Washington — 9th District

D Democratic D. Adam Smith

Supports raising minimum wage and corporate taxes

Smith focuses on lowering everyday costs for working families by raising the federal minimum wage toward $20/hour and protecting workers' collective bargaining rights. He advocates for placing a minimum tax rate on large corporations, ending pharmaceutical price gouging, and curbing financial speculation to make the economy work for everyday citizens.

• Co-sponsored the Raise the Wage Act to increase the federal minimum wage toward $20/hour
• Co-sponsored the PRO Act to strengthen labor protections and collective-bargaining rights
• Passed legislation stopping pharmaceutical price gouging on life-saving medications like insulin
• Co-sponsored the Wall Street Tax Act and supported a corporate minimum tax

“A good job should be within reach for everyone who’s willing to work for it.”

R Republican Douglas Michael Basler

Supports balancing budget and curbing inflation

Basler advocates for halting inflation and restoring purchasing power by strengthening the U.S. dollar and ending deficit spending. He contends that excessive government borrowing, tax hikes, and regulations drive up prices for groceries, housing, and everyday goods.

• Calls for ending deficit spending and restoring a balanced federal budget
• Pledges to cut taxes and reduce regulatory burdens on businesses and families
• Focuses on strengthening the dollar to curb rising prices for groceries and essentials

“Inflation can be slowed and stopped by taking immediate action to strengthen the dollar.”

“Out of control government spending, borrowing, and printing money, is driving our economy to the brink of disaster.”

D Democratic D. Adam Smith

Supports expanding affordable housing and divesting hedge funds

Smith identifies housing as the single most critical issue facing his district and champions direct federal intervention to lower rents and foster homeownership. He introduced legislation to force private equity firms to divest single-family home portfolios and authored measures to build affordable housing near transit centers.

• Introduced the End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act to force private equity firms to divest single-family homes
• Authored the Promoting Affordable Housing Near Transit Act, resulting in over 3,000 affordable housing units in King County
• Sponsored zoning and permitting reform legislation to build housing near job hubs and transit
• Backed the FHA First-Time Homebuyer Counseling Discount Act to reduce mortgage insurance costs

“Housing is the most important issue to my district in Washington and I’m thrilled to introduce legislation that will tackle this issue in a concrete way”

“Too many families are struggling to afford to rent or to buy a home… Large investors are buying up homes and squeezing out prospective buyers.”

R Republican Douglas Michael Basler

Supports lower housing costs through deregulation

Basler highlights skyrocketing housing and grocery costs as major burdens on families, advocating for reduced taxes and regulations to make homeownership accessible. He also opposes non-judicial foreclosures to preserve homeownership.

• Identifies high housing costs as a primary financial burden on Washington families
• Promotes cutting taxes and regulations to lower the cost of building and purchasing homes
• Advocates for ending non-judicial foreclosures to protect property owners

“Housing costs are too high. Groceries are too expensive. Taxes and regulations keep piling up.”

D Democratic D. Adam Smith

Supports rehabilitative justice and police oversight

Smith supports reforming the criminal justice system to focus on rehabilitation, ending racial profiling, and eliminating mandatory minimum drug sentences. He advocates for accountability tools like law enforcement body cameras while increasing civil legal aid and re-entry assistance.

• Co-sponsored the SAFE Justice Act to reduce over-prosecution and bypass mandatory minimum drug sentences
• Co-sponsored the End Racial Profiling Act and the CAMERA Act to fund police body-worn cameras
• Co-sponsored the Justice is Not For Sale Act to eliminate private federal prison contracts

“The American criminal justice system is fundamentally broken, and I believe we must dramatically change the way we handle criminal justice in the United States.”

R Republican Douglas Michael Basler

Supports law enforcement and crime accountability

Basler strongly supports police officers and opposes defunding law enforcement, arguing that anti-police rhetoric has fueled sharp increases in violent and property crimes. He advocates for restoring responsible police authority to hold individuals accountable for crime and public disorder.

