Our View: Smiley the best candidate for Senate

For Washington residents, the decision on who to vote for in the race for U.S. Senate should be a no-brainer in the Nov. 8 general election.

The fact that incumbent Patty Murray, a westside Democrat, doesn’t want to debate Republican political newcomer Tiffany Smiley should be enough to choose the challenger. But there’s a lot more to Smiley than her bold challenge of the well-funded, career politician.

Smiley has a story to tell. It’s a story of standing up for what’s right. It’s a story of defending her family and farming. It’s a story of rejecting unreasonable dam-breaching rhetoric and a story of supporting law enforcement, reining in government and facing off with smart-aleck corporate, liberal media trying to tell people what to do. In short, it’s a story that makes you want to listen.

A farmer and nurse (she graduated from Whitworth University in Spokane), Smiley was an unlikely politician. But when her longtime high school sweetheart and husband Scotty Smiley was blinded and nearly killed by explosives while serving in Iraq, she came to his rescue when the U.S. Army just wanted him out of the service.

Despite receiving the Purple Heart, Scotty Smiley struggled to get the care and assistance he needed. That’s when Tiffany Smiley stepped in, taking his battle to Capitol Hill to secure her husband’s care and benefits.

She’s been fighting against a bureaucracy Murray has supported since Tiffany Smiley was about 3 years old. (Murray was first elected in 1992).

That’s a story Murray, 71, doesn’t want you to hear. So, she’s balked at debating the 39-year-old Smiley. She even balked at joint interviews with the Pasco nurse and longtime farmer.

“It’s time for Patty Murray to come out of hiding and face the voters of Washington side-by-side with me,” Smiley said Aug. 25.

Smiley is ready to take the debate stage, with or without Murray.

If you haven’t yet heard Smiley speak, there are at opportunities coming up. The next one here in Eastern Washington will take place Thursday, Oct. 13, at Gonzaga University in Spokane.

The League of Women Voters is sponsoring a political debate that night at the university, although we’re not sure you can call it a debate when Murray isn’t planning to show up.

With or without Murray, Smiley is shining a light on the career politicians antics, suggesting the incumbent is out of touch with rural residents and little more than a Sen. Chuck Shumer/President Joe Biden stooge when in Washington, D.C.

Smiley has gone on the attack over Murray’s efforts to breach dams on the Snake River. She’s targeted the incumbent — and the president — on the Democrat’s so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” pointing out food, fuel and other prices are far outpacing the ability of Americans to keep up. And she’s challenged Murray for her 30-year career of supporting excesses taxes and regulations.

Smiley’s enthusiasm is contagious.

Earlier this year, a couple thousand people turned out to a potato shed in Eltopia to hear her speak. That’s right a potato shed.

We have no doubt that as a farmer and native Eastern Washingtonian, Smiley is the best candidate in the two-woman race for U.S. Senate.

We endorse Smiley; it’s clearly time for Murray to be retired.