SPOKANE, Wash. — Washington state's midterm election is coming up on Nov. 8, 2022. This year, a longtime incumbent is being challenged by a new candidate for US Representative for the state of Washington. KREM 2's Amanda Roley met with each candidate over tea to learn about where they stand on important issues.
To learn more about Washington state's midterm election, click here.
Amanda Roley
Natasha Hill, thank you so much for joining me on The Tea today to talk about your race running for Congress here for Eastern Washington.
Natasha Hill
Yeah, thank you for having me.
Amanda Roley
I have to ask you, this is how we start it always, what kind of tea did you decide to sip on with us today?
Natasha Hill
Oh, well, I went seasonal. We're pretty well-known, right, for our pumpkin spice? So they did have one on the menu and I know it was captioned with 'It's like pumpkin pie in a glass.' And I can confirm that it does.
Amanda Roley
Well, first of all, let's dive right into it. Why did you, Natasha, decide to run for Congress?
Natasha Hill
Well, I just kept hearing, you know, we need equity. We need accountability. We need somebody who's looking out for people here in eastern Washington, not just the party agenda, not just what's happening in D.C., but what's going on here in our region. So hearing that, I decided I wanted to get involved in politics.
Amanda Roley
You really have worked hard to get where you are today. You're a lawyer with your own practice and a family here in Spokane. What did it take for you to build this life for your family here in Spokane County?
Natasha Hill
You know, it took a lot of hope and a lot of things that I had never seen before. So, growing up poor here in Spokane, in the Northeast Hillyard neighborhood, I learned that people, you know, in your neighborhood and people in your family are the people you can probably count on the most to look out for you. I actually moved out when I was 16 years old, had my own apartment, was paying my own bills, was a junior going into my senior year of high school, took Running Start so I could start college early. It did allow me to actually save some time and money on my four-year degree. I was able to finish my AA at Spokane Community College and transferred over to University of Washington.
Amanda Roley
That's a lot for a teenager, though.
Natasha Hill
So yeah, by 18 years old, I was on my way to a four-year degree.
Amanda Roley
Wow. So you're running against incumbent Cathy McMorris Rodgers? What is going to make you, what makes you stand out against your opponent?
Natasha Hill
Well, one is I'm a first time candidate, right? So somebody has been in office for 18 years, has claimed to be supportive of certain groups, for certain issues. And we just haven't seen the progress we need. So ultimately, we need somebody new.
Amanda Roley
Spill the tea, if you will, and feel free to have a sip there. So how would you vote on abortion policies and contraception bans?
Natasha Hill
I'm absolutely 100% pro-choice. And I don't believe that my opponent is pro-life, I believe she's anti-choice. I vote for choice every single time.
Amanda Roley
Right now, Washington state is one of the few states where marijuana is legal. But in your campaign, you'd like to legalize it on the federal level. Can you explain why?
Natasha Hill
Absolutely. Because it provides huge benefits, not just to people who are using it, whether that's medicinally or recreationally, but also to the economy. Couple things we need to change and why we need to pass this on a federal level, for instance, is banking is an issue. We're not keeping our retailers and our distributors safe because we're not allowing [them] to keep their money in a safe place that's secured.
Amanda Roley
Thank you so much for meeting with me and good luck on the election.
Natasha Hill
Thank you very much.
To watch the extended interview with Natasha Hill, use the player below:
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