WA-Gov: Grudge Match

If there's any governor's mansion in the country the Republicans want to gain in November, it's Washington's. This year's race is a rematch of 2004, with poor loser Dino Rossi trying to capitalize on the sour grapes the state and national Republicans still feel over their 133 vote loss that came after three vote tallies and a failed Republican court challenge. That election was also probably the reason for the firing of USA John McKay, who refused to open a federal criminal investigation into voter fraud allegations.

So there's a lot at stake for Republicans in this. And it's not looking too good for Rossi at the moment. On the heels of reports that she doubled Rossi's fundraising in April, raising well over a million dollars (1.3m) to his $641K, comes some very encouraging polling from Rasmussen.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Washington voters shows Gregoire leading her Republican challenger, Dino Rossi, by eleven percentage points. It’s Gregoire 52% Rossi 41%.

In late March, Gregoire was up by just a statistically insignificant single percentage point. In February, Rossi had a one point advantage. Four years ago, the 2004 election between the same two candidates was one of the closest elections in the state’s history.

Gregoire is supported by 86% of Democrats and has a has a nine-point lead among unaffiliated voters. Both those figures reflect significant improvement for Gregoire since March. Rossi earns the vote from 88% of Republicans, up slightly from 85% in the previous poll. The incumbent Democrat now leads among both men and women.

One of the factors behind Gregoire's surge is that she's finally able to campaign and fundraise after the "session freeze" which prevents Washington lawmakers from fundraising during the legilslative session. The freeze allowed Rossi to amass $2.7 whlie she was stymied, but given her totals for April, and her polling, she should have no problems on the money front. Another factor to consider is Obama's eleven point lead in the state over McCain.  

The Republicans are going to be hell-bent in getting revenge on Gregoire this year, and shouldn't be taken lightly. But it's definitely going to be an uphill battle for them.

Race tracker wiki: WA-Gov

•  And the double-coattails should help Darcy Burner

  not that she needs it, I think she'd take Reichart this time anyway.  She rocks.  

  by bosdcla14 on Fri May 16, 2008 at 05:58:54 PM PDT

  •  Gregoire is our girl! n/t

    by doctorgirl on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:13:18 PM PDT

    •  One Worry

      I've heard here in Seattle that the Repubs are looking to fund the Greens to try and pull votes... unfortunately we've already seen that the Greens tend to love to playing spoiler and helping the Republicans like this.

      by denniswine on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:21:31 PM PDT

      •  Maybe

        but they don't have a lot of money to throw around.

        by mcjoan on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:26:11 PM PDT

        •  Actually - I think the GOP

          pretty much have told the states not to expect any money --

          but that they are on their own!!

          What happened to all their lobbyist friends??

          by sara seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:23:39 PM PDT

      •  That's just another indication of the sorry state

        of the GOP.  They can't run on the issues, they can't field credible candidates, and they can't raise money. All they have left is to hope someone else can attract enough votes to put a dent in the Democratic landslide that's going to sweep the country in November.

        And make no mistake.  It's going to be a landslide!

        by rontun on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:40:21 PM PDT

        •  You forget one thing they still have.......

          Slime. Lot's and lot's of slime. Bucketfulls.

          by eastvan on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:33:42 PM PDT

          •  and Dino is the slime-master

            i cant stand him...

            by fireflynw on Fri May 16, 2008 at 08:57:06 PM PDT

        •  The surge of "new" democrats

          is the best blessing to come out of this protracted and hard fought primary season.

          Democratic ideals have always been more popular, so republicans have depended on apathy, suppression, and outright lying to remain viable.

          What a novel idea - run on the truth, advocate genuine change, fund with popular support.  No wonder so many many of our friends are still afraid to believe.  It has never happened before, it will take time to build.  

          But just imagine the wave of change coming!

          by jarotra on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:43:13 PM PDT

      •  the Libertarians in 2004 were helping the GOP

        I read an interview with Jeanette Bennett, their candidate for governor, who got over 2 per cent of the vote. Can't find it online now. She said their goal was to take votes away from the Democrats, because there were more people in the Republican party who were sympathetic to the Libertarian POV.

        Here she's not quite as upfront about it, in this Seattle PI article I just read, but their new wrinkle that year was running as the pro-gay marriage option:

        "The purpose of my campaign was just to disprove this myth that only conservatives, Republicans, will vote for a Libertarian candidate," she said. "I wanted to show that if we have the right candidates and the right issues, we will attract votes from people who consider themselves liberals and Democrats."

        Bennett and Richard Shepard, the state Libertarian Party's attorney, said she did best in Democrat-leaning counties in which Gregoire did best.

        "She ran a decidedly left-leaning campaign, and she focused on civil rights instead of taxes," Shepard said. "Conservatives usually focus on taxes. She focused on gay marriage, and the only place she took an ad out was in the Seattle Gay News."

        Libertarians May Have Helped Rossi, Experts Agree Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Dec 14, 2004

        by josecheung on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:55:52 PM PDT

        •  The LP did well with Democrats or potential

          Dems back in the early days of the LP - basically the 1970s.  Scoop Jackson and his kin were part of the reason, a lot of Democrats were Cold Warrior and not that interested in individual liberties; but were good at promoting large government run projects.

          The Democrats are a little better this season, but I suspect there's a few races where a LP candidate could peel off a few votes from the D column, and the Greens a few more.

          by wondering if on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:24:02 PM PDT

      •  There's a Green candidate for Gov petition

        to get him on the ballot.  A lot of liberal/progressives I know are pushing that "just to let him be one the ballot..."  Potentially dangerous, because so many people get swayed by some event near election time, and "vote against" a candidate to show displeasure.

        by wondering if on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:33:55 PM PDT

        •  won't be on the ballot

          Thanks to the atrocity that is the "top two" primary, the only candidates on the 2008 November ballot will be Gregoire and Rossi.

