In a year of intense interest in swing-district U.S. House elections, the contest for Florida’s 18th Congressional district is one of the country’s most closely watched.

The Democratic and Republican parties both have targeted the Palm Beach County-Treasure Coast district for millions of dollars in spending in November’s midterm elections. The Republican-held seat is key to the Dems’ hopes of regaining control of the House.

And the 18th is as unpredictable as it is pivotal. Less "swing" than "see-saw," it’s a district that has shown very little loyalty to any one party.

As to what matters within the district, the representative must give higher priority to the seemingly intractable issue of toxic blue-green algae blooms. Access to affordable health care should be a close second; about 74,000 residents would have lost such access had the GOP passed its health care reform bill.

The Post Editorial Board endorses Democrat Lauren Baer, 37, over Brian Mast, the Republican incumbent. Although Mast has come forward with proposed legislation in recent months on the toxic algae issue, it feels a bit late and falls a tad short in a GOP-controlled House.

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With the House likely flipping in November — and maybe even the Senate — Baer would be in a much better position to keep Congress’ attention on solving the issue. What’s more, she has made access to affordable health care a cornerstone of her campaign. She would be a reliable vote to protect essential Obamacare provisions such as pre-existing conditions.

Baer, a consultant with the Albright Stonebridge Group — a global strategic advisory and commercial diplomacy firm — has a law degree from Yale and spent six years as a U.S. State Department adviser in the Obama administration. She knows the value of compromise and laments how partisan divisiveness has stalled meaningful legislation in Congress.

"We’ve got to be willing to fight," she told the Editorial Board, "but we’ve also got to be willing to sit down at the table. Voters here know that Washington needs for that to happen to accomplish anything."

For example, she said more could have been done to prevent toxic algae blooms plaguing the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee river estuaries if there were less finger-pointing and more cooperation between state water managers and environmental officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

We agree. Voters in U.S. House District 18 should send another freshman to Washington. This time, one who speaks the language of diplomacy to get things done.

Read all of The Post’s endorsements online at www.MyPalmBeachPost.com/2018-endorsements.