Our January 8 meeting consisted of visits by Congressman Rick Larsen and challenger Jason Call. As you may know, Rick is an eleven-term incumbent. Rick spoke to us for a half hour, giving a brief presentation about things he is working on, stressing the importance of getting rid of the filibuster in order to pass the Build Back Better Act and the Voting Rights Act, two very significant pieces of legislation that he helped pass in the House. He then answered questions that were put to him live. While Rick didn’t have time to get into all the questions submitted by all of you, I am expecting written answers from his office that I will post once I receive them. Rick spent a half hour with us before he had to leave for a meeting with the Skagit Democrats. He stressed the importance of Democrats winning wherever possible this year, that it is important to keep his district blue, and that his campaign for re-election is going well.

Jason Call spent an hour and a half with us, generously answering all questions put to him and giving us an opportunity to truly get to know him. Jason is a long-time political activist who is not afraid to speak up for what he thinks is right. His policy positions are progressive all the way down the line, supporting Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, a more peaceful foreign policy and reducing Pentagon spending, really fighting climate change, and so on. Jason takes no corporate PAC money and likens himself to members of “The Squad” in Congress. He stressed that our Congressional district is safely Democratic, that Rick wins his elections over Republican candidates by a 2 to 1 margin, that whether the candidate is Rick or Jason, the Democrat will win. He has had good success with fundraising for his campaign.

I recorded almost all of the meeting (started a little way into Rick’s time), so if you would like to see Rick Larsen and Jason Call in action answering questions, go to the following: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/jYkPzunKdOemaK0L_2yJ6oshdt4ClPAcRKmvqEizf6KLiNIaOvnb-QS7UJuyEex_.4ijCcQs7dmj3G2Ml
Passcode: 6Vm6F7?c

New Friday Harbor Port Commissioner Victoria Compton was going to address our meeting, but the Congressional discussion lasted the whole meeting, and Victoria had to leave for another meeting. She asked us to let you all know about the commission’s meeting coming up this week. “Please come to (or Zoom into) the next Port of FH meeting on Wednesday, 1/12 at noon. The agenda will be posted here next Tuesday a.m.: https://www.portfridayharbor.org/about-the-port/commissioners/agendas/ “

Local member Alexandra Gayek is the only active member in the Mt. Baker Sierra Club group from our county. She is asking that if you have any environmental information you would like presented to the Sierra Club, please let her know. She can be contacted at gayek07@hotmail.com.