Dave Reichert gives emotional interview to FOX 13, reveals why he’s running for governor

WENATCHEE, Wash. - After 14 years in Congress, Dave Reichert stepped away in 2019.

Reichert, the politician may have slowed down but not the person.

He’s spending a lot of time with his big family and works out every day.

For the past four years, he’s been out of the spotlight, living in Chelan, working in the private sector which includes time in Central America tackling human trafficking. He also had a stint pushing rapid DNA testing technology.

Now he is back and wants to be the next governor of Washington. 

>> RELATED: Dave Reichert announces his run for Washington governor

 FOX 13 sat down with Reichert on Friday, and we asked if it gives him any pause considering Washington has not had a Republican governor since the 80s.

Reichert acknowledged the challenge, but he also sees it as an opportunity.

"It’s to serve other people, and it’s not what government is doing anymore," Reichert said.

 He says many pleaded with him to run for years, but it was never the right time, the right political landscape.

But now he feels things are more favorable.

"First of all it’s an open seat, the issues that are really of concern today of most Washingtonians matches my resume," Reichert said.

At the top of that resume he says is his three decades in law enforcement. Reichert is calling for a renovation of the criminal justice system that he says is often too lax on violent behavior especially in the city of Seattle.

"The city to me, I now describe it as Gotham City," Reichert said.

According to WASPC, statewide, violent crime has never been this high and Washington still has the fewest officers per capita in the entire country.

"Washington state set a record we should be ashamed, we are dead last when it comes to the number of police officers serving," Reichert said.

He also says 50% of those cases are related or revolve around domestic violence.

For Reichert those crime statistics are personal, growing up in a poor and violent household. On Friday, Reichert fought back tears as he shared very personal details of his childhood.

"I was beaten, my mother was beaten, I had physical fights with my father that’s my personal experience, that’s why I am passionate about domestic violence," Reichert said.

He says it touches upon so many other issues like mental illness, drug abuse to child abuse.

Also as a cop, he faced a life and death situation when he responded to a domestic violence call. Reichert saved a woman's life by helping her escape a violent man.

 That perpetrator then attacked Reichert, slashing him multiple times. That assailant was arrested but the incident has left a permanent scar on Reichert's neck. 

His experiences both as a child and as a law enforcement officer have molded him into a protector of those who are vulnerable.

 That kind of motivation helped him take down the Green River serial killer when he was the King County Sheriff. It gained Reichert some fame.

"From the other side they will say when is he going to stop talking about Green River, I will tell you, you collect scores and scores and scores of dead bodies and tell me you’re not going to remember," Reichert said.

As a centrist in Congress, he proved he could work with democrats. As governor, he says he would collaborate to bring economic opportunities for Washingtonians and triage the homeless crisis.

"The idea is to find a facility that we could start to house a large number of the homeless," Reichert said.

He says the idea of McNeil Island has been floated around and he would consider the possibilities if it could be renovated into a place where people could get housing and treatment.

As soon as Reichert announced his run for, it took no time for his democratic candidates to come after him for his anti-abortion stance.

"I am pro-life I’ve never said anything other than that in my entire political career, with the exception of incest, rape and life of the mother," Reichert said.

But Reichert says he has no plans to change or ever go after Washington state law that protects the right to an abortion.

 FOX 13 asked what he would do if that state law were to ever change banning abortions.

Reichert says he would be opposed to lawmakers making that kind of decision.

"I would not sign it," Reichert said.

 Instead, he says he would turn to voters if it became necessary.

"I think for me as one person to make the decision, it’s not right," Reichert said.

As far as former president Trump is concerned, in 2016 Reichert did not support him and his sentiment has not changed for 2024.

"I had a very difficult time with the President who was not kind, who had things to say publicly about people, insulting people it’s not the example that I had hoped a president would show," Reichert said.

He doesn’t know who he will support for President, although he knows it is not Mr. Trump. 

One thing he knows for sure, he wants to provide a different voice and ideas for voters to hear during the campaign.   

"Buckle up, we are going to show the rest of the nation there is another way not a Democrat or Republican, let’s be Washingtonians," Reichert said.