LONGVIEW — Democratic candidate David McDevitt, who’s making a second bid for Washington’s third congressional seat, already has a schedule packed with meetings and events: six just this week.
Even though the 2018 midterms are more than a year away, the Vancouver resident and businessman already has either held or attended about a dozen town halls throughout the district, including one scheduled for Tuesday night in Longview, as he seeks to build more name recognition.
Last year, the first-time candidate lost the district’s top-two primary to former state representative Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver, who filed his paperwork with the secretary of state in May just hours before the filing deadline. Moeller was ultimately defeated by incumbent Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler of Battle Ground by more than 20 points in the general election.
McDevitt said in an interview that one of the lessons he learned from his first race is that name recognition is crucial.
“A lot of the ability to overcome an incumbent has to do with name recognition,” he said.
That’s why he’s committed to doing at least two town hall events per month, he said.
McDevitt said he’s also approaching fundraising differently — so far he’s already loaned his campaign $200,000.
The average winning House candidate spent about $1.3 million in 2016, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Herrera Beutler spent roughly $1.8 million in her last reelection race, according to FEC filings.
On the policy front, McDevitt said he’s focused on raising incomes and improving health care. McDevitt said he supports gradually raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour over a number of years; he also favors a “health care for all” system that separates health care coverage from employment.
“If you could decouple health care from employment, it would make health care completely portable,” he said.
With regard to Cowlitz County, McDevitt said he’s specifically concerned about a lack of affordable housing, noting that prices have increased while incomes have remained relatively flat.
“I’m acutely aware of some people who are being priced out of their rental properties,” he said.
Despite his progressive stance on most issues and support for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in last year’s Democratic presidential primary, the Washington State Progressive Caucus endorsed Dorothy Gasque in June. Gasque, a combat veteran who has also filed paperwork to run as a Democrat in 2018, was a Sanders delegate last year who helped lead the protests at the Democratic National Convention.
So far she has raised nearly $10,000 for her race, according to FEC filings.
With more than nine months before the deadline to file for 2018, McDevitt noted that there’s still plenty of time for more well-heeled candidates with better name recognition to jump into the race. For now, he said he intends to continue meeting with people throughout the Third District to hear and discuss their concerns.
Zack Hale: 360-577-2523, zack.hale@tdn.com.
