Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) speaks during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Sept. 29, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rod Lamkey-Pool/Getty Images)
Shasti Conrad thinks the way Democrats went about winning Washington elections last year is a formula for success nationwide.
Conrad, unanimously reelected leader of the state Democratic Party earlier this week, argues that Democrats’ sweep of nine statewide executive posts, gains in the Legislature and defeat of three conservative-backed ballot measures prove the party can win with progressive policies.
“Washington Democrats bucked the national trend. I want more states to follow our lead,” she wrote in her post-election analysis.
Democratic Congressman Adam Smith, who’s served in the U.S. House since 1997, says not so fast.
“Shasti Conrad is a good friend. I’ve worked with her closely. I disagree with her on this,” he told The Standard during an interview at the state Capitol on Tuesday. “We won. I get that. But is it because we’re doing such a fantastic job, or is it because the Republican Party is simply unacceptable to over 50% of the electorate in the state of Washington? I’m of the opinion that it’s more the latter than the former.”
Smith, whose 9th Congressional District includes a swath of south King County, believes Democrats have made mistakes with policies they’ve pushed and lack credibility on issues such as public safety, housing, education and immigration.
But it hasn’t cost them in Washington, he said, because the GOP is not a viable alternative as it’s a captive to the extreme agenda of President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement.
As other Democrats in Congress are increasingly preoccupied with responding to Trump’s aggressive and controversial executive actions during his first days in office, Smith is scrutinizing his own party in his home state and district.
“I understand why the American people have questions about the ability of the Democratic Party to govern effectively,” he said. “I do. I’ve seen it in King County, and I’m concerned about it.”
Smith and Conrad reflect endpoints on an arc of opinions among Democrats about what went right and wrong in November.
This debate is unfolding as the Democratic National Committee prepares to select a new chair this weekend and as Conrad vies for a DNC leadership post. The national party is searching for a path to recover from last year’s bruising losses.
Trump roundly defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, sweeping seven battleground states and making gains with voting blocs and in places across the country that have traditionally leaned Democratic. The GOP also took control of the U.S. Senate from Democrats and held their majority in the U.S. House.
Those in Conrad’s camp argue that Democrats don’t need to drastically change their message or positions and instead must improve how they communicate with voters.
“We know we still have a lot to do on public safety, housing, and the cost of living,” she said Tuesday. “We might argue about semantics — we are a big tent — but ultimately, Democrats from every wing of the party are offering actionable solutions while the Republicans continue their efforts to drag us backwards.”
Moderate voices like Smith aren’t of the same mind.
After the election, Smith declared his party’s brand “broken” and said fixating on Trump would not be enough to repair it. “We have to be honest with the American people about our faults or limitations, listen to them and fix this going forward,” he said in late November.
Smith acknowledged Tuesday his post-election call to action has gone mostly unheeded as his colleagues return to clashing with Trump.
Still, he’s pivoted, directing criticism toward Democrats’ shortcomings in Washington.
“Housing is not as available as it should be, and it’s too expensive. Homelessness is a big problem. Crime is a big problem. Drug abuse is a big problem. Efficient, effective government is a problem,” he said.
“I think we have to improve governance in the state, and in particular in King County,” he said. “If Democrats can prove that we can govern, we will be in a better position to influence national politics.”
Smith invoked the kind of reform-minded message Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson has voiced during his early days in office. “I like the approach that he took,” Smith said of Ferguson, with whom he met privately Tuesday afternoon.
The congressman insists his emphasis on state and local matters is not because he’s interested in running for King County executive as the job opens up for the first time in 15 years.
Meanwhile, Conrad pushed back on the notion that Democrats in Washington are misreading voters and benefiting from weak opposition.
They succeeded in Washington because of a super-charged effort to reach voters and to get them to cast ballots. They made inroads in rural and suburban areas by pointing to “specific policies that are making their lives better,” she said in a statement.
“The Washington Way is the Winning Way,” she said, “and I look forward to working with national leaders to implement the strategies and solutions that worked for us in 2024 on a national scale.”
A copy of the analysis Shasti Conrad provided following the 2024 election.