Kim Schrier Says Familiarity With WA-8 Residents Gives Her Edge

ISSAQUAH, WA — Dressed in a crisp white lab coat, her name stitched in blue at the top, Dr. Kim Schrier stands in the hallway of what could be any doctor's office in the country. Looking in the camera, she tells viewers that Donald Trump and Dino Rossi are messing with your health care, particularly if you're a woman.

"There's no room for politicians between doctors and patients. And I will lead the fight," she says as she reaches to close the door of an exam room, "to keep them out."

That's the main scene from Schrier's latest TV ad. The ad underscores the two things Schrier thinks sets her apart from her Democratic challengers in the 8th Congressional District primary race: She's a doctor who really knows the people living in the district, and she wants to go to Congress to fight for fairer health care policies.

Schrier, 49, an Issaquah pediatrician, was one of the first, along with Jason Rittereiser, to jump into the 8th District race last summer. She made the decision after meeting with outgoing U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert — and coming away disappointed.

"Dave later voted for [Affordable Care Act repeal] in committee. That was the last straw for me," Schrier told Patch recently. She and other 8th District residents had been lobbying Reichert to keep Barack Obama's signature healthcare law. Reichert eventually voted "no" on ACA repeal, but perhaps he knew it wasn't going to be enough for energized Democratic voters in his district.

Her early entry into the race has allowed Schrier to lead the pack in fundraising. She raised about $1.6 million as of July 18, just about double what Rittereiser and Shannon Hader have each raised. Schrier has pledged not to take money from corporate political action committees, but she has accepted money from labor union PACs — and some of those receive corporate donations, according to federal campaign finance filings.

She is also the only candidate not originally from Washington. Schrier grew up in Los Angeles and later attended Berkeley, earning a degree in astrophysics. After, she worked for the Environmental Protection Agency in San Francisco under the George H.W. Bush administration.

Her struggle with diabetes, which she was diagnosed with at age 16, inspired her to go into medicine. She says that health care is the No. 1 issue for people across the 8th District (even among Trump supporters she's met), which she has responded to by releasing a policy proposal to extend Medicare to anyone who wants it.

Rossi's biggest weakness, she says, is his inability to be very public about what he stands for. She challenged him to a debate in late June, which he declined. She also attacked Rossi this week for being a no-show at a nonpartisan League of Women Voters event in Pierce County Tuesday (he attended the East Pierce County Republican Women's Club "Ladies Night Out" event instead).

But Rossi is running unopposed by other Republicans. Until the primary results are in, Schrier is competing almost exclusively against Rittereiser and Hader — although she understands why the state and national Democratic parties have not backed any of the three.

"We're all Democrats, and we want the process to play out," she said. "Then we'll all band together united on Aug 8."

Photo courtesy Dr. Kim Schrier