          Unless the absurd primary system can be overturned, no minor party candidate will ever again appear on the ballot for a statewide position.

          by N in Seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 08:49:55 PM PDT

          •  won't make me sad in this case n/t

            by wondering if on Fri May 16, 2008 at 10:20:55 PM PDT

        •  It's indicative

          that Gregoire's support in Seattle and the neighborhood is weak, in part due to her squishiness on key environmental issues such as last November's failed Prop 1 roads-and-transits measure (she supported it), replacings the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a new highway (she supported it and now has apparently changed her mind), and massively expanding the gravel mine on Maury Island (she has not taken a stand on it, but her administration refuses to help block it).  She should bone up on her green (small-g) credentials to prevent a challenge from a Green (big-g) candidate.

          by lorax on Fri May 16, 2008 at 11:39:00 PM PDT

    •  My "Hypoc-Rossi" Bumper Sticker

      pissed a lot of people off outside of Seattle

      Probably no very productive, but can't say it wasn't Cathartic given the shitty election that was 2004

      by clone12 on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:45:52 PM PDT

    •  Good old Dino......

      Thought he got the message last time around. He is fast turning into Washingtons very own Jim Olberwies. In what is shaping up to be a pretty blue year I feel the only mark Rossi will make will be the same as the last time he did this..... a whole pile of Rossi signs, curling with age and fading, cluttering eastern Washington's landscape and roads. 'Later Dino....

      by eastvan on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:31:34 PM PDT

  •  The basis of Obama's coattails in Washington

    Obama is viewed favorably by 57% of voters statewide, unchanged from the previous survey. McCain now earns positive reviews from 49%, down seven points from 56% in late March.
    Rasmussen Reports

    McCain's coattails in Washington are shrinking.

    by Lefty Coaster on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:30:05 PM PDT

    •  McCain's coattails look like anchors in WA

      The Seattle Times noted that Dino was "conspicuously absent" from McCain's public events this week -- although the slimy little creep did show up at a private fundraiser to grovel and beg. Dino has obviously polled and knows that McCain will drag him down like an anchor.

      by sja on Fri May 16, 2008 at 09:49:42 PM PDT

      •  Good point

        by Lefty Coaster on Sat May 17, 2008 at 11:37:43 AM PDT

  •  Considering she lost in 2006...

    ...she absolutely will need the "double coattails."  I wish a better candidate were running...
    I know a lot of kos people love her...but she has absolutely no experience...and I don't mean what the Republicans (and Hillary Clinton) are saying about Obama, I mean no experience.
    Why do I seem to be the only person who who questions this candidate?

    by cardboardurinal on Sat May 17, 2008 at 11:19:42 AM PDT

•  Darn

  I was hoping Tim Eyman would be the Republican candidate this time and leave them with an 80-20% loss. ;)

  by canyonrat on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:00:40 PM PDT

  •  Oh dear God

    What shell game does he have in the works now?

    by Vita Brevis on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:08:29 PM PDT

    •  Sorry

      That was just for lulz and I couldn't resist wishing for another fringe candidate ;)  Didn't John Carlson run for governor at one point?

      by canyonrat on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:29:05 PM PDT

      •  yes, vs. Gary Locke in 2000

        Carlson lost, 40/60.

        Wiki page on 2000 gubernatorial races

        by josecheung on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:01:54 PM PDT

•  Dino needs to go back to doing

  what he knows best - being a slumlord.

  by TheLoneliestMonk on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:01:26 PM PDT

•  Same candidates, ten point swing.

  Let's hope it's that big nationally.

  by joe from Lowell on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:02:13 PM PDT

•  If I was Rossi's campaign manager I would have

  told him wait until 2012. Gregoire could campaign wearing USC Trojan gear, being drunk as a skunk and quoting Lenin 24/7 and still will smoke Rossi. Republicans have nothing to offer.

  by Mr Stagger Lee on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:03:34 PM PDT

  •  asdf

    quoting Lenin 24/7

    But only while standing next to his statue in Fremont, right?

    by TFinSF on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:26:44 PM PDT

•  I had

  an interesting talk/argument with a friend of mine today. He said he voted for Rossi, even tho  my friend is a liberal. He did this because a "friend" of his, who worked with Gregoire in the past, said that Gregoire was a "B----". That is all he needed to hear, because this was a trusted friend.

  He is voting for Gregoire this time around. He said he was wrong and that she has also done a good job.

  Washington Woman

  EENR

  by kevin22262 on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:03:41 PM PDT

  •  She's been an excellent administrator

    She's not the greatest campaigner and Rossi is very affable. I don't want to be complacent about this one, but I feel pretty good about it.

    by mcjoan on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:20:09 PM PDT

    •  I totally

      agree!

      Washington Woman

      EENR

      by kevin22262 on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:21:45 PM PDT

  •  Good God - some people are wimps

    Yes - Gregoire is one tough cookie -- good for her.

    That is the same kind of toughness that helped her and her fellow lawyers win over the Tobacco companies in their epic lawsuit

    yes its true -- Gregoire smoked them

    and will do the same with Rossi

    Tell your friend good to know that he can now see things a little better -- facts are a wonderful thing =)

    by sara seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:28:01 PM PDT

    •  and he

      has been a liberal all his life. He is 60+

      Washington Woman

      EENR

      by kevin22262 on Fri May 16, 2008 at 08:05:25 PM PDT

•  I think she owes it all

  to her willingness to engage here on dKos.

  by Tomsank on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:05:23 PM PDT

  •  =) - you are kidding - right?

    Did you see how some visitors from Redstate and FreeRepublic slammed her here the other day??

    by sara seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:32:34 PM PDT

    •  I am kidding but

      I also thanked her that day for coming and said that she couldn't expect a shiny sticker from us just for showing up. I both defender her in her role as official cheerleader for the state of WA and agreed with those who had probs w/ Boeing and corrupt military procuration in general.

      Didn't notice visitors from RedState et al...

