:03,267
It's about the kinds of things
that the feds want to fund.

1242
00:56:03,267 --> 00:56:05,267
-But do you think some of
the messages --

1243
00:56:05,267 --> 00:56:07,734
This is, you know,
really about locals,

1244
00:56:07,734 --> 00:56:09,734
but do you think
some of the messages

1245
00:56:09,734 --> 00:56:15,334
about policing from Democrats
have made the problem worse?

1246
00:56:15,334 --> 00:56:17,067
-Yeah.

1247
00:56:17,067 --> 00:56:22,901
Yeah, I mean, it's --

1248
00:56:22,901 --> 00:56:25,234
It is really tough.

1249
00:56:25,234 --> 00:56:31,167
Like, if you, "A,"
like, don't feel respected.

1250
00:56:31,167 --> 00:56:35,067
you know, you don't have
the social capital or respect,

1251
00:56:35,067 --> 00:56:37,501
you know, and you don't have
the money -- right? --

1252
00:56:37,501 --> 00:56:38,868
then it's really hard
to feel like this

1253
00:56:38,868 --> 00:56:40,000
is somewhere that
you want to stay,

1254
00:56:40,000 --> 00:56:42,234
a career path that you want
to stay in.

1255
00:56:42,234 --> 00:56:43,901
And I think that that's when
we start, like,

1256
00:56:43,901 --> 00:56:47,033
losing more talent
and losing good people,

1257
00:56:47,033 --> 00:56:49,601
and that makes it really hard.

1258
00:56:49,601 --> 00:56:54,367
So, yeah, I think that
there absolutely are problems,

1259
00:56:54,367 --> 00:56:56,701
absolutely are problems.

1260
00:56:56,701 --> 00:57:02,801
But underfunding isn't
making those problems better.

1261
00:57:02,801 --> 00:57:04,067
-Fair enough.

1262
00:57:04,067 --> 00:57:05,968
So, I'm looking at the clock
and some of the promises

1263
00:57:05,968 --> 00:57:09,000
that I made to your staff,
and so I'm going to say

1264
00:57:09,000 --> 00:57:10,167
that we're out of time.

1265
00:57:10,167 --> 00:57:11,834
And I want to thank you so much,

1266
00:57:11,834 --> 00:57:13,801
Representative
Gluesenkamp Perez,

1267
00:57:13,801 --> 00:57:15,534
for giving us all this time.

1268
00:57:15,534 --> 00:57:16,601
And I want to thank
the audiences,

1269
00:57:16,601 --> 00:57:18,434
and there are three of them.

1270
00:57:18,434 --> 00:57:21,167
Thank you so much for the time
and thanks for watching.

1271
00:57:21,167 --> 00:57:23,167
♪♪