The national League of Conservation Voters gave Republicans Doc Hastings (WA-4) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5) both a 5 out of 100 rating for their environmental voting record for 2007. For the first time in 9 years Hastings scored one environmentally correct vote. For the previous 8 years Hastings had a score of zero. McMorris Rodgers also had a zero for her previous rating.
Hasting is being challenged this year by Democrat George Fearing.
Republican Dave Reichert (WA-8), in a tough re-election campaign in eastern King County, has finally seen the green light through the trees and actually doubled his score from 43 in the previous session of Congress to an 85 rating for 2007. Reichert is facing Democratic challenger Darcy Burner who he narrowly beat in 2006.
Of course one has to evaluate what this score actually represents for Reichert. A careful look at two different bills that Reichert voted for last year and this year show that he opposed the bills at every step of the way up until the final vote. You can read these stories about Reichert at Daniel Kirkdorffer’s blog On the Road to 2008.
see “Reichert Votes For Another Bill He Opposes Every Step Of The Way” Jan 18, 2007 and “Anatomy of a Reichert Vote ” Feb. 28, 2008
We observed this same voting behavior by Reichert, when he first voted for an amendment to weaken popcorn worker safety legislation and then was the outcome was clear, voted for final passage of the bill.
see “Republicans Hastings, McMorris Rodgers and Reichert Record Votes Opposing Popcorn Worker Safety” Oct 1, 2007
Meanwhile all of Washington’s Democratic Congressmen continued their strong voting records for the environment in 2007. Jay Inslee (WA-1), Brian Baird (WA-3), Norm Dicks (WA-6), and Jim McDermott (WA -7) all received scores of 95. Adam Smith (WA-9) received a 90 and Rick Larsen (WA-2) received the lowest rating of 80.
On the Senate side, Democrats Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell both received scores of 87 for their 2007 voting records.
