Dino Rossi losing in all the key swing counties
For months, Dino Rossi's campaign has been banking on a strong showing in today's primary election, with the hope of building momentum to use against Governor Chris Gregoire in the fall. Because primary elections tend to be low-turnout affairs with conservative voters comprising a higher percentage of the participating electorate, they tend to favor Republican candidates.
But if tonight's county-by-county results are any indication, Dino Rossi is in trouble...big trouble. Not only is Rossi losing big in King County, the state's most powerful Democratic stronghold, he's behind in key swing counties like Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, Clark, Whatcom, Kitsap, Island, Thurston, and Skagit.
Those swing counties - many of them in the Interstate 5 corridor - are where the people are (see map below), and Gregoire currently has the edge in all of them. And with more Democratic voters expected to participate in the November general election, Gregoire should be able to rack up an even more impressive victory.
Rossi is also losing Jefferson, Mason, Pacific, San Juan, and Grays Harbor, which all supported Chris Gregoire in 2004.
[CORRECTION: The initial version of this post incorrectly asserted that Rossi "should be winning" the above-mentioned counties, failing to note that Gregoire won across most of southwest Washington in 2004. The point I wanted to make is that Rossi is underperforming in rural counties that he won big last time around, while Gregoire's support has hardly diminished at all.]
Gregoire's strong showing across Western coastal counties is indisputable evidence that the Democratic Party has broad statewide appeal.
Earlier in the week, Rossi was faring surprisingly poorly in counties such as Asotin and Whitman. Although he is currently ahead in both, Gregoire has managed to keep the race closer than expected in counties Rossi should be winning easily.
[Updated August 22nd to reflect the latest returns].
But if tonight's county-by-county results are any indication, Dino Rossi is in trouble...big trouble. Not only is Rossi losing big in King County, the state's most powerful Democratic stronghold, he's behind in key swing counties like Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, Clark, Whatcom, Kitsap, Island, Thurston, and Skagit.
Those swing counties - many of them in the Interstate 5 corridor - are where the people are (see map below), and Gregoire currently has the edge in all of them. And with more Democratic voters expected to participate in the November general election, Gregoire should be able to rack up an even more impressive victory.
Rossi is also losing Jefferson, Mason, Pacific, San Juan, and Grays Harbor, which all supported Chris Gregoire in 2004.
[CORRECTION: The initial version of this post incorrectly asserted that Rossi "should be winning" the above-mentioned counties, failing to note that Gregoire won across most of southwest Washington in 2004. The point I wanted to make is that Rossi is underperforming in rural counties that he won big last time around, while Gregoire's support has hardly diminished at all.]
Gregoire's strong showing across Western coastal counties is indisputable evidence that the Democratic Party has broad statewide appeal.
Earlier in the week, Rossi was faring surprisingly poorly in counties such as Asotin and Whitman. Although he is currently ahead in both, Gregoire has managed to keep the race closer than expected in counties Rossi should be winning easily.
[Updated August 22nd to reflect the latest returns].
# Posted by Andrew : 9:49 PM
Comments:
This is beautiful! I couldn't get any picture like this from the news driving in (local NPR affiliate) nor from the newspaper early returns & I haven't watched tv since the 1991 Gulf War and don't intend to. Thanks! Very nice work.
A correction, Andrew, Grays Harbor and Pacific counties are not Rossi should be leading. Rossi lost both of these counties in 2004 as well.
Are you aware that Grays Harbor County does not one Republican in elected office representing it at any level?
All county elected officials are Democrats. In fact, we haven't elected a Republican for county commissioner since the 1930s.
All of our nine state legislators from the 19th, 24th, and 35th LDs are Democrats.
Pacific County has just as strong of a Democratic slant. Jefferson County has a strong Democratic slant as well.
Granted, Grays Harbor and Pacific counties have a lot of labor Democrats who aren't necessarily liberal/progressive, but that doesn't mean Rossi should win here.
In fact, primary results so that a greater number of Grays Harbor voters support Gregoire this time around than last time.
It seems to be a common mistake for those in the urban core to consider Grays Harbor a Republican leaning area. You couldn't be more wrong.
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