Former Rep. Dave Reichert will try to tap public anger over crime on the streets as he makes a run for the open governor’s seat in Washington, a state his party has not controlled for more than four decades.
“I’m running for governor to protect the vulnerable, to help small businesses and keep people safe,” he said in a video announcing his launch. “I’ve spent an entire lifetime devoted to those three things, and I know I can make a difference.”
A member of the moderate wing of the party, Reichert is seeking to be the first Republican elected governor in Washington since 1980. He served seven terms in the House and was a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership. In his final term, which ended in early 2019, he chaired the Ways and Means trade subcommittee and supported trade promotion authority.
