Washington state megathread

[smoltchanov]

In addition to targeting GOP seats, Dems also need to run a strong primary challenger to Tim Sheldon.

In this case they risk to lose district to "real republican". Sheldon's district is far from being very liberal in it's nature..

It's already basically in GOP hands already. Dems have nothing to lose by targeting Sheldon.

You think there can't be a worse Republican then Sheldon? Not sure. I heard this said many times in the South about their conservative Democrats. History has shown that to be mostly false: Republicans, who replaced these conservative Democrats, turned to be not simply worse, but - much worse.

Some of them, yes, but the Cochran-Haslam establishment types are usually the most common and almost all of them are better than their racist Democratic predecessors. For example, even saying John Boozman is worse than, say, Dale Bumpers, is a big stretch for me.

And for me - unquestionably. Bumpers was a moderate liberal (position not far from my "slightly left of center"), Boozman - unoffensive, but solid conservative. I am not sure i would even prefer him over John McClellan or Ezekiel Gathings, both of whom were conservative, but cared about such parochial things as transportation and education. Many present day southern Republicans - don't.

[smoltchanov]

With Redmond and surrounding area giving Trump 21-24% it's amazing that Litzow surpassed 48%. I rooted for him (i usually root for moderate Republicans in blue states, where there are more then enough elected Democrats) and he has shown himself being very strong. But this was simply too much

[smoltchanov]

Any ideas of Hill replacement? I know about number of Democrats, who plan to run when it will become possible, but in this case Republicans are of bigger interest to me. And, given that Hill was one of the most moderate (at least - on social issues) Republicans in state Senate, a replacement must be of the same sort (if, of course, Republicas care about majority)

[smoltchanov]

Excellent result for Wyman: 7th and 9th are unwinnable for anyone with (R) label (be it the God Almighty himself), so - maximum of possible...

[smoltchanov]

Excellent result for Wyman: 7th and 9th are unwinnable for anyone with (R) label (be it the God Almighty himself), so - maximum of possible...

She also won every county except King, San Juan, and Jefferson.

Well, reasonable moderate can still be popular))). And, IIRC, she got more then 40% in King - by present standards an outstanding achievement (i know exactly 1 Republican who wins King countywide). But i doubt she will run for any other post. SoS is a good fit (as office) for her as it was for her predecessor (and mentor) Reed..

[smoltchanov]

Somewhat old news, but State Sen. Mark Miloscia recently took to Facebook (In a now-deleted post) to call Women's March protests "Ugly, unAmerican, and unChristian protest activities."

Miloscia is up for re-election in 2018, in a district that by my estimates Clinton got around 60% of the vote in, and one that just threw out the two moderate Republicans who represented the district in Olympia. Call it a hunch, but I don't think Miloscia survives the next midterm.

Using the term from Vietnam-war period - Miloscia always seemed to me to be "a hard hat-type Democrat", who marched in "patriotic marches" supporting the war in that time (building union members, and their likes). Essentially - he remains that way, despite changing "D" on "R" recently. So - not so big surprizes, he remains very "loyal" to power, very "patriotic" and so on.

[smoltchanov]

Somewhat old news, but State Sen. Mark Miloscia recently took to Facebook (In a now-deleted post) to call Women's March protests "Ugly, unAmerican, and unChristian protest activities."

Miloscia is up for re-election in 2018, in a district that by my estimates Clinton got around 60% of the vote in, and one that just threw out the two moderate Republicans who represented the district in Olympia. Call it a hunch, but I don't think Miloscia survives the next midterm.

Using the term from Vietnam-war period - Miloscia always seemed to me to be "a hard hat-type Democrat", who marched in "patriotic marches" supporting the war in that time (building union members, and their likes). Essentially - he remains that way, despite changing "D" on "R" recently. So - not so big surprizes, he remains very "loyal" to power, very "patriotic" and so on.

He's also a massive social conservative, which is what caused his party switch. (That and him being butthurt over not getting to be State Auditor).

Yeah, but there is another (and even more conservative) state Senator of this sort in Washington, who, by some reasons, prefers to stay Democrat (at least - nominally).....

[smoltchanov]

Honestly, what he does is just for power. By becoming that decisive vote, he's been able to have way more influence since, what 2010, than if he was some D-caucusing member.

Though that's going to end in 2018, I think. With both better than 50% odds of picking up Hill's vacant seat and Miloscia's. Does Sheldon switch parties?

Who knows? So far his main task was to get into "top 2". Then he can beat his Democratic opponent with Republican votes (if his opponent in General will be Democrat) or his Republican (and even more conservative) opponent (if he has one) with enough Democratic votes. So far it was a winning strategy...

[smoltchanov]

There's a decent candidate running against Seattle City Council President Tim Burgess in Washington Human Rights Commission Chair Charlene Strong. Strong's campaign statement says her campaign will focus on homelessness and small businesses.

Strong had previously made local headlines in 2006, when she was barred from entering a hospital after her long time domestic partner died in a flash flood in their Seattle home. The case lead to the creation of a statewide domestic partner registry.

She joins King County NAACP VP Sheley Secrest, labor advocate Teresa Mosqueda, and housing activist Jon Grant along with Burgess himself in the race.

Burgess is a reasonably liberal (but - pragmatic) Democrat, IIRC....

[smoltchanov]

There's a decent candidate running against Seattle City Council President Tim Burgess in Washington Human Rights Commission Chair Charlene Strong. Strong's campaign statement says her campaign will focus on homelessness and small businesses.

Strong had previously made local headlines in 2006, when she was barred from entering a hospital after her long time domestic partner died in a flash flood in their Seattle home. The case lead to the creation of a statewide domestic partner registry.

