Letter: ‘I implore you to vote based on the issues we face… and not simply the (R) or (D) behind their name’

Felida resident Jim Bittner offers his support for Marie Gluesenkamp Perez

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com

Merriam-Webster defines a representative as one who stands or acts for another, as well as constituting a government in which the many are represented by persons chosen from among them.

The editor-in-chief of The Banner, a Christian magazine, recently wrote political tribalism is where loyalty to the political tribe is more important than loyalty to anything else — including the issues confronting our families on a daily basis. Tribalism means never conceding an inch to other tribes, resulting in an ‘us versus them’ mentality.

A little over 100,000 people cast votes in August’s 3rd Congressional District primary for candidates that did not advance to the general election. The citizens of WA-03 have two choices for our next representative, the person who will stand and act for ‘the many.’ I ask you, good readers, to take the time necessary to look closely at what each candidate believes, advocates, and has publicly stated on the issues facing our region and our nation. Try — if only for 15 minutes — to place your tribe aside, ignoring the (R) and (D) behind each candidate’s name, and understand what each person stands for. Read through their respective platforms, their intentions, their involvement in our community. We are choosing our representative, someone who will act for us in Congress. With this information in hand, I implore you to vote based on the issues we face… and not simply the (R) or (D) behind their name.

I am hopeful many of Jaime Herrera Beutler’s moderate Republican supporters will push aside political tribalism, and join me in voting for Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. Marie supports small business and worker’s rights, improving childcare options, protecting women’s access to healthcare, overturning Citizens United, and investing in clean energy. Her campaign is focused on making real improvements in our lives, while her opponent is more concerned with a long-settled federal election and his plans to engage in wasteful bureaucratic obstructionism “on my first day in office.”

I would be proud to have Marie Gluesenkamp Perez represent my family in Washington, DC.

Jim Bittner
Felida