Hurst wisely decides against running, says Rodney Tom will challenge Darcy Burner
State Representative Christopher Hurst, who has told the traditional media he has been mulling a campaign for the 8th Congressional District as a Democrat, today said he won't run, but is sure that Rodney Tom will, according to Seattle Times chief political reporter David Postman. Hurst was quoted as saying:
That's quite the insult. Darcy ran a formidable campaign in 2006 and had to contend with a massive Republican effort to trash, smear, and deflate her candidacy. Attack mailers, hundreds of thousands of phone calls, and TV ads, all chock full of lies. The GOP threw everything they could at her and barely squeaked out ahead in the end. The outcome was in doubt for days after Election Day.
But what does Hurst know? This is the same guy that thinks Tim Eyman's approach to taxes makes for great public policy. Earlier this year, Hurst tried to convince the House Democratic caucus to take up a bill he prime sponsored that aimed to reaffirm the draconian, poorly conceived limits imposed by Initiative 747, Eyman's 2001 moneymaking vehicle.
Fortunately, that did not happen, but it plainly illustrates that Hurst is at odds with the values of most Democrats. While Hurst has suggested that the party would have a better chance with a more biconceptual nominee, his main argument is apparently that Darcy already had her chance and couldn't pull it off.
So Hurst not only disavows core Democratic values, but he doesn't understand strategy either. As David Goldstein explains:
As for Rodney Tom, he is free to run if he wishes. He will discover that running for Congress is not the same as running for state legislature. He won't be able to defeat Darcy, but perhaps he will do her a favor in keeping her on top of her game.
"One of our very big concerns was I didn't want to run in a primary against Rodney and he didn't want a primary with me in it. We're both tenacious campaigners."And the implication is that Darcy is not? Hurst wouldn't mind a primary with Darcy - but Rodney is too much of a challenge?
That's quite the insult. Darcy ran a formidable campaign in 2006 and had to contend with a massive Republican effort to trash, smear, and deflate her candidacy. Attack mailers, hundreds of thousands of phone calls, and TV ads, all chock full of lies. The GOP threw everything they could at her and barely squeaked out ahead in the end. The outcome was in doubt for days after Election Day.
But what does Hurst know? This is the same guy that thinks Tim Eyman's approach to taxes makes for great public policy. Earlier this year, Hurst tried to convince the House Democratic caucus to take up a bill he prime sponsored that aimed to reaffirm the draconian, poorly conceived limits imposed by Initiative 747, Eyman's 2001 moneymaking vehicle.
Fortunately, that did not happen, but it plainly illustrates that Hurst is at odds with the values of most Democrats. While Hurst has suggested that the party would have a better chance with a more biconceptual nominee, his main argument is apparently that Darcy already had her chance and couldn't pull it off.
So Hurst not only disavows core Democratic values, but he doesn't understand strategy either. As David Goldstein explains:
Burner, like the other second-tier Democratic challengers, was a sacrificial lamb in a grand strategy in which all of the first-tier and most of the third-tier Democrats won. She played an instrumental role in the Democrats taking control of Congress, drawing heavy Republican fire in a district the R’s hadn’t planned on seriously defending.We're confident the 8th District is ready for an authentic progressive, and we know we have a stellar candidate in Darcy Burner - a smart, savvy campaigner who will stand up to the attacks from the right wing.
As for Rodney Tom, he is free to run if he wishes. He will discover that running for Congress is not the same as running for state legislature. He won't be able to defeat Darcy, but perhaps he will do her a favor in keeping her on top of her game.
