PORT ANGELES — State Sen. Emily Randall, a candidate for the 6th Congressional District, said she got into politics because of the importance of healthcare access.
Randall, D-Bremerton, said she saw the importance of Medicaid firsthand in 1993 when the expansion helped her sister, who had complex disabilities.
That theme continued to 2016, Randall said. At that point, she was working for Planned Parenthood and watched Donald Trump get elected president. She said she was worried about healthcare access becoming at risk.
Randall said she knew the state Legislature could play a big role in expanding healthcare protections for communities that needed it, so she decided to get involved.
“I spent the last six years on really impactful healthcare work here in Washington state,” she said.
Randall’s opponent for the seat currently occupied by Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, is state Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton. He shared his political stances with the Port Angeles Business Association earlier this month.
When the opportunity to represent constituents at the federal level came up, and Trump’s name appeared on yet another presidential ballot, Randall said she thought long and hard before deciding she could do the most good as a state representative.
“I got into policymaking because I care a lot about ensuring people have healthcare that they need,” she said.
One way she said that could be accomplished is by increasing medical reimbursement rates, especially for rural hospitals.
She also said it would be wise to take a look at old policy that set the standard for which hospitals are considered Critical Access Hospitals and thus eligible for greater reimbursements.
Another issue she strongly supports is abortion.
“Bringing back federal abortion protections is really high on my priority list,” she said. “Protecting abortion access is good for business.”
Economically, Randall said “smart spending is really important.”
While it’s important to not increase the federal deficit by supporting programs just because that’s how it’s always been done, Randall said she recognizes budget cuts also can have an immediate negative impact on a lot of individuals.
When the recession hit in 2012, Randall said the Legislature implemented a series of budget cuts to protect the economy.
“We are still building our way out of budget cuts,” she said.
When COVID hit in 2020, Randall said the Legislature decided to invest in safety net programs rather than make sweeping budget cuts, and that decision protected people who needed government support.
“I want to make wise decisions in any agency budgets, but picking a percentage to cut across the board is doing a disservice to people in our community who need the services that might be cut,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to recommend cuts without thinking about the human impact.”
She said she thinks similarly about taxation.
“We have to make thoughtful decisions about balancing our tax code in a way that is equitable and funds the programs that we need it to fund,” she said.
A balanced tax code also can help Social Security, Randall said.
“Real, tangible steps” for the program could include lifting the income cap on who pays into it and how much they pay, she said.
Randall said she also is in favor of helping local, rural jobs by supporting small business, including decreasing their business and occupation taxes and offering them grants and zero interest loans.
“I think it’s a really good way to invest in our communities,” she said.
Randall said border security is important to keep transnational criminals from trafficking humans, weapons and drugs.
However, she said it’s also important to recognize the importance immigrants of all status have for our communities and protect communities against anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Randall said she got involved in politics after being inspired by a “family history of community-minded people.”
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
