Reagan on the Issues
Crime and Supporting Police
Washington state is in the middle of the largest crime wave in half a century. Last year, we saw a record number of murders and shootings and we are on pace for new records this year. Meanwhile, many in government still want to continue to defund the police, tear down our justice system, and decriminalize serious crimes. Extreme voices are making the problem worse. Instead, we need to support our police – which is exactly what I’ve done.
As a former local and federal prosecutor, I’ve fought against crime my entire career. As a prosecutor at the US Department of Justice, I co-authored and led President Bush’s national effort to fight violent crime, called Project Safe Neighborhoods. Our work there has been repeatedly studied and proven to make meaningful reductions in crime. We need to have a more balanced approach to community safety that takes into consideration the impact on victims and the general public.
As a King County Councilmember, I have pushed to Re-fund the Police and am proud to be supported by current and former law enforcement officers and organizations like the King County Police Officers Guild and the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs.
As part of my efforts to help fight crime and keep our neighborhoods safe, I have and will push to:
- Tie the local number of law enforcement officers per 1000 people to a national average.
- Increase police funding through federal programs like the COPS grant.
- Increase Prosecution of violent repeat offenders so that they can’t re-offend.
- Increase the size of US Attorney’s offices across our Country, especially where local governments are defunding.
- Fight the decriminalization of illegal activity we currently see happening in our state.
- Always room for reform and accountability measures—you can fully re-fund the police and reform our law enforcement institutions at the same time.
Inflation and Cost of Living
As inflation continues to spiral, families in our district are hammered by higher costs and lower purchasing power. Inflation is now over nine percent in most areas – which is effectively a nine percent pay cut for every worker! Reckless spending by far-left politicians like the incumbent supercharged the inflation crisis and undermined Americans’ ability to put groceries on the table, pay rent, buy cars, and other necessities.
I believe we need to resist the urge to have government solve all our problems. Inflation is an insidious economic process – but the career politicians Washington, DC have used the crisis to push through massive, unprecedented spending that exploded our nation’s budget deficits, leaving our children to pick up the tab and us to pay immediately via higher cost of living.
Energy costs – including the price of gas and heating – are rising and out of control – both because of inflation and because of the extremist anti-energy policies adopted by the Biden administration. I’ll fight to open up American energy potential – we should be energy independent and it shouldn’t break the bank to fill up your tank.
Taxing and Spending
I’m a fiscal conservative who has stood firm on the King County Council against tax hike after tax hike, and one reckless spending plan after another. I’m not afraid to stand up to the extreme tax-and-spend agenda that we see too often coming out of downtown Seattle and Washington D.C. In fact, I’m proud to have opposed more new taxes than any other member of the County Council.
As your Congressman, I’ll oppose tax hikes (and tax hikes disguised as fees), push to cut wasteful federal spending, and fight the tax-and-spend agenda and its proponents tooth-and-nail to stop the inflation-causing and pointless spending that Congress loves to pass. In fact, I’m the only candidate running in the 8th who has signed the National ‘Americans for Tax Reform’ pledge to not raise taxes once elected.
My opponents, on the other hand, have endorsed multiple taxes. I’m the tried and tested conservative on the King County Council, and I’ll always stand up for responsible spending and low taxes.
Substance Use and Recovery
As a recovering alcoholic with many years of sobriety under my belt, it is my passion to help others find their pathway to recovery. For years, I have helped to support those in recovery through mentoring, providing resources, implementing policy, and sharing my personal story.
40% of adults are experiencing adverse mental or behavioral health conditions during the pandemic, with 13% reporting increased drug and alcohol addiction to cope with stress or emotions related to COVID-19. Overdose deaths are skyrocketing – and we need dedicated action to help people break this cycle.
Among a long list of accomplishments, I am most proud of my advocacy for the following:
- Helping pass the first in the nation law to protect recovery sponsor/sponsee communications.
- Advocating for the passage of the 2016 Mental Illness Drug Dependency (MIDD) Program
- Creating safe spaces for recovery groups during the pandemic by protecting the online recovery meetings from hacking or unauthorized recording.
- Last year, I held King County’s first Annual Conference on Addiction Recovery, with over 200 participants; I held the second Annual Conference on Substance Use Disorder in May of 2022.
- Led the fight to declare Fentanyl a public health crisis so we can best use government services to best stop the spread of this lethal drug.
Immigration
As a former Federal Prosecutor, I’ve prosecuted criminals that came across our border trafficking weapons, smuggling drugs, and with the intent to harm Americans. We cannot allow the flow of illegal drugs into our Country over our borders any longer – this is truly a matter of life and death. Last year, nationally we saw a 30% increase in deaths from 2019—nearly 100,000 people.
The incumbent voted to have less security at our border, and for policies that have been proved to only encourage more illegal immigration. I would vote for immigration reform that secures our border, stops the flow of drugs and human trafficking, and creates well-defined pathways for migration.