'Get this pandemic under control.' Inside Marilyn Strickland's plans for Congress

Marilyn Strickland, former Tacoma Mayor and now president of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, will be the first Black woman and first Korean-American that Washington has sent to Congress.

But what will be the big “first” on Marilyn Strickland’s mind as she heads to Washington, D.C.?

"The message we were communicating — addressing the pandemic, the economic crisis, and wanting to address issues around inequity, especially around race — really resonated with voters around the 10th District," Strickland told KUOW's Angela King.

Strickland spoke with KUOW shortly after initial election results came in, showing her in a clear lead with nearly 50% of the vote. She emphasized pandemic recovery as the primary issue Congress should address.

"I am hopeful that the Congress will pass a another relief package in 2020," she said. "But even if they do, we will still be in the midst of a pandemic. The economic crisis, we know, is not going to just fix itself in a few months.

"And so I imagine that we are probably looking at what more relief will look like ... we're not going to have a full and sustainable economic recovery until we get this pandemic under control."

Strickland noted that the Seattle-region depends on a certain level of travel, with tourism, shipping, and trade. Therefore, she said, people need to feel comfortable getting on planes, into hotels, going to events, and eating at restaurants.

"You know, we have students who are not in school, because students in families and educators don't feel safe going back," she said. "And so the pandemic will really be my primary focus, as I imagine it will be the focus of the next Congress."

Combating the pandemic is not the only issue that Strickland is focused on, however. She told KUOW about a few things on her mind, hinting at how she may govern as a Congress member.

Police accountability & racial justice

"The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act really has four tenants that I think will do a good job of enhancing accountability," she said. "And to be honest with you, to help police do their jobs better. This includes the body cameras, and includes banning chokeholds ... it includes getting rid of qualified immunity.

She also points to implicit bias training for officers as another key factor in legislation.

"I mean, it doesn't matter who you are, or what zip code you come from — every single person who calls this country home wants to feel safe. And that safety should extend to interactions with law enforcement," Strickland said.

"And so as local communities come together, as they determine what it means to be safe, as they look at investing more in mental health, and some other things, I think the federal government has a role to support their work, and to really help ensure that everyone can stay safe, and that we have more police accountability."

Strickland also noted that the issue is challenging, partially because Progressives have some work to do on their own. She has said that Progressives have good intentions, but often lecture people of color while claiming to support them.

"I think that, as we talk about the racial reckoning that we're having in the United States, a lot of the movements that you see are led by people of color," she said. And so what I say to folks who are allies is, 'Let us lead this conversation. And please listen to what we're saying. And then join us as we talk about what needs to be done.'

"By virtue of the fact that communities of color are minorities in this country, we need strong allies, but we need people who are willing to listen, and not to coopt the movement."

Political division

"I remind folks that the challenges that we have had as a nation with the inequity — and some of the issues around race and displacement ... and the toxicity of our civic discourse, those seeds were planted before Donald Trump became president. But here we are today."

Strickland maintains that issues such as the housing crisis, unemployment, and health care are really non-partisan.

"These things affect every person of every political stripe. And so it is my hope that as we move forward in 2021, that we're able to say, 'Look, we are in this together, we have to work together, we should focus on our desired outcome and our goals," she said.

When she was mayor of Tacoma, she added, it was said that potholes were not Democrats or Republicans. Rather, they were just problems to solve. She aims to scale up that attitude in D.C., to get Congress to work together.

"We need our communities here at home to try and come together, to show each other grace and forgiveness, and say to ourselves, 'How do we move forward to restore this country to restore people's lives and livelihoods, and really, up to the promise of what this country is supposed to be?'"

Supreme Court packing

Strickland also briefly commented on one issue that may come up over the next four years: Packing the Supreme Court, which was often put to Joe Biden on the presidential debate stage.

"Well, it's not the first time it will have happened in U.S. history," Strickland said. And you know, I think about the makeup of the court, and this is really about having a balance, so that we can have very thoughtful discussions about the things that come before the court.

"And so I support the idea of expanding the court, but this is about having a balance of judges. And again, it has happened before us history."