Julia Dawn Seaver states that ‘if Republicans want to unite … they should start with a candidate who at minimum agrees with the very foundational Republican value of limited government’
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
The Clark County Republican Party (CCRP) refused to recognize accomplished Republican and Camas City Council Member Leslie Lewallen as a Republican in her race for Congress in the Third Congressional District. CCRP Chair Matt Bumala told Clark County Today the party’s refusal was a clear message of support for Joe Kent in that race, but you know what they say – the devil is in the details.
Here are some factors the controlling members of the party don’t want to acknowledge:
- That “clear message” came from 18% of the body – just 46 Precinct Committee Officers (PCOs).
- The May endorsement of Kent (a full year before the filing date) had the support of 71 PCOs – 30% of the body. That means 70% of the PCOs voted no, abstained, or just didn’t show up.
- The narrative about “splitting the vote” is no longer in play with the exit of Jaime Herrera Beutler. The incumbent advantage now goes to the Democrats, leaving the other seat wide open. There is no reason to shut out candidates 1 ½ years before the election.
- In 2022, Kent lost 9% of Tiffany Smiley voters while Marie Gluesenkamp Perez outperformed Patty Murray at about the same rate (a pattern observed in every county). There were 9,458 such voters in Clark county alone who are unlikely to be swayed by the opinion of 71 PCOs.
The kicker is that while Lewallen is undeniably in line with the party’s platform and principles, Kent is undeniably not. Maybe Clark County Today could get an answer on why the party insists on putting forward a candidate with the very un-Republican ideas of limiting land rights, confiscating the land of private citizens, taxing wealth instead of income, passing out big tax credits/deductions, promoting government interference in private business, criticizing the free market, and shutting down legal immigration for 20 years. Some of us have been asking that question for two years.
The bottom line is that there is, and will be, no unity behind Joe Kent, despite any proclamations to the contrary. If Republicans want to unite and have a chance at winning back the Congressional seat, they should start with a candidate who at minimum agrees with the very foundational Republican value of limited government, which makes all our freedoms possible. It shouldn’t be too much to ask.
Julia Dawn Seaver
Vancouver
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Seems like we got a rino
I agree with you Ms. Seavers. I submitted a similar response and it was rejected. I will post it here:
An Astonishing Display of Partisan Betrayal: Clark County Republicans’ Shameful Vote
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to the recent news article that attempted to justify the appalling actions taken by the Clark County Republican Party in their decision not to recognize Leslie Lewallen, a fellow Republican in a crucial race. I must say, the level of partisan betrayal displayed by these so-called party members is both astonishing and deeply disheartening.
The essence of democracy lies in the ability to engage in open and fair elections, where individuals are judged based on their qualifications, principles, and their ability to represent the interests of their constituents. However, the Clark County Republican Party has shamelessly abandoned these democratic values, opting instead for a self-serving agenda that prioritizes party loyalty over the very foundations upon which our nation was built.
By denying recognition to Leslie Lewallen, a fellow Republican candidate, these individuals have not only tarnished their party’s reputation but also undermined the credibility of the entire democratic process. Their action reeks of political opportunism, sacrificing the principles they once claimed to uphold in favor of short-term gains.
The role of a political party is to foster a sense of unity and cohesion among its members, working together to promote shared values and achieve common goals. However, the decision by the Clark County Republican Party demonstrates a complete abandonment of this responsibility. It serves as a stark reminder that blind allegiance to party lines can often lead to the erosion of moral compasses and the abandonment of critical thinking.
The party’s failure to recognize Ms. Lewallen, a fellow Republican candidate, sends a chilling message to aspiring politicians and voters alike. It essentially states that divergent opinions, even from within the same party, will not be tolerated. This type of narrow-mindedness stifles intellectual diversity and fosters an environment of groupthink that is detrimental to the progress of any society.
Furthermore, this vote highlights a deep-rooted problem within our political system—the prioritization of party loyalty over the best interests of the people. Instead of engaging in a healthy competition of ideas and selecting the most qualified individual to represent their party, the Clark County Republican Party has chosen to indulge in a dangerous form of tribalism that undermines the very principles upon which our democracy is founded.
It is incumbent upon every citizen, regardless of their political affiliation, to condemn such flagrant acts of partisanship. We must demand better from our elected officials and party members, for the sake of our democracy and the preservation of our core values.
In conclusion, the vote by the Clark County Republican Party to withhold recognition from a fellow Republican candidate represents a disgraceful betrayal of democratic principles. It reveals a profound lack of integrity, a disregard for fair competition, and a willingness to sacrifice the best interests of the people for the sake of party loyalty. We must stand united against such actions and work towards a political landscape that values integrity, inclusivity, and the fundamental ideals upon which our nation was built.
Sincerely,
Alessia Nichols
Battle Ground
Editor’s note — Alessia Nichols’ letter was never rejected. I attempted to work with Alessia to authenticate it and she was unable to provide that authentication. Our standards for publishing an opinion piece are more stringent than for comments. There was never an objection to the content of her letter, as evidenced by her comment being approved.
Editor Ken Vance
Alessia, thank you for posting your letter. I am comforted to see Ken Vance’s clarification and hope to see your LTE resubmitted.
