The resounding laughter from her audience masked a very real bind for the five-term lawmaker. Moderate and publicity-deflecting by nature, Herrera Beutler is an outlier in a party dominated by a president whose combative style and divisive policies have alienated Hispanics and suburban women. For that very reason, Herrera Beutler’s profile — female, Hispanic and one of a dwindling number of Republican representatives from the West Coast — makes her a precious asset for the GOP, which has seen its female ranks in the House slashed by almost half since 2011. She is such a rare specimen within her caucus that party leadership has essentially given her permission to diverge where necessary from the party line. That explains why, less than a week after the roundtable, Herrera Beutler co-sponsored The Helping MOMS Act, a bipartisan bill that would encourage states to extend coverage for new moms by increasing the share of Medicaid funding paid for by the federal government. The Trump administration is receptive, she said, adding with understatement, it will be “a little bit of a road.”

As she gears up for another reelection battle, Herrera Beutler is confronting the political challenges of being a kind of Republican who doesn’t always match neatly with her party. She’s facing the same opponent — and two other Democratic hopefuls — who came within 5 percentage points of unseating her in 2018. And Democrats, who note with relish that her margin of victory has shrunk by roughly 18 points over the past two cycles, have already established a ground game in her district. The Cook Political Report rates the district as likely Republican for 2020, but some consider her race the most competitive west of Texas.

Republicans say they are committed to protecting her; conservative groups dedicated to electing women and the National Republican Congressional Committee are rallying around her already. There is also pressure for her to take a more prominent role in party messaging, which would raise her profile and could draw more women of color into the party at a time when suburban educated women are fleeing the GOP in droves.

“My goal is not to be (Trump’s) foil, but it’s not to be his loyal servant.” Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler

But as the daily war machine hits overdrive with the impeachment proceedings, Herrera Beutler is wary of what message she is expected to deliver. Yes, she voted against the impeachment inquiry in October, but she is far from an unquestioning supporter of President Donald Trump. In fact, she is open about the fact she wrote in former House Speaker Paul Ryan's name on her ballot in 2016. And yes, she subscribes to the party’s beliefs on Obamacare repeal and a barrier on the southern border. But she voted against the GOP’s health care bill to replace much of Obamacare, which would have left millions uncovered. And she was one of 13 Republicans who rebuked Trump for his national wall emergency, saying it set a “dangerous” precedent to circumvent Congress. Matt Gaetz, she is not.

Herrera Beutler’s district, a mix of rural and urban communities nestled between Seattle and Portland, went for Trump by almost 8 points in 2016. Since then, there’s been an influx of newer and younger families and with it a rising disapproval of Trump in parts — though not all — of the 85 percent white district. Herrera Beutler says she is “open to supporting” Trump out of deference to voters’ preferences. But she is reluctant to do anything that might risk damaging a brand she has built over the past decade as the kind of bipartisan deal-maker that has almost been expunged from the GOP since Trump took office. Accordingly, the congresswoman scheduled policy-only events during her early November recess — addressing issues like veterans benefits, timber revenue and maternal mortality.

“My goal is not to be (Trump’s) foil, but it’s not to be his loyal servant,” Herrera Beutler told POLITICO Magazine. “To the degree that he is serving the people I represent, I’m there, I’m with him. To the degree that there’s a problem, I’ll oppose him.”