      I kind of try t0 only come here in my spare time...

      by Tomsank on Fri May 16, 2008 at 08:46:23 PM PDT

•  The only way Rossi sees the Gov's mansion

  is on the public tour. WA will be a beautiful shade of blue in November which I hope includes Darcy Burner who has a real shot at flipping the 8th Congressional district ( the one where McCain held his $33K per person fundraiser the other day ).

  by Vita Brevis on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:07:41 PM PDT

  •  Has anyone seen the list of attendees at this

    fundraiser??

    Would be nice to see who felt inclined to shell out that money for a lost cause.

    by sara seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:29:28 PM PDT

•  McJoan Can I ask an off topic question?

  by woodstock007 on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:09:50 PM PDT

  •  Not in my threads.

    Heh.

    There's an open thread a little bit below this post.

    by mcjoan on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:20:41 PM PDT

•  Rossi says McCain is "my guy"

  However, the rest of Washington State recalls that Rossi's 'guy' cost us billions of dollars in the air tanker contract that Airbus won.

  Fat chance Rossi. Try again in 2012, or better yet never!

  by BZishi on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:12:21 PM PDT

  •  another Rossi endorsee in the news

    Seattle University Professor Charged in Sex Sting Ran for Office in '06

    from today's Seattle Times. Andrew Franz, who teaches military science at Seattle University (a Jesuit school), was busted when he flew to Colorado to meet a 13 yr old girl he'd propositioned online, who turned out to be an undercover cop. A couple of years ago, he was a Rep. candidate for state rep from the 47th WA district, southeast of Seattle. From the article:

    Franz doorbelled for Rossi in 2004. When Franz ran for the Legislature, Rossi contributed to his campaign. So did former Governor John Spellman and former Seattle mayor Wes Uhlman, and both the Eastside Republicans of King County and the King County Republican Central Committee.

    Franz lost to the Democratic incumbent from Covington, Rep. Pat Sullivan, with 41 percent of the vote. But Franz's potential as a candidate seemed to be established at least until he was arrested a week ago, not long after arriving in Denver.

    by josecheung on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:39:37 PM PDT

•  I think...

  ...his transportation plan pissed a lot of his potential voters off (mere speculation on my part).  See Goldy's Post For More.

  Eastside voters (major suburbs of Seattle) are starting realize that more lanes and no public transportation is not a pretty future.  Rural voters in Western Washington and the entire Eastern Washington portion of the state could care less about (though they should) congestion in the Puget Sound region.  Through his support for the Seattle Waterfront Tunnel, he probably lost at least 3% of all his voters right there.

  by WhiteCenterLib on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:19:53 PM PDT

  •  She stumbled on the original

    viaduct plan. Pissed off a lot of Seattlites by refusing to consider a surface option. But everyone seems to have gotten over that. I wouldn't judge a WA state candidate on their transit plan. No matter what plan anyone ever comes up with, it's never going to be implemented anyway.

    I'm really glad we didn't have some crazy primary challenger, and that we're not going to get another 3rd party spoiler. The Libertarian candidate last time took quite a chunk of the LGBT vote that would have otherwise gone to her.

    by mcjoan on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:24:16 PM PDT

    •  No One in "Rossi Country"...

      ...cares about her transit plan.

      I live in eastern Washington and I know...no one over here cares about anything that resembles a transit plan.

      by InquisitiveRaven on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:41:30 PM PDT

      •  I mean

        who do they think they are, trying to get us out of our cars!  The horror!

        by spookthesunset on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:44:40 PM PDT

        •  I Drive 90 Miles Round Trip to Work!

          The joys of working at Hanford...

          by InquisitiveRaven on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:46:51 PM PDT

          •  Work in the 100 area, do you?

            Gotta love heading out to the N reactor site at 6 AM in fall, when the elk are playing hide n' seek on the road . . .

            by rodentrancher on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:31:49 PM PDT

            •  Naw, 200 East...

              ...but oh, well.  I live in Kennewick, so I deserve it.  ;)

              I just wasn't "pale"enough to live in Richland.  :D

              by InquisitiveRaven on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:33:59 PM PDT

              •  Ahh, gotcha . . .

                Only been here a year, still learning about the area.  Kinda wish we'd bought in Kennewick, more shopping and nice places to eat there.  

                Ended up in West Richland. The shorter commute is nice, but if we had it to do over again . . .

                by rodentrancher on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:42:41 PM PDT

                •  I Live Right Down Town...

                  ...in an older neighborhood with big trees and narrow streets.  We love it.  

                  I'm celebrating my 15th year at Tank Farms and not ashamed to say I enjoy every minute!  :D

                  by InquisitiveRaven on Fri May 16, 2008 at 08:35:45 PM PDT

    •  I've forgotten about....

      ....Gregoire's push on the elevated viaduct alternative, good point.

      I do think the current polling is somewhat affected by his release of his transit 'plan'.  It came out in early/mid April.  Nothing much has happened in this race since the last Rasmussen poll (in March a statistical tie) and now.

      His transit plan was almost universally panned and was overtly pandering as it was pie-in-the-sky.  I think a lot of his potential voters got a whiff of the shill he really is.

      Since I'm operating under the assumption that Rossi doesn't care much about issues (personally) and if this was his/campaign's stab and successful pandering, then his incompetence is approaching Bush's level in my opinion.

      by WhiteCenterLib on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:46:51 PM PDT

    •  I think she wins more points

      by simply having a plan than she loses.

      by chuckvw on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:46:41 PM PDT

    •  Being MIA

      on the Maury Island gravel mine issue hasn't helped either.

      by lorax on Fri May 16, 2008 at 11:41:09 PM PDT

•  Dino can join the DINOsaur Republicans

  looking for new jobs once he loses, AGAIN.

  by Shane Hensinger on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:25:15 PM PDT

•  I've given up trying to understand WA politics

  or voters since they're both INSANE (in a passive-aggressive can't fucking make up their mind about anything sort of way). But I just don't see Rossi winning this unless he comes up with verified photos of Gregoire and Jane Fonda handing over a nuke to Bin Laden while burning an American flag and stomping all over a bible at a pro-illegal immigration/anti-NRA rally.