I am one of the 231 Clark Republican precinct officers that did not vote with the 46 so-called majority to disenfranchise Republican Councilwoman Lewellan.
In fact, I think their premature exclusionary vote broadcasts how little faith they actually have in Joe Kent’s ability to compete against other Republicans in the race towards the primary. There will likely be more than just the two “R” candidates that have joined Mr Kent in pursuing that Blue Congressional seat. I know one thing for certain, I will not be checking the box for Joe Kent on my Aug 2024 ballot.
There was no disenfranchisement of Leslie. A 70%+ majority of PCO’s voted to not recognize Leslie as an R. She can still run, but I question her true motives after a very strong majority of the PCO’s have endorsed Joe.
— A vast majority of active Republicans disagree with this article —
At the last quarterly Clark County Republican PCO meeting the body endorsed Joe Kent with an approximate 85% yes vote.
This was substantially based on Joe Kent being well-known and being established as a serious conservative candidate.
This decision was also based on the majority PCOs knowing a contested primary, with such a strong candidate as Kent existing, is disruptive to eventually winning a congressional seat. And that the uniparty establishment would likely field such a candidate for this very purpose.
The Joe Kent endorsement was clearly a strategic move by the local Republican party to enable critical focus on one known competitive candidate.
Based on this, the Clark County Republican party should obviously NOT recognize any other 3rd congressional district candidate in any way. And that is exactly what happened last Thursday when another candidate came looking for ‘Recognition’.
I will vote for Leslie Lewallen in the primary. Joe Kent’s background and credentials are unsatisfactory in my opinion. Endorsement by Donald Trump is a further negative element, as it proved to be in a number of states in the last election.. Losing to a Democrat after years of Republican occupancy of the position should have made it clear that Joe Kent was not palatable to conservative voters. I voted for him only because it is obvious that Democrat control will destroy the quality of life we have enjoyed in Vancouver, as it has in Portland, Seattle, and California. Ms. Gluesenkamp-Perez will be hard to beat in 2024; she is personally very appealing as a wholesome, hard-working wife, mother and small businesswoman. The Columbian never loses an opportunity to favorably publicize her every action in Congress, and serves as her personal public relations team; she will also have the advantage of incumbency. I predict that Kent will lose by a much wider margin in the next election should he be the Republican candidate.
Since Trump, GOP and Republican are uniparty terms so Republican support is not automatic, and Kent’s about as safe a bet you can get. I’m ok with his facebook posts because we’re in an existential fight, not just for the survival of a free America but literally for our own lives. How best to handle Gates, WEF, China, FEDs, etc..who knows. At this point, anything goes, and Kent’s the safer bet.
So many of the comments in this letter are misleading. 83% of the PCO’s voted to endorse Kent, and almost 70% rejected a recognition of Lewellen. The PCO body does not want a repeat of 2022, where we had a nasty primary where the R’s beat up on each other and Antifa Marie walked in unscathed. Fortunately, the author is the minority and the majority want to get rid of the extremist currently in WA-03. I don’t understand what the authors real agenda is because her actions are helping the Democrats.
Comments have been largely what was expected—the usual ignore the facts presented and attack the messenger instead. Although I was surprised to see that an olive branch had supposedly been extended to me. I wouldn’t associate being called crazy, bitch and liar, told to shut my mouth and f**k off, “put on notice,” threatened with censure, and censored and banned off Republican social media pages with an olive branch, but that’s just me.
There is still the clinging to calling Joe and themselves conservative while pushing big government policies and refusing to acknowledge the discrepancy. Instead, they try to chalk up the division to bad feelings from the last election. Is it really so unbelievable that voters would seek out a candidate whose values are in line with those that they and their party have always held? Is it so unreasonable that “the party of freedom” should let all candidates make their case for a wide-open seat and let the best man or woman win?
And what kind of new-fangled math is being used here? They’re still claiming an 85% rate of support for Joe. There were 235 active PCOs in May when the endorsement vote was held and 71 voted in favor. That’s 30%. Maybe they should ask themselves why so many PCOs aren’t showing up to meetings.
This comment was provided to Clark County Today via email by Adam Shetler:
I’m 💯 behind Joe Kent and I disagree with Dawn Seaver on Joe Kent and I encourage people to treat (each other) with respect and I would love Joe Kent to win in 2024.
Adam Shetler PCO of 631
While Joe Kent may have name recognition, I believe he is best known as the man that turned WA3 blue.
The MAJORITY of PCO’s in WA03 don’t do their job.They say they represent their community with their vote but how would they know that? They don’t canvas their precincts to generate support and unity within the party.They just represent themselves. Their lone self. This is the problem. The majority don’t PERSONALLY provide education for voters in their precincts. If PCOs actually did the job they signed up for, the landscape would be entirely different. Instead the majority of PCO’s leave the candidates high and dry with next to no financial support and zero community support. They sign wave and trade snarky comments online as a rally cry and think that will persuade their neighbor. Give me a break. Look closely at your PCO and how they are representing the party within your precinct. Don’t like what they are doing? Vote them out . Maybe you can do a better job. And if you are a PCO who wants to make a difference, knock on doors, drop a note, have a meeting at your house…do anything that will connect and inform constituents in your precinct to all the Republican candidates. Be a true representative of the party and not just of one particular candidate.