Dori: King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn announces Congressional run

As current political polls continue predicting a “red wave” in America in 2022, voters in western Washington and across the entire country will be riveted by the news that four-term King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn (R) announced on The Dori Monson Show: Dunn is running for Congress in Washington state’s 8th District.

“I’m so deeply concerned about the direction of the United States,” Dunn said. “The president, the Congress — including our incumbent — they’re making the country weaker; they’re not making the country stronger. They’re failing at their jobs, and I plan to use my experience … to try to get the country on track.”

King County Councilmember calls for the re-funding of police

Dunn, who currently represents southeast King County’s 9th District, is seeking the U.S. 8th District seat currently filled by U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier (D). Currently, the 8th District covers Chelan, Kittitas, and much of Pierce and King counties. Proposed boundary changes could expand that to include Snohomish County.

“What difference can you make (in Congress) that is significant enough to overcome the one-in-nine difference you make on the King County Council?” Dori asked Dunn.

“I’ve been honored to do that job,” Dunn said, but the draw to contribute to a more “fiscally responsible government” is what motivates him.

“We have to resist the urge to have government solve all our problems,” Dunn said.

Earlier this month, Dunn trounced his King County Council 9th District opponent by almost 9,000 votes — 63.6% to 36.1%. The 9th District for the county council includes most of southeast King County, including Renton, Maple Valley, and Enumclaw.

While running for Congress, Dunn is able continue to serve on the county council. If he were to win the Congressional seat in November 2022, Dunn would leave the King County Council and fill the Congressional seat as a Republican in January of 2023.

Meanwhile, Dunn says, we’re “seeing the pain at the gas pumps; seeing the pain in inflation where the average cost of goods is up 9% in King County. All of a sudden, everybody just took a 9% pay cut. … We cannot, as a country, continue to spend irresponsibly.”

Dunn points to his county council record voting against most tax increases as evidence that he’s ready to hold the line against more spending, adding, “we’ve got to resist the urge to say ‘yes’ to everything.”

Long-time voters will recall that Dunn’s late mother, Jennifer Dunn, represented the 8th District for six terms, between 1993 and 2005. She died two years after her retirement.

“She died too early,” Dunn reflects, but now, he says, “we’re going to take mom’s seat back.”

Listen to Dori’s entire interview with Reagan Dunn here:

Rep. Schrier has served in Congress since 2019, after defeating Republican challenger Dino Rossi by a 52% to 48% margin. She was reelected two years later by a nearly identical margin over Jesse Jensen.

Dunn has sat on the King County Council since 2005. He represents the latest Republican seeking to unseat Schrier since she first flipped the traditionally conservative district.

Listen to the Dori Monson Show weekday afternoons from noon – 3 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Follow @http://www.twitter.com/dorimonson