• Strongly opposes police defunding movements and pledges full support for law enforcement and first responders
• Calls for restoring responsible police authority to curb crime and homelessness
• Emphasizes holding individuals accountable for crime and addiction-fueled disorder in neighborhoods

“Crime and homelessness can be greatly reduced by restoring responsible police power.”

“We can show compassion to people in crisis while still holding people accountable for crime, addiction-fueled disorder, and policies that make neighborhoods less safe.”

D Democratic D. Adam Smith

Supports clean energy transition and climate protection

Smith champions federal efforts to combat climate change, transition to renewable energy, and protect local ecosystems in the Puget Sound. He supports re-entering the Paris Climate Agreement, imposing stricter power plant and vehicle emissions standards, and banning offshore oil drilling.

• Authored and co-sponsored aviation noise and particle emissions mitigation bills around Sea-Tac Airport
• Co-sponsored the West Coast Ocean Protection Act to ban offshore oil drilling along Washington's coast
• Supported the CLEANER Act, CLIMATE Act, and re-entry into the Paris Climate Agreement

“Protecting our environment isn’t just policy—it’s personal. This is our home.”

R Republican Douglas Michael Basler

Supports domestic energy independence and Keystone pipeline

Basler calls for achieving complete domestic energy independence to lower gas prices and utility bills. He supports opening domestic energy resources, constructing the Keystone pipeline, and utilizing market-driven energy solutions.

• Advocates for opening all domestic energy resources and constructing the Keystone pipeline
• Opposes relying on foreign nations for domestic energy needs
• Promotes free-market energy innovation and balanced regulation

“The path to lower gas prices is ENERGY INDEPENDENCE!”

“America has vast energy reserves. I will work to bring down energy costs for all of us.”

D Democratic D. Adam Smith

Supports comprehensive immigration reform and legal pathways

Smith advocates for comprehensive immigration reform that provides an earned pathway to citizenship and protects DACA recipients. He opposes family separations and religious or country-specific travel bans, while pushing for humane conditions in detention facilities and visible identification for enforcement officers.

• Co-sponsored the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act and the DREAM Act
• Introduced the Accountability in Immigration Detention Act and co-sponsored the VISIBLE Act
• Supported executive actions protecting DACA and DAPA recipients from deportation

“Reforming our immigration system is long overdue. Our current laws, regulations, and enforcement do not recognize the importance of sound immigration policies to our economy and national security.”

R Republican Douglas Michael Basler

Supports border wall and strict immigration enforcement

Basler views illegal immigration as an invasion that undermines national security and citizens' rights. He advocates for securing the southern border, completing the border wall, enforcing existing immigration laws, and stopping federal financial grants to illegal immigrants.

• Demands securing borders and finishing the southern border wall
• Opposes proposed federal financial settlements or payments to unlawful immigrants
• Pledges to ensure only legal immigrants are admitted to the United States

“Over 1 million illegal immigrants have already crossed our border since the Biden administration took office. This is an attempt to steal our nation from the citizens and give it to others. It is nothing less than an invasion.”

D Democratic D. Adam Smith

Supports democracy reform and opposes Donald Trump

Smith emphasizes defending democratic institutions, banning congressional stock trading, and overturning Citizens United to reform campaign finance. He consistently opposes Donald Trump's agenda, pledging to defend Washington's vote-by-mail system against Republican challenges.

• Co-sponsored constitutional amendments to overturn Citizens United and supported public campaign financing
• Supported the Restore Trust in Congress Act to ban congressional stock trading
• Signed amicus briefs challenging emergency tariff declarations and voted to override presidential vetoes

“I'm fighting to rebuild our representative democracy that Trump has tried to tear down, restore accountability, and lower the cost of everyday life by making sure our government delivers real results for working people.”

“I don’t care who’s in power—if they’re undermining democracy or hurting people, I’ll stand up to them.”