  Or if she proposes raising property and espresso drink taxes to pay for a viaduct replacement. That would unite the whole state against her and assure Rossi of a win, trust me.

  by kovie on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:29:04 PM PDT

  •  Even in Seattle I've yet to see one

    pro-illegal immigration/anti-NRA rally.

    Both sure, but none with a combo theame.

    by Lefty Coaster on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:35:12 PM PDT

    •  Thus he's DOOMED!

      by kovie on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:37:08 PM PDT

  •  As a Washington Voter...

    ...I am not insane.

    But really, thanks for the input.

    by InquisitiveRaven on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:39:46 PM PDT

    •  neither am I

      but damn does it feel like our state is insane some times.  I think we are at some kind of threshold where it is a 50/50 split between rural and urban voters.  Doesn't help that Seattle is going through puberty and many of us feel kind of awkward right now.

      by spookthesunset on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:41:48 PM PDT

      •  I Am Sane...

        ...I left Western Washington for Eastern Washington while Seattle was still "liveable."  ;)

        by InquisitiveRaven on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:47:41 PM PDT

        •  It is more livable now than ever

          For as much shit as Nichols gets from The Stranger, this City badly needed a mayor that told everybody to fuck off and die.  We spend far to much time thinking about things and far too little actually doing things. I mean, if the stranger had it's way, I dont think we'd have a streetcar (which, granted, is basically a starter kit).  They'd have held the fucking thing up for five years because stupid bikers might get caught in the grooves of the track and die or something.

          We vote for light rail, and then we bitch when the mayor wants to increase the density around the light rail stops.  They rally behind public transit, and bitch because their shitty single story bar up here on capitol hill gets torn down for "evil corporate developers who will destroy the soul of capitol hill".  And heaven forbid the mayor allows the hight limit on Broadway to go up a WHOLE STORY from five stories to SIX.  Broadway might turn into a "caynon" like "belltown".  Hey guys!  Guess what!  We just put a light rail that can move like 20,000 people a day.  In order to get a return on that 4 billion dollar investment, you kinda gotta develop the area around it, you thing?

          Arg....  Left leaning people can do so much harm to their cause and not even realize it.  This primary election, despite all the ups and downs, isn't nearly as frustrating as Seattle, and Washington politics.

          by spookthesunset on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:55:48 PM PDT

          •  As an, um, cyclist (bikers ride Harleys)

            I resemble that. But your larger point echoes mine, that voters here want change but without having to, oh, change. They want rapid transit, a viaduct replacement, a new 520 bridge, bike lanes, etc., but without having to pay for or be in any way, shape or form inconvenienced by it. Still being a relative newbie here (6 years tomorrow, in fact), I'm not sure why this is so. But I imagine that it's some combination of northern European neurosis and locals being slow to emerge from decades of living in an idyllic company town where pretty much everything was taken care of and there were few changes to have to accomodate. There's a childish quality to many locals that I find amusing and bizarre, a provincialism that does not deal well with outsiders or change (but I don't hear anyone complaining about the regional prosperity and rising real estate values that have brought all this change!).

            They'll get over it eventually. Sometime around 2072, I predict.

            by kovie on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:02:59 PM PDT

            •  Not a diss to cyclists

              My lady takes her bike to work every day.  But you and I both have to admit there is a good swath of "idiot bike riders".  And if we didn't have an asshole for a mayor, those idiots (or some other block of idiots) would have drown out streetcars, or anything else that might get in the way of perpetuating their idiocy.  When we all voted on the light rail 10 or so years ago, many people sued the shit out of Sound Transit because Sound Transit was "racist" for not doing cut & cover down MLK.  Why racist?  Because us "rich folk on capitol hill" would get ours bored 200 feed below and it was all communist plot against the poor.  Never mind the fact that MLK has the geography to do an at-grade track.  Never mind the fact that cut & cover would have added another 500 million or so to the cost.  It was racist (but I will argue short sighted).  So instead of building transit, we should whine about disenfranchisement for 5 years instead.

              Also, Paul Allen is clearly a corporate whore.  How dare he develop South Lake union.  Tearing down single story, family owned used car lots and family owned parking lots for rich-people bio-tech.  How dare he!

              Some times I wonder why people even bother to try making Seattle better...  The only thing, politically, that we do a really good job with is building roads.

              by spookthesunset on Sat May 17, 2008 at 08:28:14 AM PDT

              •  I will never truly "get" Seattle

                since I'm not from here originally and it's not the sort of place that opens its heart and soul to you. What I do sense is a sense of territoriality and entitlement and NIMBYism, and extreme resistance to change or decisiveness, that nevertheless doesn't stop people from complaining about the very things that these traits make it hard to properly address. E.g. people hate the traffic, but don't want light rail, a monorail, or commuter rail. There's a weird and I think unwarranted sense of being different from and better than other cities, whose citizens have sold out to the system and are thus less pure, or something. I can sort of understand this, as it's a very beautiful city in many ways--get out of downtown and it's like the world's biggest small town, and of course the incredible views. But the number of people and businesses here absolutely demands a modern transportation infrastructure that local seem unable or unwilling to support or make up their minds about. It's enough to make you want to go back to where you came from (NYC in my case). And yet, it has this special allure that makes it hard to do that. A truly special AND infuriating place. Like life, I guess.

