Vancouver resident Ann Donnelly shares her thoughts on the efforts of the Republican party to win elections in Southwest Washington

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

I couldn’t agree more with Editor Vance in his plea for Republicans to unite to win elections. For want of 2800 votes, we lost the 3rd Congressional to the Democrats. 

To win these races, we need not only all the Republican votes (including those hated RINOS) but we need Independents. We do not live in a red district. Far from it. The heart of our 3rd Congressional is the 49th District – need I say more? 

Joe Kent is/was a great candidate with a stellar background and experience but he fell short with the moderate/liberal Republicans and the Independents. It is no disgrace to get those votes! To the contrary, it is essential. So we Republican activists need to stop insulting “RINOS” and try to get their votes on election day, and the same for Independents. 

I know so many Republicans who are huge opinion leaders in the Vancouver business community who are denigrated as RINOS. They represent thousands of votes – many more than would have elected Joe Kent. Liberal Democrats are our opponents, not other Republicans. 

Thank you, Editor Vance for your timely editorial.

Ann Donnelly 
Vancouver

---

Also read:

• 
  Opinion: WSDOT secretary and I ‘obviously have very different definitions for the term cost-effective’
  Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance sharply criticizes WSDOT Secretary Julie Meredith’s defense of the Interstate Bridge Replacement project, arguing the escalating cost estimates undermine claims the project is cost-effective.
• 
  Opinion: Get ready for more tax proposals from the majority party as the 2026 session begins
  Rep. John Ley outlines concerns over proposed tax increases, state spending, climate policy, and the rising cost of the Interstate Bridge Replacement project as the 2026 legislative session begins.
• 
  Opinion: Why vote no on the Washougal levies?
  Dick Rylander outlines reasons for opposing the Washougal School District levy requests ahead of the Feb. 10 special election, citing funding increases and performance data.
• 
  Opinion: HB 2088: Cut the red tape for dietitians and fix licensing for everyone
  Elizabeth New (Hovde) argues that while HB 2088 would help dietitians, Washington should pursue universal licensure recognition to reduce broader workforce licensing barriers.
• 
  Opinion: 2026 Washington Poll: Voters want economic focus, spending restraint, and ed transparency
  Results from the first Washington Poll show voters prioritizing the economy, spending restraint, and school transparency, with broad support for education reforms and concern over housing affordability.