Reichert under 50%; Suzan DelBene easily coming in ahead of all other challengers
Full Disclosure: I am a supporter and volunteer for Suzan DelBene's campaign to replace Dave Reichert as U.S. Representative in WA-08.
Good evening from Renton! I'm stationed in Renton at Suzan DelBene's campaign headquarters. The big story of the night is that Dave Reichert is failing to capture more than fifty percent of the vote even though he spent more money and is the three term incumbent. Voters here are familiar with Reichert. But they're just getting to know Suzan DelBene, who started early and is easily finishing second despite having spent very little money on advertising.
Reichert's share of the vote in King County is only 47.35%, while in Pierce County, he is barely managing 50%. Reichert is actually receiving a smaller percentage of the vote than he did in 2008 and in 2006, despite this being a low-turnout election in a year when the conventional wisdom is that Democratic voters are disillusioned.
Although Suzan is only receiving 26.5% of the vote, she is happy because "we got to save our resources for the general election," as she put it.
DelBene was also not the first Democratic candidate on the ballot; that distinction belongs to Tom Cramer. He raised little money and did little serious campaigning, yet is pulling in around 10% of the vote. A slew of other candidates identifying with other parties — or no party — are running behind him.
It remains to be seen who will pick up their votes in the general election. Voters who feel dissatisfied with Reichert could potentially break strong for Suzan DelBene, but there's no guarantee of that.
Suzan and her team have chosen not to mimic what Darcy Burner did in the last two cycles (namely, going up on television before the August "primary") so as to have a bigger war chest going into the autumn.
So far, their strategy seems to be paying off. To defeat Reichert, they'll need to turn out every last reliably Democratic voter they can find.
In a close race, every little bit counts.
Good evening from Renton! I'm stationed in Renton at Suzan DelBene's campaign headquarters. The big story of the night is that Dave Reichert is failing to capture more than fifty percent of the vote even though he spent more money and is the three term incumbent. Voters here are familiar with Reichert. But they're just getting to know Suzan DelBene, who started early and is easily finishing second despite having spent very little money on advertising.
Reichert's share of the vote in King County is only 47.35%, while in Pierce County, he is barely managing 50%. Reichert is actually receiving a smaller percentage of the vote than he did in 2008 and in 2006, despite this being a low-turnout election in a year when the conventional wisdom is that Democratic voters are disillusioned.
Although Suzan is only receiving 26.5% of the vote, she is happy because "we got to save our resources for the general election," as she put it.
DelBene was also not the first Democratic candidate on the ballot; that distinction belongs to Tom Cramer. He raised little money and did little serious campaigning, yet is pulling in around 10% of the vote. A slew of other candidates identifying with other parties — or no party — are running behind him.
It remains to be seen who will pick up their votes in the general election. Voters who feel dissatisfied with Reichert could potentially break strong for Suzan DelBene, but there's no guarantee of that.
Suzan and her team have chosen not to mimic what Darcy Burner did in the last two cycles (namely, going up on television before the August "primary") so as to have a bigger war chest going into the autumn.
So far, their strategy seems to be paying off. To defeat Reichert, they'll need to turn out every last reliably Democratic voter they can find.
In a close race, every little bit counts.
# Posted by Daniel : 8:40 PM
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