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“I’m not getting another ballot at my house with just her name on it and nobody’s next to it,” she decided. “If no one else will run, I will.” In a sign of a rising tide, she's challenging an incumbent who hasn’t faced an opponent since 2008 (and that opponent was a Republican!)
Hardy’s fight isn’t just partisan, however. She loves her neighbors, and she's committed to fighting for people who struggle to make ends meet. “We're all looking for the same stability so we can continue to live as rural Americans. A huge part of stability is health care. If they take away Medicaid, we're sunk. Without access to health care, people here are literally dying.”
Hardy is determined and optimistic, despite the fact that the counties in her district went 60% for Trump. “I do honestly think we have a good chance of winning. There are some down sides for Republicans here being in power 10 years unchecked,” she said. In an area that’s struggling after decades of Republican rule, incumbent Short is the ultimate insider, having spent the past 23 years as either a staffer or an elected official.
Although flipping Washington's 7th district isn’t going to be easy, Hardy is on the offensive, and every Democratic voter she engages will make a difference. Aside from having a shot at winning, the payoff will be two fold.
With no Democratic opponents for almost a decade, Short has been able to transfer her war chest to other Republicans in tight races. This year, Short won’t have money to spread around, needing it to defend against Hardy.
And the really big races of 2018 loom large. District 7 falls squarely in the U.S. 5th congressional district, home to ultraconservative House Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers. Rogers is a staunch Trump operative who has backed Trump on his Muslim Ban and on his efforts to destroy clean air protections. With Karen Hardy reviving Democratic Politics in the 7th, with her horseback rides and bulletin boards, she’ll build engagement to defeat one of Trump’s most loyal supporters.
Hardy points out that voting in the August 1 primary sends an important message, and provides critical information. This will be especially in her district where voting statistics are almost nonexistent after years of unopposed Republican candidates. “We need to know where we are. So go ahead, fill it out,” she says.
And remember wherever you live, a donation to Karen Hardy today helps her fight for a better life for all Washingtonians.
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