From one McDermott to another?

After weeks of speculation, Joe McDermott officially entered the 7th Congressional District race on Jan. 20, joining a field that already included 43rd District Rep. Brady Walkinshaw and local businessman Jeff Stilwell. Two days after McDermott’s announcement, 37th District Sen. Pramila Jayapal also announced her candidacy for the position. 

In an interview last week with the Queen Anne & Magnolia News, the 48-year old McDermott (no relation to outgoing U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott) said his 15 years in local politics set him apart from the rest of the field. 

Over that span — which includes 10 years in the state Legislature as a representative and later senator from the 34th District, and the last five on the County Council — McDermott said he’s worked for strong protections for workers, environmental preservation, civil rights, marriage equality and meaningful campaign finance reform.

“I have been able to achieve and deliver on progressive agendas throughout my career, and I really want to take that skill, that experience and that ability to Congress,” he said, “and help our nation have some of the same successes that this region is having.”

Reforming the systems

The chair of the Metropolitan King County Council says campaign finance reform and reducing gun violence are at the heart of his bid for Congress. 

McDermott said the biggest thing standing in the way of successes on the federal level is a campaign finance system he calls “beyond broken.”

“Too often,” he said, “it rewards the status quo and leaves the middle class out.” 

For him, job No. 1 would be to overturn Citizens United, the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that said government restrictions on independent expenditures by corporations and unions were unconstitutional. 

An important next step, he said, would be to hold gun manufacturers accountable both criminally and financially for their weapons. McDermott has been at the forefront of efforts to classify gun violence as a public health crisis as chair of the Seattle-King County Board of Health. 

“Part of the status quo that is not changing in this country, and the progressive movement needs to take on, is the 30,000 Americans gunned down in our streets every year,” he said. 

McDermott also noted the need for collaboration across all levels of government, citing the recent state of emergency declaration on homelessness as an example of an issue that requires multiple entities working together. 

“The county and the city are doing all they can to address the growing crisis of homelessness,” he said, “but the purpose of the declaration was to call on the state and the federal governments to help us respond.”

The same goes for transportation policy.

“Last fall, we celebrated when Congress enacted a transportation package. We shouldn’t have to celebrate,” said McDermott, who holds a seat on the Sound Transit board. “That should be something Congress does regularly and should be expected — not celebrated when it does happen.”

As for what he may take from the tenure of the outgoing Congressman, besides a coincidental last name? 

“I think Jim said it well when he announced his retirement,” McDermott said, “that in representing the 7th Congressional District, it comes with the responsibility to be a bold, outspoken voice for not only this district, but in the country.” 

In particular, McDermott cited the longtime representative’s work as a leader on providing housing and treatment for people with HIV and AIDS, “long before that was part of our national conversation,” along with his work on reforming the foster care system and pushing for universal health coverage. 

Community feedback

McDermott said the decision to run was one he discussed and reflected on with his husband, Mike, but that he also talked with people around the community to see if the backing was there to mount a bid. 

Now that it’s official, the West Seattle resident said he’ll knock on doors and appearing at community forums everywhere, from Normandy Park to Edmonds, in the lead-up to the election. 

“I’m really encouraged by the support I’m getting in this campaign,” he said, “and [I’m] excited to be talking to people throughout the district in the coming months.” 

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