Our local Representative Dan Newhouse just showed us who he stands with — and it’s not with the working rural people he represents.

Rep. Newhouse and a narrow majority in Congress chose to side with greedy billionaires by voting to gut Medicaid, food stamps, and other public programs we’ve paid into and earned, and give a massive tax break to the richest people in the country. Whether you rely on Medicaid, work for a medical center now at risk of closing, or simply care about rural people having healthcare they can rely on — Newhouse’s decision affects us all.

This is a tough loss, betrayal hurts. But we are so proud of how rural Washington showed up in this fight.

Over the last month, our people sent letters to Representative Newhouse each week telling him to stop cuts to Medicaid.

People across Yakima, the Tri-Cities, Okanogan, East Wenatchee, and beyond stood up to say: we won’t be ignored. We showed up in community meetings, at the doors, and in local media – calling out the broken stories that too often divide rural people and demanding NO CUTS to public programs we depend on.

Rural people know what it means to fight for what’s ours. We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again – because this government should work for working people, not just those at the top.

This isn’t just about one vote – it’s about building something bigger, which means the fight isn’t over. From fighting off harmful ballot initiatives to running for local office, we’re growing a political home for working people in every small town and county in this district. We’re not just making demands – we’re organizing to make it real. We may have lost this fight, for now, but there’s more to come.

Moments like this remind us that we can’t always count on our current leaders in Congress – and change starts in our neighborhoods. Local elections are coming up, and the leaders we choose directly affect the housing, schools, fair taxes, and good paying jobs we need. These local leaders matter, and they often move on to become our next state representatives, federal senators, and governors. If we want someone who will fight for us in Congress someday, we need to start local today.

• Stay informed – Turn up the volume and share this email with 5 friends, bring more people into this fight for a better future.
• Check your voter registration – Make sure you’re ready to vote by the Aug. 5 primary and the Nov. 4 general election.
• Share your voice – Talk with friends and family about local elections coming up this year and why they matter.

Rural People’s Voice will keep showing up with real opportunities for our communities to stay informed, be engaged and act together. We’ll continue to fight back on these cuts to Medicaid and other vital programs. And we’ll keep working to build leaders who will represent everyday rural people like us.

P.S. RPV wrote about how Medicaid cuts affect rural working families in the Wenatchee World, the Omak Chronicle, and  the Methow Valley News – check it out here.