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.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Suzan DelBene seems set as presumptive Democratic nominee for WA-08

One year after launching her campaign to unseat Dave Reichert in Washington's 8th Congressional District, Suzan DelBene seems to have the Democratic nomination - and the other spot on the general election ballot - all but locked up. Her campaign announced today it had secured the endorsements of Chris Gregoire, Jay Inslee, Rick Larsen, Jim McDermott, and Adam Smith.

DelBene, who began campaigning a year ago, has been fundraising at an aggressive pace, traveling throughout the district, and introducing herself to the Democratic Party's grassroots. (Those efforts seem to be paying off; she recently gained the endorsements of the 2nd and 47th Legislative District Democrats.)

Although Democratic and Republican voters will not be officially choosing nominees in this August's primary (no thanks to Sam Reed, Rob McKenna, and The Grange for doing all they possibly could to deprive Democratic and Republican voters of their First Amendment rights), it seems very likely that DelBene and Reichert will emerge as the winners.

However, there are other candidates running. One is tea partier Ernest Huber who is running on a "conservative" platform advocating a military coup against President Obama and claims that, if elected, he "will move to abolish the EPA and all Departments of Ecology." Uh huh. Another contender is Tom Cramer, a perennial candidate for office who identifies as a Democrat. His campaign has been virtually nonexistent; he barely has a web presence.

Reichert, of course, is the odds-on favorite to get the most votes in the primary. He was first elected in 2004 and narrowly beat Darcy Burner in 2006 and 2008. We at NPI keep track of his important votes at the Reichert Report. He is an atypical Republican, only breaking ranks to offer lukewarm support for environmental legislation now and again, with the blessing of his party leaders.

Reichert's opposition to the stimulus and healthcare reform are among DelBene's primary criticisms of him, and they have undoubedtly helped her secure endorsements from prominent Democrats, who are not finding Reichert to be much of a partner in the other Washington. In a statement to NPI, about her endorsements, DelBene noted:
Creating jobs, promoting innovation, and delivering affordable healthcare must be our priorities. These endorsements stand as a reflection of a shared vision for our future and are an important step forward for my campaign.

I welcome the opportunity to work with these leaders to tackle the many challenges we face. They are some of the most dedicated elected officials we have, representing voters from across the state, and I'm extremely grateful for their support.
The DelBene team is gaining momentum and working on voter outreach. By locking up the endorsements of key members in the Washington State Democratic Party, DelBene has solidified her position as the candidate most likely to appear opposite Reichert on the general election ballot this November.

Comments:

Blogger Martha Koester said...

I'm worried about whether she will be a sufficiently aggressive campaigner. When Reichert makes a big deal of her poor voting record, will she wilt or fight back?

January 15, 2010 3:00 AM  

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