                Btw, I personally can't complain about cycling conditions, since the roads and trails that I use are just fine (well, they could get rid of those bumps on the Burke-Gilman and make those bugs go away in summer, and pave over the final stretch of the Interurban trail south of 110th). But I can see where people who commute downtown might want to see improvements. And the new 520 will absolutely need a bike lane. But since making anything like that happen here would tax even Obama's political skills, I'll leave it to others to do that. I.e. all those crazy locals who have the patience. :-)

                by kovie on Sat May 17, 2008 at 11:17:41 AM PDT

                •  no bike lane, sorry

                  Because whatever bike lane is planned will either not be big enough or uses expansion joints that might cause somebody to crash.  Plus, it might make it cost a hundred million more and bums might use it, which would piss off the people who live by the arboretum.  And shouldn't bikers have to pay tolls too?  Can we open the bike lane after 5pm to car traffic?

                  I think the problem is Seattle is geographically isolated.  We are too far from other cities of any significant size.  Not enough cross pollination.

                  by spookthesunset on Sat May 17, 2008 at 11:55:35 AM PDT

                  •  I agree with your last point

                    I can only wonder how nutty Alaskans are, for the same reasons. As for bike lanes on 520, cute. I understand that it's actually going to have them, no?

                    by kovie on Sat May 17, 2008 at 11:58:00 AM PDT

                    •  I would imagine so

                      While I am lazy (what the fuck am I doing here typing this, look outside!), I suspect we have a state law that might require such things.

                      I was going to mention, if you really want to get scared, look at the soundoff at the Seattle PI.  That is what is wrong with this city.  Fucking old grandpas who are pissed because we aren't some small town anymore.

                      Very frustrating, but then you get days like today :-)

                      by spookthesunset on Sat May 17, 2008 at 12:00:41 PM PDT

                    •  oh, and the real 520 debate

                      Is if the state will be forward thinking and make it light-rail compatible.  

                      I90 is, theoretically, light-rail compatible and has been tested before that last transit measure on the ballot to, in reality, be light-rail compatible.

                      According to some, by the way, light rail isn't "proven".  I mean, what it we built it and nobody came (or tore down our shitty single story bars).

                      by spookthesunset on Sat May 17, 2008 at 12:02:27 PM PDT

                      •  Being from NYC

                        the argument that, um, rail transit doesn't work isn't going to win me over. NYC literally would not be possible without it. And yet, anyone who's lived there can attest that neighborhoods still feel very real and genuine and even small-townish. This isn't about being against light rail so much as being against change, inconvenience and risk. It's a very change, inconvenience and risk-averse culture here that I will never get. I think that you hit the nail on the head wrt its being so isolated. I've met many locals here who've never really been that far away and have a very provincial and entitled view of things. To them, the Seattle of old was perfect (and in certain ways it was and is), and they shouldn't have to change it. Which, of course, is impossible given the city's rapid expansion, and which they try to deny or ignore. Very infantile.

                        To their credit, though, not all change or development is good, and I respect efforts to oppose cookie-cutter development that doesn't take local needs, traditions and people into account. Robert Moses did a huge amount of damage to NYC by ignoring such factors, and hopefully we've figured out a way to find a middle ground between total preservation and reckless development. But rail transit has to be a part of that.

                        And yes, I agree, we need to get out right now and enjoy this glorious weather while it lasts! What the hell are we doing stuck indoors?!?

                        by kovie on Sat May 17, 2008 at 12:18:45 PM PDT

                        •  And that is the kicker

                          Seattle is a great place to live and thus everybody wants to live here.  People can either live in the city or move to the (iky) suburbs.  But you cannot stop growth.  Move to the suburbs and you can kiss everything good about this area goodbye.  Witness the sprawl along hwy410 (crystal mountain / enumscratch).

                          I agree 100% with your assesment of not all development is good.  The city needs a better design review system like in Vancouver that is legally binding (if this would be possible under our state law).  In Vancouver, if the city/citizens don't like your plan, they can stop your development.  Here, as long as it falls within zoning, the design review is pretty much advisory only.

                          What I dont like is people bitching about any kind of development.  I dont like the "all the new development is for the rich" arguments.  The market here can only bear so much luxury development, and soon enough well get more affordable developments.  

                          I will fight over shitty building design with poor pedestrian interaction.  The most important part of any good urban design is what happens at pedestrian level and Seattle seems to be slowly learning this.  Developers here still build some pretty shitty designs, but on the whole things are getting better.

                          by spookthesunset on Sat May 17, 2008 at 12:26:46 PM PDT

                          •  I finally got out today

                            for a bike ride, of course. :-) And looking around, I found little to object to in the various development projects I saw underway. People are moving here from all over, and the area is becoming richer, so natually it needs lots of development. The streets could do with some repaving, I wouldn't mind a bit more variety and creativity in some of the big multiunits going up, and the city badly needs more distinctive architecture outside the downtown area to give it a 21st century feel--more aqua-colored glass and steel, less plastic siding and faux brick. But on the whole it seems to me that the city is maturing nicely, and if locals don't like it, then they need to offer viable alternatives, not merely criticize what's going on.

                            You can tell that I'm not from around here, no? ;-)

                            by kovie on Sun May 18, 2008 at 12:42:32 AM PDT

•  I hope

  she kicks his ass by 50,000 this time.

  by Sassy on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:33:11 PM PDT

  •  Either that - or we'll just keep

    counting till we get it right

    Worked like a charm last time -- and for damn sure Gregoire is NEVER going to roll over and play dead she will fight to the end -

    and she will win...

    by sara seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:38:23 PM PDT

•  133 vote loss

  And "Torture-is-Okay" Scalia tells us to get over a 500+ vote "loss" in Florida that led directly to the deaths of over 7,000 Americans, the deaths of tens of thousands of Iraqi's, the waste of a trillion dollars, the loss of the prestige of the USA in the world and the destruction of our constitution.

  You know what I say to the Republicans in Washington..."get over it".

  by JanF on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:35:51 PM PDT

•  What about other

  statewide offices like Sec of State and Attorney General?

  by oceanstar17 on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:40:17 PM PDT

  •  unfortunately, the GOP incumbents...

    ...will almost certainly win SoS and AG.

