A political newcomer vying for a deep-red Washington congressional seat has big plans for the next wave of Republican lawmakers, even if he’s not one of them.
Corey Gibson, a marketing creative with Hollywood credentials, returned to his roots in Washington’s 4th Congressional District to run against Rep. Dan Newhouse, who was one of 10 House Republicans to vote for former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment in 2021. Gibson is facing a crowded field ahead of the open top-two primary on Aug. 2.
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“In this particular race, [the Republicans] would honestly vote the same. We’re all going to be more conservative than Dan Newhouse,” Gibson told the Washington Examiner. “The difference is, at this point in American history, we need fighters who can get in there and actually get the job done, not just have the intention of getting the job done.”
Gibson holds that he’s the best communicator in the race, and armed with America First messaging and a passion for the district’s agricultural backbone, he’s hoping to edge ahead of his competitors. But even if that isn’t to be, he’s still going to bring his brand to Congress through the America First “P.A.C.T.” (Protecting America’s Constitution and traditions).
Gibson started the America First P.A.C.T. as a way for conservative political outsiders and anti-establishment types to help each other on the campaign trail and eventually in elected positions. Twenty-three candidates have signed on during this campaign cycle, including top Arizona GOP Senate candidate Blake Masters, whose primary will also be decided Aug. 2. Gibson envisions it as a sort of “anti-Squad” of effective lawmakers committed to former President Donald Trump’s America First policies that can bring more to the table than good intentions.
“My hope is that this group of fighters will bring confidence back to America, and provide teeth to a party that has been ineffective in their battle to protect America’s Constitution and traditions,” Gibson said in a press release describing the mission.
Gibson has been building coalitions around important causes since he helped bring the concept of cause marketing into the entertainment industry. By combining charitable campaigns with for-profit endeavors, he worked in spheres ranging from education in the Galapagos Islands to the government of Uganda. He created and managed the television show Glee’s “Give a Note” campaign in 2011, which was an extremely successful marketing partnership between 21st Century Fox and the National Association for Music Education that granted $1 million to underserved school music programs.
Back in Washington, Gibson has turned his attention to fighting for the agricultural industry that supports much of the district’s base and ousting weak Republicans. Newhouse’s vote against Trump isn’t going to play well in the district, Gibson said.
“It’s definitely hurt him,” he said. “Honestly, the only reason why he is feeling fairly confident probably is because of how many people are running in the race. It’s a jungle primary. He knows we’re all going to divide up the votes, and he has the name recognition.”
Other than Newhouse, Gibson’s opponents include Trump-endorsed Loren Culp and former NASCAR driver Jerrod Sessler. If Gibson wins, he would be one of the few openly gay Republicans to have ever served in Congress, but he doesn’t make this a central point of his campaign.
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“I was raised to not judge a single person other than on the content of their character, and I don’t to this day. It’s just not necessary,” he said. “However, I haven’t got a clue what any letter means after ‘Q’ [in LGBTQ+].”
I’ve not made being gay a part of my campaign, but as a gay man I am absolutely sick and tired of the Left pushing their perverse, pedophile-friendly agenda as a “gay” agenda.
As a member of the “gay community” I wholeheartedly denounce their sham and more need to speak up! pic.twitter.com/RbGKgyUE3N
— Corey Gibson for Congress (@CoreyGibson) July 12, 2022
On the state of the country, Gibson says he’s optimistic that the trend toward cultural leftism can be reversed with a dedication to American exceptionalism and candidates who know how to communicate why America should be first.
“I have all these experiences about how to build coalitions, how to build alliances, how to share and create success for other people,” he said. “And I found that that’s really the secret to success — is by empowering other people to be successful. And that’s really what I want to focus on in Congress.”
