So... what's my problem with Jaime Herrera?

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It's simple, really, and two-fold: she is completely unqualified to be a state representative, and now she wants to compound that fiasco by using her powers of political opportunism to become get to Congress...

AND

She's a total and complete puppet for Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rogers of Spokane.

The Cliff's Notes version is this:

Jaime Herrera has no practical experience of any kind. She has never worked in the private sector, has taken credit for issues that were not hers (such as raising $2 million for Bush in a Washington State fundraiser back in August 04… a fundraiser where she worked… as an intern.) knows practically nothing about the district (she hadn’t lived here for the 11 years prior; has no apartment or house) When she was appointed to take over the seat in the 18th District, her only connection to the area for the prior decade had been her absentee voter registration. She knew nothing about the issues confronting us; she lied about her experience (still does) had done nothing and knew nothing that qualified her to represent me in the 18th District or any other district.

Her lackluster performance since her arrival has shown her lack of intelligence and her lack of chops needed to actually get the job done.

Herrera had no intention of running against even a weakened Baird, and yet she needed to lie about "being recruited for 6 months" to run against Baird. Had Baird not bailed out, we wouldn't have heard of her this time around.

Now, McMorris-Rogers sees a political vacuum in Washington State. She sees herself as a latter-day Jennifer Dunn.... or more.

So, there’s a full court press on the PCO’s. Some state and local heavyweights go to work on these fine folks, who cave to the pressure. Twenty-five of them list Herrera as first choice.

They list a girl they’ve never heard of. With no job experience. With no business experience. A girl so ignorant she has no idea about the local megacasino issue or impacts, even going so far as to believe there had been a vote on the issue, a girl with no home here of any kind and that hasn’t lived here for eleven years.

I can’t deny the effectiveness of the program... unfortunately I’m still in the dark as to what methods they used to pull it off. But I wish I knew, because selling her to 25 out of 40 was an exceptional feat.

But all of that begs the issue: why? This girl is NOT the second coming of John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, De Tocqueville, Jefferson, Lincoln or Madison. Why the flexing of political muscle for someone on the other side of the state from her own district, and for someone with a minor staff position in DC? (Jaime's false claims of having held the position of "Senior Legislative Aide" are just that: false.)

So, when she stood there in front of the commissioners and told then, with a straight face, that "there is not a job in the world I would rather have," knowing that she had been parachuted in to this position specifically for a run against Baird, that became yet another of the many reasons to take the position that she is unfit to serve in government in any capacity.

So… Why did McMorris-Rogers do this to us? Why does she feel so compelled that she has to interfere in an area that is none of her fricking business? Have we reached the point where, because Doc Hastings HAS risen to his nadir, Cathy has decided in the sense that both politics and nature abhor a vacuum, that she, therefore, is going to fill it?

I will serve as a voice of opposition to Jaime Herrera's and McMorris-Roger's efforts to corrupt the system, as they corrupted it before for her initial appointment, to manipulate her ascension to Congress. I don't believe her cult of personality will be enough.

Surrounding herself with Rossi's people and having every thought in her head placed there by McMorris Rogers, Vander Stoop and the rest of the Rossi crew doesn't qualify her to be my Congresswoman.

And as this election continues, you will all come to know everything that I know about her... and in time, arrive at the same conclusion I have: ANYONE else seriously running for this position would be a much better choice.

Much more to come.

Cross-Posted on Clark County Politics.
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