The United States is still at war with Iran, a war of choice by President Donald Trump that he said would last only a few weeks. It’s now approaching seven months with no end in sight.
If the Democrats win in November, and take control of the House, U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Bellevue, would likely become the chair of the House Armed Forces Committee. That alone is a reason for 9th Congressional District voters to return Smith to Congress.
But Smith’s sophisticated take on foreign affairs and military policies make him a go-to authoritative interview for many news organizations. He’s also omnipresent in local issues in the district.
Smith has held the seat for nearly 30 years. The district includes parts of South Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, Kent, Federal Way and surrounding communities.
If reelected, he along with other Democrats would have their work cut out for them, getting honest answers to the questions the current administration dodges: Why are we at war with Iran? And how do we exit from a war, solve hardships here at home and heal America’s damaged standing globally?
“The war in Iran is an utter disaster. He (Trump) just keeps going and keeps pushing it and there’s no end to that,” Smith told The Times editorial board. “I imagine we’ll have several votes on it to try to end it.”
Smith intends to devote much of his next term on economic issues, including what to do about the nation’s $40 trillion debt, which he called “unsustainable.”
“The centrist Democrats — the Clinton Obama Democrats — did not do a good enough job in making broad-based economic opportunities available, which gave rise to the left,” he said.
Smith said the federal tax code needs to be restructured to allow the government to tax investment income as income, which would shift the tax burden from working class families.
“I’m just trying to continue to be a practical voice of reason. How can we make things just a little bit better. We’ve got to stop Trump. We’ve got to stop the radical left and we’ve got to deal with economic inequality in our country,” Smith said.
When it comes to voting this fall and Trump’s attack on mail-in voting, Smith said there are reasons to be concerned.
“That is something that we’re deeply worried about, if this conflict spirals; that Trump tries to interfere with the election and it spirals into a civil war,” he said.
Smith’s votes in Congress include voting “yes” on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the Department of Justice to publish all unclassified records and investigative materials related to Jeffrey Epstein’s investigation and prosecution in a searchable format. He supported the resolution condemning the killing of Charlie Kirk, and honoring his life and legacy — Smith viewed it as a stance against political violence. He voted “no” on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which would have banned transgender women and girls from competing in athletics.
Overall, Smith has been a laudable champion for the 9th District. His skill set and experience are needed in Congress.