R Republican Douglas Michael Basler

Supports voting system audits and election integrity

Basler calls for strict election integrity measures, citing voter fraud allegations from the 2020 election and the Arizona audit. He advocates for securing the voting system to ensure public confidence and guarantee that only legal votes are counted.

• Calls for securing the election system following 2020 voter fraud allegations
• Cites the Arizona election audit as evidence of the need for voting system security improvements
• Demands that voting systems strictly reflect the actual will of legal voters

“With widespread voter fraud allegations and the startling results from the Arizona audit, I'm committed to seeing our voting system improved and secured so that every legal vote is counted and no illegal votes are counted.”

“we shouldn't have to trust, we should know that our voting system is secure and reflects the actual will of the electorate.”

D Democratic D. Adam Smith

Supports universal healthcare and Medicare expansion

Smith advocates for establishing a universal healthcare system, such as Medicare for All, to ensure high-quality, affordable care for every American. He supports expanding community health centers, protecting Medicaid and ACA subsidies, and making Medicare reimbursement rates fairer for Washington providers.

• Co-sponsored the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act of 2017
• Supported the State-Based Universal Health Care Act and voted for the Affordable Care Act
• Authored the MediFair Act to adjust Washington state Medicare reimbursement rates
• Co-sponsored the Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP Act

“Through the establishment of Medicare for All, a universal system, Americans will have access to affordable and quality healthcare.”

R Republican Douglas Michael Basler

Opposes government health mandates and emergency mandates

Basler strongly opposes government health mandates, criticizing COVID-19 pandemic emergency restrictions as unconstitutional overreach by elected officials.

• Opposes government health mandates enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Argues emergency mandates violated constitutional rights and lacked force of law

“Mandates do not have the force of law yet our elected officials acted with impunity against law abiding citizens that did not comply.”

D Democratic D. Adam Smith

Supports public education funding and career training

Smith advocates for strong federal funding for K-12 public education, expanding community college access, and advancing toward a goal of College for All. He supports pre-apprenticeship programs, trade adjustment assistance, and short-term credentials to create workforce pathways.

• Co-sponsored the College for All Act of 2017 and supported the Every Student Succeeds Act
• Introduced the Community and Technical College Investment Act and Career and Technical Education Access Act
• Authored the Pre-Apprenticeship Wrap-Around Services Act to cover childcare and transportation during training

“We need an innovative approach to public education, one that focuses less on the process and more on the results.”

R Republican Douglas Michael Basler

Supports parent rights and trade education

Basler emphasizes supporting parents in education and ensuring young people can learn vocational trades to build better careers.

• Promotes vocational trade learning and career advancement opportunities
• Emphasizes supporting parents' rights in education

“People should be able to start a business, buy a home, raise a family, learn a trade, advance in their career, and build a better life.”

D Democratic D. Adam Smith

Supports federal abortion rights and Roe codification

Smith strongly advocates for codifying abortion rights into federal law and protecting reproductive healthcare access nationwide. He supports legislation to safeguard interstate travel for abortion care, protect reproductive health data, and repeal the Hyde Amendment to ensure federal insurance coverage.

• Co-sponsored the Women's Health Protection Act to codify Roe v. Wade nationwide
• Co-sponsored the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act to protect interstate travel for care
• Co-sponsored the My Body, My Data Act and the EACH Act to repeal the Hyde Amendment

“Abortion rights are human rights—and I’ll never stop fighting for them.”

D Democratic D. Adam Smith

Supports universal background checks and assault weapon bans

Smith advocates for strict federal gun control measures to combat gun violence. He supports universal background checks on all firearm sales, banning assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, and prohibiting online ammunition sales.

• Co-sponsored the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 (H.R. 5087)
• Co-sponsored the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act of 2017
• Supports banning online ammunition sales, bump stocks, and implementing gun buy-back programs

“There is truly no place for military-style, high-capacity weapons in civilian life.”