"District Dems back Mallahan, McGinn for Seattle mayor"

Joel Connelly (Strange Bedfellows--Seattle P-I political blog):

Inner city Democrats backed a pair of political outsiders on Monday, as Dems in the 37th legislative district spurned Mayor Greg Nickels and gave a dual endorsement to opponents Joe Mallahan and Mike McGinn.

The district took exactly the opposite tack from the Alki Foundation, political arm of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, which earlier in the day backed a pair of insiders, the incumbent Nickels and his best-known opponent, four-term Seattle City Councilwoman Jan Drago.

The repudiation by 37th District Democrats is sure to carry some sting for Nickels. The mayor has been involved in Democratic politics since attending his precinct caucus as a 16-year-old in 1972.

Mallahan is a vice president of T-Mobile, as well as a one-time community organizer, and sharp critic of the Nickels administration's record on providing city services.

McGinn is an attorney and longtime Sierra Club activist, best known for his opposition to the roads-and-transit measure on the 2007 ballot.

The 37th District did go with familiar faces in the race for King County Executive.

It decided to make a dual endorsement of King County Council veterans Dow Constantine and Larry Phillips. The two Seattle politicians are competing for Democratic support with a pair of East Side legislators, State Sen. Fred Jarrett, D-Mercer Island, and State Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina.

The Alki Foundation did a cross-lake dual recommendation of Jarrett and Phillips. It did not tap former KIRO-TV anchor Susan Hutchison, who is running with Republican and business support.

The 45th District's Democrats, on the East Side, will make their endorsement decisions in Redmond on Wednesday night.

At the same hour, creating logistical nightmares for office seekers, the influential 34th District Democratic organization will be hearing candidates hold forth out in West Seattle.

The endorsements matter. The primary election this year is on August 18th, in a region that historically has tuned out politics until after Labor Day.

Howie P.S.: The 34th is Greg Nickels' home district and it will be interesting to see if can make a stronger showing there. I assume he will. The 34th District Dems have already endorsed Dow Constantine in the King County Executive race.