The truth about Patty Murray: Plenty to show for 30 years in Senate

Republican Tiffany Smiley remains a longshot in her bid to replace U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, but based on the polling difference, the incumbent’s lead has more to do with Democrats’ numerical advantage in the state than with any deep evaluation of her record.

Consider this a corrective and an addendum to our July 15 primary endorsement.

In her 30 years in the Senate, Murray has consistently delivered for Washingtonians and become a national leader as her seniority in Congress grew. She has earned voters’ support not because of a letter next to her name, but for her dedication to public service.

In ads erroneously blaming Murray for all kinds of ills, Smiley frequently ends with some version of, “Thirty years in the Senate and this is what she has to show for it?”

So, let’s break that down and tell the truth. Here’s what Murray has accomplished. Hope you are sitting down. This is going to take a while.

Throughout her career, the senator has been a supporter of education, transportation and free trade, as well as a staunch advocate for women, children, veterans and LGBTQ communities.

One of her first acts after being elected was to co-author the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, which was a turning point in how America approached violence against women in everything from law enforcement to victim services. Murray voted against war authorization for invading Iraq, has supported comprehensive immigration reform, and has fought against so-called conversion therapy for sexual orientation or gender identity.

As a longtime member of the Senate, she has effectively worked across the aisle to get things done. In 2013, she famously negotiated a budget deal with Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan that avoided a government shutdown. In 2015, as a member of the minority, she introduced and shepherded the Every Student Succeeds Act as a replacement for the controversial No Child Left Behind Act.

Her support for vets includes developing increased accountability for the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as more benefits and health care opportunities. She has pushed for the expansion of a veteran caregivers program and helped fund veteran housing.

She has also kept environmental restoration in Puget Sound and the Columbia River Basin a priority. Murray helped secure $1 billion for culvert removal, replacement and restoration, along with $172 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, as part of the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Murray is the sixth most senior member overall, and the third most senior Democrat, in a legislative body where longevity equals power. Currently, she chairs the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and is a member of the Appropriations, Budget, and Veterans Affairs committees. She is not showy, but her status is a boon to Washington.

Murray should take advantage of every opportunity she can, including participating in an Oct. 25 debate at Seattle University, to remind voters of her record.

The incumbent’s Republican challenger is smart and engaging, but she is dragged down by worn talking points and blaming Murray for everything from border drug smuggling to a Starbucks store closing in Capitol Hill. That’s a little like blaming President Biden for a missed garbage pickup in Ballard.

On the critical issue of abortion access, Smiley does not believe in a woman’s right to choose but said she would not support a federal ban. Murray supports the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would allow abortion up until viability.

As Murray’s lead has solidified, Smiley has failed to show grace under pressure. How else to explain recent stunts, including using an invitation by The (Everett) Herald editorial board to rant about the media while refusing to discuss any of her positions or spinning efforts by The Seattle Times, Starbucks and the Seattle Seahawks to ask that she stop using copyrighted materials as “bullying” by “woke corporations.” Please.

Patty Murray is the kind of powerful, pragmatic and influential representative that Washington should be proud of. There is no doubt she belongs in the Senate.