She joins King County NAACP VP Sheley Secrest, labor advocate Teresa Mosqueda, and housing activist Jon Grant along with Burgess himself in the race.

Burgess is a reasonably liberal (but - pragmatic) Democrat, IIRC....

He's a moderating force on the council. Which is good if you're not supportive of the Sawant/O'Brien wing of the council, and bad if you are.

Thaks! I understood. I know - it's all, but impossible, to be "too liberal" in Seattle, but i think some moderation may be useful...

[smoltchanov]

Englund is a decent recruit. Still think Dhingra has to be the favorite at this time

Interesting. Republican candidate in districts like this must be very moderate (on Litzow level, or even higher), at least on all social isuues, to simply have a reasonable chance... And even that (again - Litzow) may be not enough...

[smoltchanov]

Englund is a decent recruit. Still think Dhingra has to be the favorite at this time

Interesting. Republican candidate in districts like this must be very moderate (on Litzow level, or even higher), at least on all social isuues, to simply have a reasonable chance... And even that (again - Litzow) may be not enough...

My understanding is Englund is right of Litzow

Then her chances are not good...

[smoltchanov]

What do you think the general will look like?

About 55-45, IMHO

[smoltchanov]

^ So, "Commies" are the one, who win the elections in Seattle now?)))

[smoltchanov]

^ Is it not too boring when everyone and his/her grandfather is commited to (essentially) the same ideology? It doesn't matter whether it's far left or (as in some areas) - far right. Without diversity of ideologies politics becomes senseless, IMHO... It's like as it was in Russia under Soviet rule, when all, that existed, was "united block of Communists and non-party members" (under strong Communist dominance, of course).....

[smoltchanov]

^ Thanks to all! And still - while local issues are very important (in fact - the jmost important in our day-to-day life) i hold an opinion that near unanimity on most "global issues" (taxation, social issues and so on) is not so good. Even when these issues (i am a liberal on social one's too, though i am straight) are dear to my heart. IMHO- it's only slightly better then near-universal Bible-thumping socially conservative unanimity in many areas of the South and some - MidWest. I value and cherish diverity, and not only on local issues..... And when i see a situation when even most sane and reasonable representatives of a party can't get elected even locally (say, San Francisco or Marin county, California,  or Montgomery county, MD, which, until recently, supplied very reasonable Republicans to state legislature, and now doesn't has any even on local level, or East Texas (ancestrally Democratic area, where now even a dogcatcer is a Republican)) strictly because of "party label" - IMHO, it's not good...

Returning to Seattle - IIRC until early 90th (and for some short period in mid-90th) it had a Republican city councilman (Paul Kraabel), who was almost universaly praised by both Democrats and Republicans for his work. It's difficult to imagine it now, but i still hold an opinion that it could be useful...

[smoltchanov]

I wonder if Issaquah city councilor Tola Marts drops down to run in LD-5 if Mallet runs. Or perhaps he'd challenge Rodne or Graves anyway.

No one's mentioned her in the other thread, but popular LD-47 rep Pat Sullivan could make a run for it.
I'm really surprised that moderate (& young) Joe Fain isn't taking a stab at it. Maybe he thinks he wouldn't make it to the top two.

I think Fain wants Mark Schoesler's job, at least that's my suspicion. Especially now that he's the last Bold Moderate Eastside Republican^TM that's left.

No one else left? Even in Bellevue, Redmond and Mercer Island councils?

[smoltchanov]

^ I know all those persons)) That's why i asked about members of city councils, which i couldn't know. Like John Chelminiak (Bellevue)... Probably - there are others too. And i am not so sure that Reagan Dunn will neccessarily lose WA-08 too...

[smoltchanov]

Well, thanks! Still i believe the district will be very competitive next year, and that Republicans will have good candidate too. We shall see...

[smoltchanov]

Very sad the Republican won the Seattle Mayor's race but other than that a good night.

One must be mentally er-r-r..... peculiar person to call Durkan a Republican)))))

[smoltchanov]

How is Legislative recruiting coming along? Filing deadline is fairly soon yeah?

May 18th, IIRC....

[smoltchanov]

Polarization: a map

(I’m a bit concerned about the 19th in 2020 tbh)

With Hill dead and Fain losing - no Republican from King county at all? Sad. I was never fond about one party dictatorships.

[smoltchanov]

Not quite, LD-31 is half in rural southern King, and a sliver of LD-39 takes the village of Skykomish in the rural north (though that's actually the most D part of that district).

Thanks. King county supplied good moderate Republicans in the past (Litzow, Hill, Fain, and before - there were even reasonable Republican members of Seattle city council), the last being David Satterberg, so (pure IMHO, of course) it wouldn't be bad for this tradition to continue...

[smoltchanov]

Those moderate Repubs did themselves no favors by joining EWA conservatives in their various escapades, though, and forgetting often that they represented King County and not Moses Lake

Well, i still like Litzow and Hill (slightly less - Fain). And absolutely opposed to 1-party rule everywhere, Democratic as well as Republican.

[smoltchanov]

Those moderate Repubs did themselves no favors by joining EWA conservatives in their various escapades, though, and forgetting often that they represented King County and not Moses Lake

Well, i still like Litzow and Hill (slightly less - Fain). And absolutely opposed to 1-party rule everywhere, Democratic as well as Republican.

I liked Litzow just fine, he seemed like a good man, but you gotta vote your district before you can vote your party

Sure. District rules))) But, IIRC, Litzow was at least slightly left-of-center. May be with time that became too little for his district..