Washington Congresswoman DelBene tasked with winning back US House: "Big Opportunity"

Washington Congresswoman Suzan DelBene has sharpened her arrows yet smiles consistently while she talks about her latest fight.

DelBene is now in charge of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and is tasked with one thing: winning back the House for her party.

Back in her 1st Congressional District this week, DelBene talked about her strategy with KOMO News and how she intends to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to win key seats. In the 2020 cycle, the DCCC spent $330 million, and you can expect spending to be similar in 2024.

“First, I'd say Democrats outperformed everyone's expectations (in 2022). You heard stories of the red wave and that there was no chance that we could keep the majority and that Republicans were going to have an overwhelming majority, and that did not happen,” said DelBene in a room at Medina City Hall. “They're 18 seats across the country right now that Republicans are in President Biden won in 2020. There’s a big opportunity for us to pick up seats that have been democratic seats. And those are a big focus for us going forward.”

In what has become a litmus test of sorts, DelBene was asked if she would support President Biden seeking re-election. “The President and his team will make announcements when they're ready to make announcements,” she said, and when asked directly, “The President's gonna make his announcement. I think he very likely will run again, and I'm happy to support him.”

DelBene was appointed to the position, in part, because she was an early supporter of Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in Washington’s third district. Perez was considered a long shot to flip the Republican seat but made it out of the primary to defeat Joe Kent, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump. The race made national news as it was long considered a safe Republican seat and came to define the 2022 election. DelBene’s approach, as the now Chair Emeritus of the Moderate New Democrat Coalition also spoke to what Democrats believe is her even-keeled view and ability to identify candidates.

Perez’ election showed how Democrats will likely use Trump’s candidacy against challengers. When asked if she wanted Trump to be the Republican nominee, DelBene responded, “I want to see us have someone who cares about our country, someone who cares about our democracy. I would hope that across the country, people reject candidates of all kinds who aren't willing to stand up for our country,” she continued, “Across the Republican Party, I don't see moderate Republicans anymore. You see this extreme view. So for all of us, I think it's important that we hold people accountable, that we reject that, and we elect people who are going to govern who care about the future of our country and put us in a stronger place. That’s going to be very very important, and want to make sure that contrast is very, very clear.”

As far as this year, DelBene remained hopeful that there can be a bipartisan agreement to avoid a default in June, and says she believes the US remains committed to Ukraine for the long haul. “I think, across NATO and the West folks come together Putin's goal was to try to divide folks. And I think he got the opposite.”