How Cantwell and Garcia compare in Washington's U.S. Senate race
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U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (left) and challenger Raul Garcia. Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photos: Alex Wong/Getty Images and courtesy of the campaign.
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell faces a challenge this year from a Yakima doctor who thinks the government should take a harsher approach toward homelessness and the fentanyl crisis.
Why it matters: Cantwell, a Democrat who is the 12th most senior U.S. senator, is seeking a fifth term, while Republican Raul Garcia hopes to end her 24-year Senate career.
Zoom in: Garcia hasn't held elected office before, although he ran for governor in 2020 and lost in the primary.
- He says one of his strengths is that he's not a career politician — a clear jab at Cantwell, who served in the U.S. House and the Washington state Legislature before joining the Senate in 2001.
- Cantwell also worked as an executive at the Seattle tech company RealNetworks in the 1990s.
State of play: A SurveyUSA poll this month of 703 likely voters found Cantwell leading Garcia by more than 20 percentage points.
Here's a look at how the candidates compare on a few key issues, based on their answers during debates on Oct. 8 and Oct. 17.
Inflation
Garcia blames rampant government spending for inflation in recent years. He said it's time to audit government programs to see "what programs are effective and what programs are ineffective," and make cuts.
- Cantwell said some federal spending was necessary to steer the country through the pandemic. She said it's now important to build more affordable housing and lower prescription drug prices.
- She added she opposes the proposed merger of the Kroger and Albertsons grocery chains, saying it would lead to "less choice and increased costs" for consumers.
Fentanyl
Cantwell cites her support for a recent bill, the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which she said "gave the president new tools to go after cartels."
- She's also sponsoring legislation to try to crack down on fentanyl smuggling throughout the U.S. transportation system, plus a bill to expand walk-in "health engagement hubs," where people can find a range of treatment options.
- Garcia wants to pass a law to bring mandatory felony manslaughter charges against drug dealers.
- His plan would also impose mandatory, involuntary drug treatment on people with substance use disorder.
Homelessness
Garcia said he opposes "housing first" policies that offer people housing without preconditions, such as requiring them to abstain from drugs.
- "The first step is drug rehabilitation, the second step is mental health, and the third step is housing," Garcia said during the Oct. 8 debate.
- Cantwell countered that "it's a mischaracterization to think that everybody who is homeless is on drugs" and said the focus should be on increasing housing supply.
Abortion
Cantwell said she would fight to enact a federal law that reinstates the protections of Roe v. Wade.
- Unlike many Republicans, Garcia says he would support such a move.
- Garcia's campaign says he supports allowing abortions up to the point of fetal viability, with exceptions for abortions later in pregnancy to protect the mother's health.
What's next: Ballots must be mailed and postmarked by Nov. 5, or placed in a ballot drop box by 8pm that day to be counted.
Go deeper: 2024 voter guide — what's on the ballot in Washington state