Editor,

The mid-terms are an important election to determine the direction of our country; New Green Deal Socialism or Capitalism and Democracy, which are on ballot. Democrats are doing everything possible to avoid being held accountable for their own record of sky-high inflation, high energy costs, businesses struggling to find workers, supply chain issues, disastrous foreign policy, rising crime, soft on criminals, releasing those arrested to offend again, illegals invading and overrunning our southern border, cultural upheaval and censorship and, out of control, wasteful spending, some just to buy votes. Character assassination is their favorite weapon.

There is not any kind of persuasive argument why voters should support Democrat candidates. Many voters consider abortion the major issue while overlooking everything else. Abortion was never a “right,” is nowhere in the Constitution and was rightly returned to the states, per our Constitution, Amendment X, as a state issue for those voters to decide. Voting for a candidate, solely for his/her stance on abortion, will not help in fixing major issues facing our country and accomplish nothing except the candidate being agreeable with the abortion point of view.

One of our senators is running for reelection after five terms in office. She claims to be for families, workers and manufacturing. But she votes in lockstep with the Democrat agenda which is a divisive force that has produced all of the major aforementioned issues that are detrimental to the same families, workers and manufacturing. She will fix nothing and it will be business as usual.

It is time for a new senator to represent Washington citizens and Tiffany Smiley and others are fresh faces with new ideas that could make a real difference. The election isn’t about Democrats scaremongering over abortion, it is about turning around from the destructive path Democrats have put the country on to achieve their ruinous Socialist Green Agenda. Conservative candidates are the ones who have all along been on the side of parents and common sense. Democrats claim Republicans are a threat to democracy but the real evidence is seen, every day, what Democrats are actually doing to our democracy; and blame others for what they do. Republicans strongly support the Constitution, law and order, smaller government and our democracy. Voters should look at all the issues and decide if the current path is sustainable and good for themselves and the country or change is necessary. From all indicators, the current Democrat path is rapidly destroying our democracy, security and economy if allowed to continue.

Ed Hickey

Oak Harbor