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Darcy Burner: Making Republicans Feel the Heat
by Kevin P. Henry

Darcy Burner’s Bellevue headquarters is buzzing with activity; the sound of ringing phones and rapid-fire conversation fill all the rooms of the small, but cozy office. The atmosphere can be directly traced to Burner herself, a down-to-earth, gregarious woman who two years ago decided to run for Congress, representing the 8th district. Actually, Burner, 35, looks younger than her age. But beneath the youthful appearance is a strong, confident personality with a dry sense of humor and a hearty, infectious laugh.

Burner is very pleased that her campaign continues to raise sufficient funds to battle opponent Republican Dave Reichert. The 8th district encompasses eastern King and Pierce counties, stretching from the east side of Lake Washington to as far north as Duvall and as far south as Mt. Rainier National Park. It has become more liberal in recent years, voting for Democratic candidates for president and the Senate. The district has voted Republican Jennifer Dunn to Congress six straight times, but still voted for Democratic presidential nominees Al Gore and John Kerry.

Although a newcomer, Burner has plenty of support, with two campaign offices — in Bellevue and Auburn — and more than 1,300 volunteers spreading the word, which includes knocking on doors and making hundreds of calls each night. Burner has also been endorsed by Senator Maria Cantwell, Senator Patty Murray, and former Governor Gary Locke.

“I don’t like the direction of the country,” Burner says. “I believe we need a change. It’s clear to me that the politicians in Washington, DC are out of touch, and Congress is on the wrong track. I have looked at what it takes to give my son the kind of life he should have. This administration and Congress are completely oblivious to the needs of people.”

The Iraq war particularly disturbs Burner, who in August spoke at the Democratic National Committee meeting in Chicago. She said: “We are at a very dangerous moment in the American experience. We are under attack by forces outside of this country: Terrorists who are focused entirely on killing Americans and destroying this country. And, we are under attack from the inside, by an administration and a majority in Congress that would destroy those things that the American people have fought for and won over the last 215 years.” Burner also spoke about being from a military family — her father served 20 years in the Air Force and her brother completed a tour of duty in Iraq.

“And at this point, our soldiers are sitting over there getting shot at because the Republican Congress and administration in Washington, DC cannot figure out what their plan is to give Iraq back to the Iraqis and bring our troops home. Congress needs to figure out how to give Iraq back to the people. I don’t want to send my son off to fight in wars like that in the future.”

This kind of Burner rhetoric makes Republicans nervous. President Bush’s decline in popularity makes the 8th District of concern to the House Republican party. In addition, there is growing dissatisfaction with the country’s approach to the war in Iraq. This was one reason, apparently, that the president attended a joint fundraiser for Reichert and the state Republican Party in Bellevue in June. The event netted $400,000 for Reichert’s campaign — but at the same time the Burner campaign raised more money after a call went out to supporters. This showing of support seems to be another sign that the Republicans have something to worry about.

“In the end, we think that his visit helped us more than it helped them,” said Burner campaign communications director Jaime Smith. “We did see a lot of people taking a second look at this race, and deciding that it was important to get behind Darcy.”

Getting a little respect has not been easy for Burner. When the former Microsoft product manager was named as the Democratic challenger earlier this year, many Republican officials dismissed her as a weak choice to take on former King County Sheriff Reichert, who won a close race against radio talk show host Dave Ross in 2004. While Reichert had established a tough, no-nonsense reputation, and came with 30 years of law enforcement experience, Burner was criticized for being a novice with little political experience. After all, she worked at Microsoft. What did she know about being a congresswoman and tackling tough issues?

“I have had years of experience managing complicated projects, large groups of people, bringing in projects under budget, and making hard deadlines, Burner said. “I am definitely qualified for the job.”

And, she must be encouraged by the election of 36-year-old Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris of Spokane, and by the success of Senator Maria Cantwell, both of whom are running for reelection.

Still, Burner has also had to contend with the gender factor, and run her campaign accordingly. “People perceive women different from men,” says Burner. “People assume I am strong on education, and I am, so I don’t have to spend a lot of time talking about that. People may assume women are less strong on defense, but I take security very seriously, including both the problems and solutions. I have to spend more time talking about that, to get people beyond their assumptions.”

Burner feels that the changing demographics of the 8th district, which include age and ethnicity, will help her win the race. “There has been an increase in young families and working-class people, particularly in the southern part of the district, in places like Graham and Sumner,” she says. “The people and the young families there worry about cuts to education and getting a decent education, about schools being underfunded. People also worry about all of the jobs that are now being outsourced to countries overseas.” More affordable health care is another issue for Burner, as is investing in alternative energy technologies that can create jobs right here in Washington state.

Democratic activist Nancy Rising is a strong supporter of Burner, and feels she has a strong chance of winning the race. “Running a campaign can be really tough, but Darcy has learned a lot very quickly, and worked very hard” she says. “She also really knows how to connect with people. She can speak their language.”

Rising, who has been in politics for over 35 years, also is optimistic about the future of women in politics. “I think people are seeing that it’s more important about what people believe, rather than what gender they are.”

Burner is equally encouraged by the progress of women in the political arena. We still have to keep on pushing,” she says. “We are doing much better in this state than in most parts of this country, and I am very proud of Christine Gregoire and Patty Murray, and I see the leadership in the Senate. They are also very supportive of other women; it’s like we now have a good ole girl’s network. At the same time, though, there is sexism built into the system. I have spent a dozen years in companies like Microsoft, and more than once have been referred to as a “glorified soccer mom.”

Burner, who lives in Carnation with her husband Mike Burner and 3-year-old son, Henry, has spent many years in the often intense world of business, and is someone who is not to be messed with. After all, this is a woman who, while in college, got herself a concealed weapons permit after being stalked.

Kevin Henry is the cultural diversity coordinator for the City of Bellevue and the host of Voices of Diversity on KBCS-FM, 91.3. He is also a frequent contributor to Seattle Woman.

©2006 Caliope Publishing Company