    At this time, no Democrat has even formed a committee or collected a dime to run against SoS Sam Reed.  It must be said that Reed is an old-fashioned Republican, and was eminently fair throughout the 2004 recounts and court case.  However, he's also the leading light behind Washington's nostalgia for the unconstitutional blanket primary and the reprehensible current "top two" primary.

    AG Rob McKenna, who's actually more dangerous than Rossi because he's smart, does have an opponent in outgoing Pierce County Executive John Ladenberg, but there's a huge disparity in name recognition and money.

    The statewide race where we do have a chance to beat a Republican incumbent is Commissioner of Public Lands, where 2006 WA-05 Congressional candidate Peter Goldmark is really an ideal candidate -- rancher and biologist.  He seems vastly more enthusiastic about this race than he was while running for the House.

    by N in Seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 08:45:30 PM PDT

    •  McKenna is a future threat, maybe even nationally

      Rob McKenna is a skillful and articulate politician who knows how to sound like a relatively sane and reasonable Reep in the Seattle-Tacoma 'burbs and exburbs where statewide elections are usually won. If he starts making the moves towards running against Patty Murray in '10, or for Gov in '12, we need to take it very seriously and kick his ass back to Bellevue.  

      by AmbientBuzz on Fri May 16, 2008 at 10:32:16 PM PDT

      •  Ladenberg for WA AG

        I'm remiss in posting that and linking to John Landenberg's campaign for Attorney General.
        http://www.ladenburg.org/

        As N says, Ladenberg trails in name ID and money, but as a former Pierce county prosecutor and county executive he could give McKenna some well deserved brain pain -- with our support. I'll contribute tonight.

        by AmbientBuzz on Fri May 16, 2008 at 10:44:57 PM PDT

      •  agreed 100%

        McKenna is definitely on the rise, and his ceiling is quite high.  You hit it right on the head -- he must be stopped before he gets much more visibility.

        I hope the Democratic tsunami can sweep along Ladenberg, but Washingtonians are well known for ticket-splitting in strange ways.  

        by N in Seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 11:15:09 PM PDT

•  Dear Republicans,

  Please do everything you can to defeat Gregoire, because every dollar you spend will be a dollar wasted. Washington is Obama country and his coattails will mean that Rossi could spend a billion dollars and still lose.

  by FrostyKotex on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:49:07 PM PDT

•  Happy To Know The Gregoire Supports Obama

  Unlike Washington two DINOs in the senate, patty murrar and maria cantwell who still insist on supporting hillary clinton.

  by kerplunk on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:51:09 PM PDT

  •  Stop calling them DINOs

    that is silly

    Cantwell has already said that she will vote with the delegate leader.

    and so will the other WA democrats -- so instead of being divisive

    how about start getting ready to have a united Democratic party  -- it is really not that difficult - honestly =)

    by sara seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:41:05 PM PDT

    •  They may not be DINOS

      but I find them both disappointing, just the same.

      by fireflynw on Fri May 16, 2008 at 09:07:23 PM PDT

      •  I agree with your there

        it would be nice if they changed now - especially because Washington state went so heavily for Obama.

        But I have no doubt that they will do it soon.

        by sara seattle on Sat May 17, 2008 at 10:09:59 AM PDT

        •  My dream

          is that they become LEADERS...I want to see their names on bills, I want to see their names on TV fighting for something. Murray should become VERY visible as she fights for veterans. Im so tired of them being "followers" on the big issues instead of standing up and being heard.

          by fireflynw on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:06:13 PM PDT

•  Dino Rossi was hoping to glom onto

  the anger over the Sonics possibly leaving to Oklahoma
  City, but not many are losing sleep on that issue.

  by Mr Stagger Lee on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:54:45 PM PDT

  •  I was just about to mention this ...

    There are going to be a lot of first time voters for Rossi from basketball fans that perceive her as dropping the ball and allowing our only championship sports franchise be stolen by Oklahoma carpetbaggers.

    It's a fair perception too, since the proposal was on the table a few weeks before the end of legislative session and she could have called an emergency session.  The offer was sweet too, where private investors would have footed  3/4 of the bill.  How much sweeter of a deal could one ask for?  All that was being asked for is that the current  tax on rental cars and motels in the downtown area that is at present funding Qwest be extended to 2016.

    It really pissed me off it didn't get done to the point where I've seriously considered voting for Rossi.  I don't believe he would have let that happen, seeing as to how he's an owner of a sports franchise et al.  

    by Ydef on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:06:22 PM PDT

    •  Washington state is like 48th for spending

      on schools and education

      So NO - another sports-arena is not up there on the list of spending.

      And if you sportsguys wants more arenas -- take up a collection =)

      by sara seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:31:25 PM PDT

      •  You see, I believe it's uninformed people on the

        issue like you that are contributing to misinformation and your willful ignorance of great importance to us democratic sports fans, and it certainly will drive some to vote for Rossi.

        I will try to clarify it for you.

        THE PUBLIC MONEY SPENT WOULD NOT BE THERE OTHERWISE TO SPEND ON EDUCATION OR ANY OTHER CAUSES THE STATE NEEDS TO ADDRESS.  WHY IS THAT SO DIFFICULT TO GRASP!?!

        There is a specific tax on hotel/motels and car rentals in the downtown proximity of the stadiums that is currently in place to fund Qwest that is soon to expire.  The proposal was to extend it to 2016 to pay for 1/4 of the total cost.  This is the most innocuous tax hit that Washington taxpayers have since it primarily affects out of towners, and one more time in case you didn't understand, the tax money would NOT BE THERE OTHERWISE!!!

        Plus, you don't seem to grasp the hit on the local economy that a loss of a major sports franchise has.  The loss in revenues will be a major hit for local businesses in the area, driving some out of business altogether.  These are businesses THAT PAY TAXES THAT COULD GO TO ASSISTING IN FUNDING EDUCATION that our do nothing democratic majorities and governor seem incapable of addressing.  

