Letter: Johnson and Shimada support Navy

Remind the Politicians OLF Coupeville is Necessary

Editor,

As your regular readers have probably suspected, I lean Democratic and, for many reasons, appreciate the service of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. But this is not a time to put the party label ahead of the heroes of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. This is a time to put country first over party.

Sound familiar? Good.

Because it’s time for Dave Reichert for Governor and Pete Serrano for Attorney General. We do not need a Governor who has gone to Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve (COER) rallies, nor an Attorney General helping COER with “lawfare” against the U.S. Navy, and a Governor whose election will at best send mixed messages to the Pentagon.

COER’s antics have once again caused a khaki election. America needs Island County commissioners who have a proven track record of supporting our troops and are ready, aye, ready for what’s next. So I endorse Jill Johnson and Maria Shimada, who have stood up for OLF Coupeville, the “Greatest Setting for Field Carrier Landing Practice” to return home our nation’s airborne electronic attack heroes.

Too many politicians in their insulated lives forget field carrier landing practice is a primary duty for safety that requires access to OLF Coupeville. We civilians, able to enjoy America, have a duty, honor, and responsibility to every military family making sacrifices to remind the politicians of that fact at the ballot box.

Joe A. Kunzler

Skagit County