8th District candidates talk about abortion, inflation and crime

In the race for the 8th Congressional District between Democratic incumbent Dr. Kim Schrier and Republican challenger Matt Larkin, the starkest dividing line is on abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

“As the only pro-choice woman doctor in all of Congress, I need to make sure, and want to make sure, that it is women and doctors making health care decisions, not the government,” Schrier said.

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“I’m pro-life. Part of what shapes my decision is watching my wife Kelly carry each of our four babies to term and deliver them. It was the most moving and amazing experience of my life,” Larkin said.

Larkin is a businessman and attorney who’s taking on Schrier, a pediatrician campaigning for a third term.

Washington voters protected abortion rights twice, but if Congress passes a national abortion ban, it will preempt state law.

Asked how he would vote on a federal abortion ban, Larkin answered, “I would want to see what’s in it. I would want to read it line by line.”

Asked if she supports any limits on abortion, Schrier answered, “I think you’re asking the wrong question. The question is, why would all these Republican legislatures across the country ban abortion from the moment of conception with no exceptions for rape or incest?”

Schrier is running an ad with a recording of Larkin meeting with Republicans last spring, in which he is heard saying, “I don’t believe in the exceptions for the things you said, rape and incest and things like that.”

Asked under what circumstances abortion should be allowed, Larkin answered, “It’s an instance where both sides compromise and come together and talk about it. This is not a black-and-white issue. It’s just not.”

Schrier voted to codify abortion rights in federal law, but it didn’t pass the Senate.

“Roe is the appropriate middle ground, it is access to abortion up until viability and I think that was a reasonable place to be,” Schrier said.

Because the 8th is a swing district, both candidates focus on many of the same issues, including high gas prices and inflation.

Inflation “is a worldwide phenomenon, and I am doing everything I can as a member of Congress to address this,” Schrier said.

Larkin said, “We need to stop the reckless spending. We have these massive spending acts we keep passing.”

Schrier voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which Larkin opposed.

Both candidates also talk about crime and using federal money to hire more police officers.

Larkin’s campaign slogan is “make crime illegal again.”

“We used to be able to roll our eyes and say that’s a Seattle problem, but it’s not. It’s crept out of Seattle,” Larkin said.

Schrier said she is working on getting money for police body cameras and on reducing gun violence.

“People are feeling that threat. They’re not feeling safe in their neighborhood,” Schrier said.

The 8th District stretches from Issaquah to Wenatchee and is Washington’s most competitive congressional race because it could go either way.

Voters will now decide if the 8th will go red or blue in 2022.

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