Political Buzz » Adam Smith

Washington politicians who wanted to join Obama administration should have endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2008

Peter Callaghan — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:17:41 +0000

Or so it seems.

Leading up to Washington’s presidential primary in 2008, Hillary Clinton was making a hard push for endorsements from the state’s leading politicians. That was considered the safe move as Barack Obama, though leading, was still the underdog for the Democratic nomination.

Winning these big-name endorsements had more than nominal effect. Most were also super delegates to the Democratic National Convention.

At the time it was considered pretty brave to stand up with Obama instead of Clinton. But that’s what Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire did at a Feb. 8 rally in a packed Key Arena. Also on …

Wash. delegation splits on ‘cliff’ vote; GOP yes, Smith and McDermott lone Democrats against

Brad Shannon — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:05:34 +0000

U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler of Camas was among the 85 Republicans who voted last night to pass the so-called fiscal-cliff bill, saying it falls short of fixing budget problems but was needed to avert income tax hikes on individuals earning less than $400,000 a year.

In Washington state’s delegation, only Democratic Reps. Adam Smith of Bellevue Jim McDermott of Seattle and voted against the deal that avoids hundreds of billions of dollars in tax increases and automatic spending cuts but increases deficits by $4.5 trillion over a decade. The vote roll call is here.

Herrera Beutler put out …

Rematch in Washington’s 9th Congressional District: Smith vs. Postma

Lewis Kamb — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 04:01:58 +0000

In Washington’s newly redrawn 9th Congressional District, Congressman Adam Smith is easily advancing to the general election to face a familiar foe: Republican Jim Postma.

Smith, 47, an eight-term Democratic incumbent, held a nearly 38 point advantage after the first ballot counts posted in Pierce and King Counties. Postma, 77, in his third bid for the 9th District seat, is taking nearly 23 percent of the vote, easily outdistancing three other candidates, none of whom are garnering more than 8 percent.

Smith trounced Postma in 2008, winning 65 percent of the vote to Postma’s 35.

Encompassing Northeast Tacoma and parts …

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith joins calls to bring troops home from Afghanistan

Rob Hotakainen — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:27:43 +0000

Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Tacoma said today that the U.S. has done “amazing work” fighting the war in Afghanistan and that it’s time to move to bring the troops home.

Smith, the top-ranked Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, told the panel that the killing of Osama bin Laden last year and the elimination of much of Al Qaeda’s senior leadership over the last few years “has made America safer” and that it’s time to speed up the withdrawal of troops.

“Al Qaeda has been driven from Afghanistan and their senior leadership has been decimated in Pakistan,” Smith …

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith might see the downside of safe Congressional districts, challenge from inside the party

Peter Callaghan — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:50:54 +0000

The Washington Redistricting Commission gave 9th District Rep. Adam Smith a good news-bad news result – a district so strongly Democratic that he is mostly immune from a Republican challenge but more likely to draw a Democratic challenge.

The Seattle Times’ Jim Brunner reports here that Seattle City Councilman Bruce Harrell is considering just such a challenge. He quotes Harrell’s niece and campaign manager saying, “There is a fantastic opportunity. He has been approached by a number of people to consider it… It is definitely a serious consideration.”

The new district is a majority-minority district and Harrell is the …

New congressional district proposal shakes up Washington’s political landscape

Brad Shannon — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:15:30 +0000

The Washington State Redistricting Commission outlined a draft congressional plan today that puts most of Thurston County including Olympia in the new 10th Congressional District, while shifting U.S. Rep. Adam Smith’s 9th district northward to become a minority-dominated district that ranges from northeast Tacoma to Renton, south Seattle, and Bellevue. The plan also preserves Tacoma as an urban anchor for Rep. Norm Dicks’ sprawling 6th district that retains the Olympic Peninsula and sends part of Rep. Dave Reichert’s 8th district over the Cascades into Eastern Washington.

The bipartisan draft map appears to leave Democrats with strong positions in five districts …

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith tells Tacoma Rotary he doesn’t hold out much hope for the Super Committee

Peter Callaghan — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:21:51 +0000

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith Thursday compared himself to Ross Perot, minus the billionaire stuff.

He was joking about the line of charts and graphs that he placed on easels in front of Tacoma Rotary 8 members to illustrate his viewpoint on the federal budget problems. A pie chart showed the distribution of federal spending. A bar chart showed how the feds will raise $2.16 trillion and spend $3.4 trillion.

The federal government borrows more than one-third of what it spends, Smith said, yet when asked what specific area of government they would support cutting, a majority of Americans can’t …

Sierra Club gives Washington state delegation five As, three Fs and a C

Rob Hotakainen — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:09:18 +0000

WASHINGTON – In its national report card released today, the Sierra Club gave the Washington state delegation five As, three Fs and one C.

For the Sierra Club, a national environmentalist organization, the only middle-of-the roader is Republican Rep. Dave Reichert, who earned the C. On Capitol Hill, he has clearly established himself as a moderate, often in step with Democrats on environmental issues.

The Sierra Club gave top marks to Democrats Norm Dicks, Adam Smith, Rick Larsen, Jay Inslee, and Jim McDermott. It gave failing grades to Republicans Doc Hastings, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers and Jaime Herrera-Beutler.

Here’s a look at …

Rep. Adam Smith explains change-of-heart on debt limit vote

Rob Hotakainen — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 23:15:47 +0000

WASHINGTON – Just last week, Rep. Adam Smith warned that the nation’s debt ceiling had to be raised immediately.

“This is non-negotiable,” said the Tacoma Democrat.

But on Monday, when the House finally decided to increase the debt limit, Smith voted against it.

What happened?

For starters, Smith didn’t like what congressional leaders left out of the legislation.

He complained that the debt package didn’t include any tax increases and predicted it would result in “devastating cuts” to scientific research, education, roads and bridges and national security.

“To prevent the worst of these cuts from taking effect, revenue must …

No thanks: U.S. Rep. Adam Smith doesn’t want to see pictures of slain Osama Bin Laden

Peter Callaghan — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:17:17 +0000

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Tacoma, was one of the “select members of Congress” invited to go to CIA headquarters today and see the photographic evidence that Osama Bin Laden was indeed killed.

Smith said no thanks.

Here’s the statement from Smith press office:

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-9), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after the Central Intelligence Agency granted clearance to members of the House Armed Services Committee to view photos of Osama bin Laden’s body:

“I have decided not to go to Langley to view the bin Laden photographs myself at CIA

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