Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010

Jaime Herrera

The Washington Republican survived a Tea Party challenge to win the GOP primary in the Evergreen State's 3rd Congressional District. Now Herrera, a 31-year-old Latina and former congressional staffer, has successfully re-cast herself as the outsider as she takes on a longtime Democratic pol in November.

Who is your political hero/inspiration?
I have two: Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams and one of our country's most influential "founding mothers", and former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. I am encouraged and challenged by Thatcher's clarity of vision and her unwavering dedication to what was best for her country. She stood firm in the face of tough opposition and was a strong leader.

What's your go-to political blog?
Politico.com is the closest outlet to a blog that I read regularly. They update the site constantly and it seems to be pretty accurate and fair-minded. I also regularly check Real Clear Politics for updated news.

If you weren't working in politics, what would you be doing?
I had been married for 3 months when I decided to run for this office, so I'd be spending more time with my husband, Dan. I'd also being working in some capacity to make a positive impact in my community, perhaps focusing on health care or education policy. Following 9/11, I volunteered at Ground Zero in New York City and saw how lives can be changed when community members come together around shared goals.

What's the most overlooked issue facing America these days?
Politicians talk about "jobs," but they haven't done enough to empower job creators to pull us out of this recession. I'm running for this office to stop-the out-of-control spending taking place in DC. Our current Congress is spending money in an attempt to get us out of this economic crisis, not realizing that overspending IS the crisis. The disconnect between current politicos and the rest of us who are in reality is hard to believe. I say it's time to trust the American people again — not those who think they know best how to live our lives and spend our money.

Where do you see yourself professionally in five years?
I can't say where I'll be in five years. Five years ago, I wouldn't have expected to be where I am now. I can say that my focus is to serve faithfully the people of Southwest Washington and those across our country by forcing Congress to live within its means just like families, businesses and individuals do.