        So don't blame us sports fans for Washington being 48th for spending on schools and education.  Instead, you would be far more productive directing the ire in your bleeding heart at all the rampant state corruption that our local democratic leaders don't seem to care about.

        by Ydef on Mon May 19, 2008 at 06:53:32 AM PDT

    •  I took too long writing up my bit

      It's down below.  I kind of summarized the whole situation regarding the Sonics possible move, how Bennett is kind of sleazy, etc.  For what it's worth, I'm a Lakers fan who lives in the Portland area, but I definitely side with the people of Seattle on this one.  Feel free to correct anything I got wrong.

      by dbfactor on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:42:20 PM PDT

    •  nope

      Voters in and around Seattle gave a collective yawn, along with Seattle's overwhelming vote against letting rich guys take money from us to support their hobbies.

      by N in Seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 08:53:03 PM PDT

    •  you would seriously vote for Rossi

      over the Sonics??

      Oh my god

      by fireflynw on Fri May 16, 2008 at 09:08:56 PM PDT

      •  Jaw-droppingly stupid isn't it? n/t

        by bythesea on Sat May 17, 2008 at 02:40:17 AM PDT

        •  YES!

          I will admit not being a Sonics fan, but come ON!! The damage this man could do is breathtaking, AND there is absolutely NOTHING to prove that he gives a rat's ass about keeping them in Seattle.

          by fireflynw on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:07:58 PM PDT

          •  Nothing to prove? Now you're talking out of your

            ass.  Other than that he is a rabid seattle sports fan, owns a sports franchise, and has been very public in his support to keep our oldest professional team that has provided the city with the only championship it's ever had.

            No proof that he gives a rat's ass huh?  So are you trying to imply that he's using a public facade of concern for political purposes even though he's been a franchise owner longer than he's been in politics and a sports fan all his life?  Or are you just demonstrating willful ignorance to support your stance?

            by Ydef on Mon May 19, 2008 at 07:05:59 AM PDT

      •  Not just me hon ...

        Visit any of the sonics forums hosted by the local newspapers and you find legions of fans that have never voted for a republican in their life that now will because he would be a governor that cares about an issue that is very dear to them.

        by Ydef on Mon May 19, 2008 at 07:09:15 AM PDT

•  We Wuz Cheated!

  I got the impression that he saw how outraged Dems were over FL 2000 and wanted to use the 2004 election here to garner that kind of "unified" Republican support, plus enough independents to make things close.

  The Republican brand is so toxic in WA I can't see him winning at this point.

  by newdem1960 on Fri May 16, 2008 at 06:59:52 PM PDT

•  She's done a good job, and I'm RARELY ++

  about any prominent Dems.

  I don't think she's gonna run the same crap crap crap campaign she ran last time ---

  HOPEFULLY she's NOT going to hire outta the local pool of dishrag consultants who've been pissing their pants since 1994 or before.

  For all the money they make, you think they could come up with better naratives for the Dems than

  'we better not do anything, or the thugs will lie and then we'll lose!'

  rmm.

  by seabos84 on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:03:37 PM PDT

  •  hey seabos

    You feeling OK?  I get a bit worried when you're not totally reaming out our politicians.  :-)

    She won't run anything like the mealy-mouthed campaign of 2004, if only because she'll have the likes of Goldy and Andrew and the rest of the WA blogosphere publicizing how smarmy and slimy and crooked Rossi is.

    by N in Seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 08:59:18 PM PDT

•  Won't even be close.

  Three reasons:

  1. Last time Gregoire suffered from a lot of should-have-been Democratic voters who voted for somebody else, maybe because Gregoire wasn't exciting enough, or liberal enough, or whatever. I know lots of people who did that, and I assure you, none of them will be that frivolous this time.

  2. During the recount, Gregoire was totally consistent the entire time: Count all the votes. Rossi acted like you would expect a sleazebag to act: He wanted something different every day, depending on what he thought would be best for him. I think a lot of independents were turned off by his recount act. In the first election, he tried to seem "independent" and not a RW robot, but that's a lot harder sell now.

  3. It's a Democratic year. Democrats are energized; Republicans are discouraged.

  by PhilK on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:17:43 PM PDT

  •  4. Gregoire's campaign in 2004 allowed

    Dino define himself as a moderate Republican. Hopefully, her campaign people learned from that mistake.

    by sja on Fri May 16, 2008 at 09:37:36 PM PDT

•  She Needs Mobilize Obama Supporters

  Her campaign hasn't figured out the revolution that is going on right under their noses.  Yes she endorsed Barack but so far that is as far as it's gone.  There is a whole army of people, people not necessarly part of the party structure, who are just waiting for an invite to the dance.

  We took a Gregoir sign with us to the Voter Reg Kick-Off but it wasn't because of them.  There were no Gregoir people to be seen.  (Clue: You could have shared the press we got, Christine.) Did I say we are the Obama HQ here in the state capital.  We've asked her staff to send event announcements so we can push them though our network of groups and blogs.  No response.  

  Meanwhile I got an e-mail to attend a $500 a plate fundraiser.  Sorry, I gave at the gas station but I can access a pretty darn big database of fired up people looking to unload a bunch of frustration on the nearest Republican (Dino Rossi).  Give us a call Christine.  We're just down the street. You know, in the Thurston County Democratic HQ.  That's on Pacific Ave. If you need to Google a map.  

  by YellerDog on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:28:05 PM PDT

•  Based on the caucuses

  and the huge level of enthusiasm there for a genuine progressive, I don't think there's much that Rossi can do to move the internals in his direction.

  by TheWesternSun on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:28:09 PM PDT

  •  it will be interesting to see if Rossi

    is going to spend much money??

    For sure interesting to see if he'll spend any of his own money

    I doubt it........

    by sara seattle on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:43:16 PM PDT

    •  So do I.

