Would Reichert run for governor?
Just noticed this fine article by Brad Shannon yesterday in The Olympian about the Dino Rossi non-campaign. Plenty to mull over, but I'll chooses this tidbit:
This is why Darcy Burner did all Democrats such a service in 2006. Despite all the bluster, the Reichert people have to know they are in for another hot race. There is, in fact, precedent for a Republican member of Congress deciding to run state-wide the cycle after a razor-thin victory.
It happened in 1998, when Linda Smith, then the GOP WA-03 congresswoman, decided she would take on Patty Murray instead of facing Brian Baird again.
Murray is still in the Senate, Baird is still in Congress, and Smith is long out of politics. So at first blush, I say "Run, Dave, run (for governor!)"
Everywhere we can oppose Republican enablers, we should. The fifty state strategy means Democratic voters can be mobilized in districts where they would otherwise have no hope of voting out Republican incumbents.
There's also this bit of spin from a Republican spokesmodel:
Of course Republicans in the state want an anti-government mood. Trouble is, everyone knows how badly the GOP has messed up at the federal level, and the Republican "brand" is severely tarnished.
If Republicans had been responsible at the state level over the years, and not insisted on trying to destroy state and local government, people might believe them. But they weren't, and a lot of Washingtonians have caught on to the scam.
The problem with being against government as a reason for being in politics is that eventually it becomes a psychotic form of self-hate for conservatives. Someone has to um, fix the bridges, you know.
If I'm hiring someone to work on my car I don't necessarily want to hire a mechanic who hates auto repair.
Some speculation is that if Rossi says no, 8th District U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert could drop his re-election campaign and go for governor. But state party chairman Luke Esser said there is no chance of that — and Rossi is the one horse in the barn.That would be a hoot, if Reichert ran state-wide.
“There is no doubt it would be a scramble, which kind of motivates me and everyone at the state party to do everything we can to get the party in shape and get Dino to say yes,” Esser said Friday.
This is why Darcy Burner did all Democrats such a service in 2006. Despite all the bluster, the Reichert people have to know they are in for another hot race. There is, in fact, precedent for a Republican member of Congress deciding to run state-wide the cycle after a razor-thin victory.
It happened in 1998, when Linda Smith, then the GOP WA-03 congresswoman, decided she would take on Patty Murray instead of facing Brian Baird again.
Murray is still in the Senate, Baird is still in Congress, and Smith is long out of politics. So at first blush, I say "Run, Dave, run (for governor!)"
Everywhere we can oppose Republican enablers, we should. The fifty state strategy means Democratic voters can be mobilized in districts where they would otherwise have no hope of voting out Republican incumbents.
There's also this bit of spin from a Republican spokesmodel:
Josh Kahn, spokesman for the state GOP, insisted there is a public mood shifting against government. And that helps Republicans who are suddenly in the minority in both Washingtons.Yeah, um, okay, Josh, whatever you say.
He said that mood caused national Democrats to tout the good job they think Congress is now doing on passing a minimum wage boost, voting to expand health care coverage to lower-income children, and challenging President Bush on Iraq.
“There is a mood for change out there that is not influenced by the strength of the economy,” Kahn insisted. “The Democrats are definitely seeing polling numbers right now, and if they were good numbers you would be hearing about them.”
Of course Republicans in the state want an anti-government mood. Trouble is, everyone knows how badly the GOP has messed up at the federal level, and the Republican "brand" is severely tarnished.
If Republicans had been responsible at the state level over the years, and not insisted on trying to destroy state and local government, people might believe them. But they weren't, and a lot of Washingtonians have caught on to the scam.
The problem with being against government as a reason for being in politics is that eventually it becomes a psychotic form of self-hate for conservatives. Someone has to um, fix the bridges, you know.
If I'm hiring someone to work on my car I don't necessarily want to hire a mechanic who hates auto repair.
