An Open Letter to Common-Sense Conservatives

Bellevue - Your passion and activism are incredibly valuable. They are the qualities that I care about most. They are the qualities that will help the WAGOP build the political infrastructure we need to win general elections in our state. And to fix what’s broken in Washington.

With your support, we now have four initiatives on the November general-election ballot. This historic and monumental achievement will benefit all Washingtonians. These initiatives will:

- Repeal the state’s disastrous cap-and-trade tax scheme,

- Repeal the controversial state capital gains “excise” tax,

- Reform the state payroll tax that funds an insolvent “long-term care” scheme, and

- Restore consumer choice about using natural gas for cooking or heating.

Vote YES, Pay LESS!

Fixing what’s broken in WA is my top priority as Chairman of the WAGOP—above any single political candidate or race.

A few days ago, and by the grace of Almighty God, former President Donald J. Trump survived an assassination attempt during a rally in Pennsylvania. The would-be assassin was killed on the scene, so we may never know what motivated his heinous act. But those of us who are involved in American politics weren’t surprised that someone tried to kill President Trump. The amount of hatred and vitriol directed at him on social media and legacy media is nonstop. And obscene. Certainly, it’s enough to push an unstable person toward violence.

Trump has repeatedly been called a “fascist,” a “dictator” and “literally Hitler.” One highly paid television pundit even shrieked hysterically that she feared Trump would put her in a prison camp if he’s re-elected president. Just a few days before the Trump shooting, current President Joe Biden said: “It’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.” Similarly, current Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson-a candidate for governor, no less-tried to reinvigorate his listless campaign by calling Trump “an existential threat to our democracy.”

Of course, none of this emotionally-overwrought and hateful rhetoric is true; it only coarsens and cheapens political debate in our country. It needs to stop.

Another problem with hateful rhetoric is that it negatively impacts local and state campaigns. As noted, Ferguson has said false things about Trump. Other candidates in the Washington governor race have said false and hateful things about one another.

Some politicians using this damaging rhetoric may intend to be divisive. Others may not even realize that they’re the divisive ones. Whether intentionally divisive or not, emotionally-overwrought words may energize small groups-but they don’t win elections and they don’t build lasting solutions.

The flipside of the vitriolic attacks is that some of the most vitriolic attackers then try to claim that they are victims. In an interview shortly after the assassination attempt on Trump, Bob Ferguson focused his remarks on a rambling narrative about how he has received threats. Poor Bob.

Voters tend not to support politicians who claim victim status. They don’t equate victimhood with strong leadership.

Washington needs the hateful political rhetoric to stop. And all political campaigns, at all levels of government, need to focus on policy—not opponents’ personalities.

This is the most important thing: No matter what happens in the August state primary, please stay involved. Don’t let false statements and divisive rhetoric discourage you. Don’t give up, even if your preferred candidate doesn’t advance. Again, the WAGOP strategy to fix what’s broken in our state is bigger than any one race. Bigger than any one person. There is so much at stake this fall.

Donald Trump will be on the November ballot. The United States needs him to replace the Biden administration-for the sake of preserving all that is good in our government, in our lives, and in the world.

Finally: We need to do everything we can to prevent current state attorney general Bob Ferguson from becoming our next governor. His damaging style of politics-and his temperament-would be harmful to all Washingtonians.

Thanks for being engaged. And staying engaged. Our goal at the WAGOP is to win in November. No more. No less.

Jim Walsh, Chairman
Washington State Republican Party