      And this is absolutely consistent with not walking one's talk. Which is the whole underlying issue of the neocons, the Republican party, and old style politics. They are, God willing, going down for the count Big Time. It is my deepest hope that we are moving into a new age of transparency....

      by TheWesternSun on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:50:52 PM PDT

•  I wonder what impact, if any

  the controversy surrounding the Seattle Supersonics will have on this race.  I admit to being a fan of the NBA, but I think David Stern (who gives pretty much exclusively to Democrats, let it be said), has really screwed up here.  And certainly Washington's two Senators and Governor did not really act until it was almost too late, and even then it seems like they haven't done much.  Based on comments I've read on a couple of Sonics fan sites and on espn.com, there are some folks up in Washington who are not happy with Gregoire because of this.

  For those unaware of the situation, a man named Clayton Bennett from Oklahoma City put together a group of investors and bought the Sonics from Howard Schultz (Starbucks) in 2006.  Schultz agreed to sell it to Bennett's group for less money than was offered by a group from San Jose, specifically because Bennett agreed to sign a good faith clause in the sales contract which said he would try to keep the Sonics in Seattle.  

  There are issues with the arena's lease, in which the Sonics do not get as much in revenues as other teams do, and it is a widely held view that Key Arena at the very least needs a remodel, expanding its concessions and, I would imagine, its seating capacity so that the franchise can remain financially competitive.  

  To resolve this problem, Bennett proposed a plan for a new arena that would have been built in Renton, a suburb about 10 miles to the Southeast, on land currently owned by Boeing, which Boeing had not yet agreed to sell at the time the proposal was made, late in the state's legislative session.  It would have cost $500 million to build, $400 million of which would have come from the State.  Yes, Bennett proposed to pay only 20% of the cost of the new arena, at a time when the state of Washington was already paying for two other recently built stadiums, and when Key Arena had been remodeled to Schultz's specifications as recently as 1995.  Some of the terms of this new arena deal stipulated the Sonics franchise would get almost all of the revenue from the new arena, leaving the state with really nothing but a slim share of ticket sales.  Not surprisingly, this proposal was doomed to failure, and after that, Bennett just gave up, even as a Native American tribe offered land on which to build a new arena.  Instead, Bennett just started the process of moving the team to his home town of Oklahoma City.  

  The city of Seattle sued to enforce the terms of the Key Arena lease agreement, in the hopes of keeping the Sonics in Seattle at least until the lease expires at the end of the 2009-10 season, and that case is pending.  In the course of that case, a judge granted the city's subpoena to view the email records of Bennett's ownership group.  Amongst them, the city discovered certain emails which some feel proves Bennett never had any intention of keeping the Sonics in Seattle, as they discussed one member's wish to avoid "another lame duck season" several months before the good faith agreement was set to expire.  

  The revelation of these emails sparked a lawsuit from Schultz, which is also pending, to nullify the sale of the Sonics to Bennett's ownership group and put the team in a constructive trust, on the basis that Bennett et al violated the good faith agreement that Schultz specifically required prior to selling the team.  Should Schultz be successful, the team would be sold to another ownership group as if Schultz and Bennett had never done business.  ESPN's legal analyst Lester Munson pegged Schultz's chances at winning this case at about 55-60%, so the odds are in his favor, if Munson is to be believed.

  Despite all of this, David Stern was happy to comply with Bennett's wish to move the team to Oklahoma City (from the 14th largest market in the nation, according to Nielsen, to the 45th largest), and just a few weeks ago the NBA board of governors (made up of the owners of the 30 NBA franchises) voted to approve the move by a count of 28-2, with only Portland Trailblazers owner Paul Allen (Comcast) and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban voting against the move.  It is interesting that these two owners in particular would vote against this move--both teams are the closest, geographically, to the two cities in question--but Mark Cuban has stated publicly, essentially, that his opposition to the move is based strictly on the fact that it is bad business to leave the 14th largest market for the 45th largest.

  Again, despite all of this, Oklahoma City passed a measure to pay for upgrades to the arena there, in expectation that the Sonics would be there for the start of the 2008-9 season (in other words, next October).  Just last week lawyers for Oklahoma City sent a letter to Schultz essentially saying, if you win your lawsuit and strip Bennett's group of ownership of the Sonics, we will sue you for as much as $150 million if you do not move the team to Oklahoma City.  Some feel this threat from Oklahoma City signals real fear that Schultz's case is strong and may be upheld in court, or at the very least that the NBA will intervene and settle the matter, probably leaving the Sonics in Seattle and offering OKC the next available expansion team.

  At this point, it is all up in the air.  If the Sonics do move to Oklahoma City, I can guarantee you that fans of the team will be out for blood from whoever they feel they can hold responsible to any degree.  Gregoire has an opportunity here, but she is also at risk.  If she steps up and does the right thing, if and when it is needed, to keep the Sonics in Seattle, then I am fairly sure this will not hurt her, even if she did act late.  If the Sonics leave and she doesn't do anything more than write letters and emails, well, then I would bet that will definitely hurt her come November.  If the matter remains unresolved by election day, then who knows how it would affect the race--could go either way.

  If you ask me, Bennett is a scumbag.  He tried to take the Hornets from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, but failed.  Now he's trying to take the Sonics, a team that has called Seattle home for 41 years.  True, he bought the team, and there are some legal precedents that say he can move the team wherever he wants, but in this case, he violated the terms of the sale agreement.  Here's to hoping Schultz wins, Ballmer buys the Sonics, and this whole mess does not at all affect any statewide elections in Washington this year or any year and all the Democrats currently up for re-election win.

  Sorry for the length.  And if I screwed up any facts, it's because I wrote this in a hurry.  Please feel free to correct me where I am wrong.

  by dbfactor on Fri May 16, 2008 at 07:36:35 PM PDT

  •  Uhm - No

    It will not make one whit of a difference.

    The Sonics have sucked for years - we already paid for the Arena not that many years ago.

    There are schools and education that if Gregoire had used that money for another arena

    That would have cost her votes....
    Sportsarena - no

    by