Offering frequent news and analysis from the majestic Evergreen State and beyond, The Cascadia Advocate is the Northwest Progressive Institute's unconventional perspective on world, national, and local politics.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels in danger of becoming the next Paul Schell

Is Greg Nickels going to make it through the 2009 primary election?

Several months ago, that question might have seemed a bit silly. Certainly, Seattleites are unhappy with Nickels (that's what evidence suggests), and the idea that he might not get the most votes in the primary wasn't farfetched, but surely he wouldn't be eliminated like Paul Schell was in 2001, right?

Well, it looks like he might be.

As of the first returns tonight, Nickels is running slightly behind the two men who have emerged in recent weeks as his biggest rivals and critics: T-Mobile executive Joe Mallahan and former Sierra Club leader Mike McGinn.

Both have waged fierce anti-Nickels campaigns. Nickels could still make it through, but the numbers simply do not look good for him.

Mike McGinn: 16,810 votes (26.56%)
Joe Mallahan: 16,334 (25.81%)
Greg Nickels: 15,859 (25.05%)

City Councilmember Jan Drago, who several established political observers had confidently predicted would make it through the primary with Nickels, couldn't even surpass former Sonics basketball player James Donaldson, proving that name ID isn't everything. (He has about ten percent of the vote; she's got less than eight).

In City Council races, Sally Bagshaw and David Bloom are the apparent finalists for Position 4, while Mike O'Brien and Robert Rosencrantz are the finalists for Position 8. Incumbent Nick Licata will face Jessie Israel as expected.

Seattle voters, sadly, are also voting to reject the bag fee by a lopsided margin. Just another outcome purchased by oil industry marketing dollars.

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