Sessler outlines plans for 4th District, if elected

MOSES LAKE — As the race for Washington's 4th Congressional District wraps up, with five days left to vote, candidate Jarrod Sessler is running against Republican incumbent Dan Newhouse for the seat.  

Sessler emphasized the need for clarity and communication with constituents as a top priority if elected to office. 

“I think giving some stability to our district, so that the people know that they're actually represented, is very important to me, and that's going to happen in the form of communication,” Sessler said. “The people are going to have a very clear path for being able to communicate with me, and they'll have a structured support system to be able to request help with issues that are going on within the district.” 

During the first 90 days, if elected, he said he wants to secure the border, organize a strong team to support him; organize a bill regarding artificial intelligence; and free individuals imprisoned in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol protests, whom he called “political prisoners.”  

“It's a complete violation to our First Amendment,” Sessler said. “So, we need to get those people free. We need to get the Jan. 6 political prisoners freed.” 

Sessler said he was at the Capitol on Jan. 6; however, he believes the incident was a setup.  

“Their intent was obviously to cover up an illegitimate (election) and then to divert attention towards this so-called insurrection, to discredit President (Donald)Trump and his supporters, which is exactly what they did,” Sessler said. “And for the most part, they were successful with it.” 

Sessler said he believes Joe Biden did not win the 2020 presidential election. 

“It was totally illegitimate,” Sessler said. “There was just a lot of nefarious stuff going on that we all saw, these hockey stick results. Seven states stopped counting or something like that. And they come back online a few hours later, and all the counts magically jump up just enough. Why was it? Why did the election end up being so close in all those states? Well, because they put in just enough ballots to get just ahead of where President Trump was.” 

However, according to the U.S. Embassy Joe Biden won the 2020 election with both Congress and former Vice-President Mike Pence certifying the results. Multiple other sources, including Secretaries of State across the U.S. have stood behind the results of that election as well. 

“The elections on Nov. 3, 2020, was the most secure in American history,” reads a joint statement from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council, and the Election Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Council. “There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised … we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections.” 

Central to Sessler’s campaign is a commitment to supporting President Trump’s policies, particularly regarding immigration.  

“Securing the border is absolutely vital for the safety and security of the American people,” he asserted.  

He anticipates that the consequences of current border policies will become evident following the election, emphasizing a need for a more secure national border to protect American citizens. 

Newhouse, Sessler’s opponent in the race, agrees with Sessler to an extent and has previously told the Columbia Basin Herald that border security is vital to protecting the U.S. from dangers such as fentanyl. 

However, when asked how he would work with Vice President Kamala Harris if she makes it to the Oval Office after next week’s election, he said the only way Kamala Harris could win the election is if there was a lack of election integrity.  

“You look at the national polls and President Trump is just wildly ahead, and so there has to be some nefarious actions in order for him not to win,” Sessler said. “I would also say that there's a reason why they have tried to assassinate him multiple times: he is what the American people want.” 

However, according to the Associated Press, there are seven main battleground states, where a difference of around 20,000 votes could flip the electoral college. Those states include Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin and Nevada. 

Polling does not indicate a clear leader in the race with 270towin.com, a website that tracks the status of the Presidential race, showing Harris ahead in polling by about 1.2% nationally, though Trump leads in multiple states with Trump in the lead in North Carolina by about 1.1% in recent polling. Most national polling indicates a close race with the two candidates within 3% of one another. 

A fundamental aspect of Sessler’s agenda includes the regulation of artificial intelligence.  

“One of the first bills that I plan to introduce is related to artificial intelligence, artificial general intelligence, and artificial super intelligence, and ensuring that companies that build AI are required to make sure that human life is held preeminent,” Sessler said.  

He said he wants to call for measures to ensure AI technologies never harm human life, reflecting broader concerns about the impact of technology on society. 

On the personal front, Sessler cited his call to service as a driving force in his candidacy.  

“I believe this is what God’s called me to do,” Sessler said.  

He believes his military background and life experiences have uniquely prepared him to serve the constituents of the Fourth District.  

“The primary driving factor for me running is 1.2 million veterans who have lost their lives to ensure that we have the freedom and liberty that we enjoy,” Sessler said.  

Addressing pressing national issues such as school safety and LGBTQ+ rights, Sessler maintained a strong stance against government intervention.  

He suggested that allowing teachers to carry firearms could deter potential school shootings. 

“I think it's a really good idea for teachers to be allowed to carry firearms if they choose to,” Sessler said. “Number one, I carry a gun every day. I'm trained. I've spent hours practicing, and most gun owners are the same way. Number two ... there was a school shooting, and the shooter actually changed schools and went to a different school because he found out that there was some kind of an armed guard that was on campus at the other school. I think that is a deterrent, and it's one that we ought to use.” 

He further noted that the decline of moral values is a key contributor to rising violence in schools. 

Regarding policies associated wtih LGBTQ+ people, Sessler said he has more important things to prioritize. 

“I don't have anything to say about it,” he said. “They're just American people, and I support the American people, and I don't think the government should be involved in either protecting, defending or negating any of those rights. It's a complete overreach. It's something I feel like we shouldn’t waste our time talking about.” 

With less than a week left to vote in both local and federal elections, Sessler wants to remind people to vote and use their voice to elect their preferred candidates.  

The Columbia Basin Herald has reached out to Newhouse’s campaign to schedule an interview posing similar questions but has not heard back yet.