McMorris Rodgers email asks whether U.S. should commit combat troops to fight ISIS

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers is polling supporters this morning via email on whether they want to see American troops committed to “defeat and destroy” militants from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. In an email, the congresswoman notes that the president will address the nation tonight about the threat posed by ISIS and asks, “What do you hope to hear from President Obama tonight?” There are three options in the electronic poll: 1. “America must put forth an effective strategy to defeat and destroy ISIS, so long as we do NOT commit American combat troops.” 2. “America must put forth an effective strategy to defeat and destroy ISIS, even if it means committing American combat troops.” 3. “ISIS is not a threat to America.” McMorris Rodgers says in the email, “it is crucial we defeat ISIS and other terrorist groups that pose grave threats to our nation and our allies,” and faults the Obama administration for its “mixed messages.” She notes that national security committees in the House of Representatives are holding hearings on the rise of ISIS to help forge “a viable path forward in defeating ISIS and those who threaten the American people.” Her November election opponent, democrat Joe Pakootas, called the email a “push poll.” “I, along with the American public, anxiously await the President’s briefing tonight on the next phase of this conflict,” he said in a press statement. “On behalf of the country, I call upon my opponent to work against yesterday’s threat by the GOP to shut down the government by attaching a ‘poison pill’ to the continuing resolution and, as the fourth ranking Republican, be the strong and unwavering leader and the voice of reason.” Top lawmakers were sifting through options Wednesday as Obama amped up the pressure for authority to train and equip Syrian rebels battling forces seeking creation of an Islamic State. Eli Zupnick, a spokesman for Sen. Patty Murray, said the state’s senior senator is waiting to see what the president says tonight and for the details of a classified briefing Thursday. “She has not embraced boots on the ground,” he said. “What she’s said is its clear ISIS is a dangerous terrorist organization… and they need to be stopped.” Murray voted against the resolution to go to war with Iraq in 2003. Despite a personal plea by the president in a White House meeting on Tuesday, House GOP leaders denied the request to add the authority to help Syrian rebels to a must-do spending bill. But vote on the spending measure, originally scheduled for Thursday, could be postponed until next week. The uncertainty came as administration officials worked to win the support of reluctant lawmakers in the hours before Obama was delivering a nationally television speech to the nation laying out his strategy for combating Islamic State militant group. The option of adding the help for Syrian rebels to the spending measure was at least being held open in advance of Obama’s speech and a meeting scheduled for Thursday among House Republicans. Another option gaining traction was to advance stand-alone legislation to meet the administration request. Obama’s speech was seen as crucial to swaying uncertain lawmakers.