Regular readers of Marijuana Venture probably know we tend to lean to the left of the political aisle. Okay, so maybe we do more than lean. From an editorial standpoint, we’ve been supporters of gun control, gay rights, universal health care and drug policy reform since day one of the magazine in February 2014.
We’ve been outspoken about our pro-cannabis, pro-environment, pro-education — and anti-Trump — platform and we’re not offended by peaceful, nonviolent protest in the face of injustice — ever.
That said, I still believe civil discourse is a better means to an end than simply calling people stupid or denouncing them as racist, and I still believe in the concept of voting for the best person for the job (even though, for me, it’s damn near impossible in 2018 to imagine the best person for any public service job being a Republican).
The greater cannabis community has been politically active for decades with grassroots efforts pushing the vast majority of marijuana reform across North America. In the U.S., there are nine states that have legalized the recreational use of cannabis; eight of them have come from voters at the ballot.
But as the November midterm approaches, I think this election is about a lot more than just cannabis. I’m not prone to writing hyperbole — when I do, it’s typically at the urging of my publisher — but I really believe the soul of our republic hangs in the balance. And as the marijuana industry continues to grow and develop, it has the potential to be even more influential across the full spectrum of American politics, not just through votes, but with financial support as well.
Obviously, people can (and should) donate money to local candidates who embody their values. But the reality, much like the votes cast in a swing state during a presidential election, is that some donations are more impactful than others in the grand scheme of things.
Marijuana Venture posed a question to two prominent campaign staffers for Washington Governor Jay Inslee and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell: If someone had money to donate to a candidate or several candidates, what would be the most productive way to spend the money and have the greatest impact nationally?
Both suggested donations to Arizona Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema and Nevada Congresswoman Jacky Rosen.
Sinema (D) is running for the Senate seat held by Jeff Flake (R), who is not running for reelection and is one of the few Republicans who have been openly critical of President Trump. Sinema will face Congresswoman Martha McSally (R) in November. In some ways, the U.S. Senate hangs in the balance.
Rosen (D) is facing incumbent Dean Heller (R). At the risk of making this race sound like a “lesser-of-two-evils” situation, it’s worth noting Heller’s blind allegiance to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh: “I’m proud to say that I will stand by President Trump’s SCOTUS pick and help create a strong conservative court — regardless of the consequences of my political career…!” he wrote in a campaign email that has drawn accusations of misconduct by Democratic party leaders.
Other Senate candidates that were discussed as the most bang for the buck with donations were incumbent Democratic senators Tammy Baldwin (Wisc.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Joe Donnelly (Ind.),
Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Claire McCaskill (Miss.), Bill Nelson (Fla.) and Jon Tester (Mont.), as well as former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, running for the Senate seat currently held by Bob Corker (R), who is retiring at the end of his term.
My home state of Washington is also turning out to be a hot-bed for congressional races with candidates running neck-and-neck in at least three traditionally red districts: The 3rd district could go blue for the first time since 2011 as incumbent Jaime Herrera Beutler faces a tough challenge from Democrat Carolyn Long; in the 5th district, Lisa Brown, a former state legislator and university chancellor, is challenging Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the top-ranking Republican woman in the House; and in the 8th district — one of the most gerrymandered districts in the country (thanks Republicans!) — Kim Schrier outlasted two other Democrats for the right to square off against longtime losing candidate Dino Rossi on the Republican side.
It’s worth noting a common thread among the three Democrats running in these districts: They’re all extremely smart, accomplished women. Long is a university professor, Brown is a former university chancellor and Schrier is an M.D. From an academic perspective, it might be tough to find a trio more qualified than a professor, a chancellor and a doctor.
In all honesty, most of the Senate candidates listed here are far from my ideal politician, although they do represent a strategic importance in shifting the political dynamics in Washington, D.C. and reining in a president who’s unfit for the office. I also have serious reservations about money in politics being one of the great problems in our society today.
But in a way, you can’t change the system if you don’t play the game.
Garrett Rudolph is the editor of Marijuana Venture and SunGrower & Greenhouse magazines. He helped start Marijuana Venture in 2014 and has more than a decade of experience in print journalism. He can be reached by email at Editor@MarijuanaVenture.com.