Why Is Doug Basler Even Here?

Gwendolyn Hart

The Republican candidate in Washington’s 9th Congressional District, Doug Basler, couldn’t give less of a shit about beating Adam Smith. He’s not here to win against the Democrats. He’s only here to stop the socialist, Kshama Sawant, and he is not subtle about that fact.

Basler’s campaign launched with this statement front and center: “With the entrance of the socialist candidate from Seattle, many of our local folks have approached me with the request that I run again for US Congress.” His website is a mess of baffling AI-generated ads and Red Scare propaganda from the last century aimed against Kshama. His latest ad is an AI rendition of the “Wizard of Oz”, with Kshama as the Wicked Witch of the West, Adam Smith as the Wizard, and (for some reason) Doug Basler as all three of Dorothy’s companions: the scarecrow, tin man, and lion.

Basler has nothing to say against Smith. He has no stated policy positions about why he should win, other than he loves “God, faith, and family” and he hates “tax the rich.” His response to the debates around Israel and Iran that are roiling the Republican Party is to simply ignore them. His campaign started with an initial investment of $550 and has raised zero money.

This campaign is a sham. Basler is here to help hand the Congressional win to Smith, hoping that “progressive” Democrat Melissa Chaudhry splits the left vote just enough for him to ride into the general election with Republicans’ typical 20 percent in the primary. This is a collaboration between the Democrat and Republican Parties to re-elect Adam Smith, stop a working-class candidate, and push back on the threat of establishing a workers' party.