In response to the Aug. 25 Political Beat column “Party spurns both charter and Herrera Beutler,” the real story is that the precinct committee officers overwhelmingly reject the proposed county home rule charter. It was on the agenda, they came prepared to debate it, there was very little pro-charter testimony and the resolution to defeat the charter was overwhelmingly approved.
Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, was one of four contested Republicans who won their primary. There was no motion to endorse any of them and endorsement was not even on the agenda. Had a motion to endorse been made and precinct committee officer Joseph Wagner had testified in opposition, my job as chairman of the Clark County Republicans would have been to facilitate the debate, which I would gladly have done. What the outcome would have been is complete speculation since it did not occur.
If you want to make a story out of Wagner’s letter to his fellow PCOs, tell readers that we are a big-tent party and Wagner and others are welcome to express their opinions. I am proud to serve all of the Clark County Republican precinct committee officers.
Kenny Smith
Brush Prairie
