I-2066, “Protect Energy Choice,” was a light in the darkness for conservatives in Washington on Election Night. It was one of the few victories claimed by Republicans in a state dominated by Democrats. But what picture does this win paint for the conservative movement in Washington? What can we learn and how can we grow from this victory? We believe the success of I-2066 establishes a numerical map toward victory that we can leverage to our advantage in future elections.
For background, I-2066 gave voters the power to protect natural gas for heating, cooking, and other uses. The initiative stopped state and local governments from banning, restricting, or otherwise discouraging gas and gas appliances in homes and businesses. These protections, in conjunction with several other measures the initiative includes, ensure that Washington residents have easy access to natural gas and that government agencies and officials cannot conspire to force residents to use more expensive, less reliable energy sources.
In the aftermath of the election, the Seattle Times reported that support for I-2066 was strongest among men, Republicans, and Independents. Interestingly, the measure was passed without much support from King County.
“Progressives tend to call the shots in Washington statewide elections, but not with Initiative 2066,” the Seattle Times noted. “As of Tuesday, 51.6% of ballots statewide were in favor of the measure, even though heavily-populated King County overwhelmingly rejected it. The measure is also failing in four other Western Washington counties: Thurston, Whatcom, Jefferson and Clallam.”
While this finding may seem insignificant, we believe it is the key to pushing the conservative movement forward in our state. King County’s far-Left population easily defeats most conservative initiatives due to the sheer size of the area and how politically engaged the residents are. If we can focus our efforts on the surrounding communities who showed up in support of I-2066 and were responsible for its victory, we believe we can see success in other areas.
“The No. 1 reason voters supported the measure was financial, specifically related to the cost burden on homeowners,” the Seattle Times wrote. “Statewide, 44% of those who approved I-2066 said their primary reason was that it ‘stops the state from forcing homeowners to spend tens of thousands of dollars to convert their homes to all-electric.’”
This analysis confirms what we already suspected—residents, sometimes regardless of political affiliation, prioritize their financial well-being over partisanship. We know that the conservative policies put forward by Let’s Go Washington, FPIW Action, and other like-minded groups would best serve the financial interests of Washington residents. Spreading that message to Independents and on-the-fence Democrats in future elections will be central to conservative success.
“There are more Democrats than Republicans in Washington, of course,” the Seattle Times explained. “That is reflected in the survey sample, of which 44% identified as Democrats and 31% as Republicans. But support for I-2066 was also quite strong among Independents, who made up 22% of the survey sample. Among Independents, 50% approved the measure, 34% said no, and 16% skipped it when filling out their ballot, according to the survey. With the combined support from Republicans and Independents, the measure was able to squeak by.”
We hope conservative leaders around the state spend time analyzing the success of I-2066 as well as the defeats in other areas and use this as a pathway to success for future elections. We know there is hope for Washington if we rise up to defend and advance biblical values in the public square!
If you’re interested in helping push the conservative movement forward in Washington, please consider joining our team of DEFENDERS. You can learn more about FPIW’s stance on public policy topics in our Issues Booklet, which can be found here.
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