I started posting on HowieinSeattle in 11/04, following progressive American politics in the spirit of Howard Dean's effort to "Take Our Country Back." I decided to follow my heart and posted on seattleforbarackobama from 2/07 to 11/08.--"Howie Martin is the Abe Linkin' of progressive Seattle."--Michael Hood.
Showing posts with label seattle elections 2009. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seattle elections 2009. Show all posts
Sure, you can go to lots of forums and listen to reporters and random consultants give their 20,000-foot analysis of this year’s mayoral campaign.
But we’ve rounded up the political strategists who actually helped come up with and execute this year’s campaign game plans—Team Mallahan and Team McGinn—to face off one more time.
Come to the Del Rey in Belltown on Monday night November 23 and hear McGinn’s gonzo strategist Bill Broadhead (from the Mercury Group) and sharpshooter Mallahan spokeswoman Charla Neuman explain their strategies, Monday-morning quarterback themselves and each other, and fill you in on how they were reading, playing, and trying to outsmart one another.
What did Team Mallahan think when McGinn made his tunnel reversal? What did Team McGinn think when Mallahan—with the much bigger bank account—dumped another $100K into his own campaign? Why did Mallahan decide to go negative? How did McGinn orchestrate his now-famous field game?
Seattle Channel’s C.R. Douglas moderates. Our own Erica C. Barnett will sit on the panel to give a reporter’s perspective. And the former rival campaigns will tell their own stories and answer your questions.
Del Rey. 2332 1st Ave. in Belltown. Doors open at 5pm. Show starts at 6pm. Free. Cash bar.
...Speaking of calendars, mark yours for 6:00 next Monday evening (11/23), when PubliCola will bring in representatives from both sides of this year’s contentious mayoral election (including Joe Mallahan’s indomitable spokeswoman Charla Neuman) for a panel discussion of what strategies (and ads) worked, what didn’t, and what the candidates themselves did right and wrong in the days leading up to the general election.
C.R. Douglas of the Seattle Channel and PubliCola’s Erica C. Barnett will moderate, asking the campaign brains themselves to analyze their two-month showdown.
Post-Election Media Panel--The Washington State Society Cascade invites you for an evening of networking and recapping the 2009 elections! Light appetizers will be provided.
Join local political reporters from Publicola, Seattle Times, Post Globe & Twitter as they share about the local election results, and on how it was covered.
Members $4, non-members $6
November 17th, 2009, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Del Rey (backroom)
2332 1st Avenue Seattle, WA 98121-1617 (1st & Battery)(map)
Howie P.S.: The reporters scheduled to attend are Erica C. Barnett, Emily Heffter and Kery Murakami.
King County Elections just announced it will be releasing two batches of votes today, instead of the usual one. The first batch will drop at 4:30, as usual; the second, between 9 and 10 pm. The two drops will add about 100,000 ballots to the countywide total, leaving about 50,000 on hand waiting to be counted. Given the closeness of the current vote for Seattle mayor, however (515 votes as of yesterday), barring a big reversal today, a mandatory recount or legal challenge by the losing campaign seems almost inevitable.
KOMOAM/FM will provide the most extensive radio coverage locally with anchors Lisa Brooks and Brian Calvert; analysis with The Commentators, John Carlson & Ken Schram and local field reports from KOMO 4’s Bryan Johnson, and updates from ABC News on significant national races.
KUOW will run live NPR feed from 6p with Marcie Sillman coming in from 8 to 9p for local election coverage and commentary. (photo: Marci Sillman)
KVI will lead from 8 to 10p with Kirby Wilbur pontificating Republicanly, and Peter Weissbach dusting off insightful remarks he made in 2001. Carleen Johnson hosts top and bottom of the hour local news content, with national help from the Fox News feed.
KIROFM was once a big player on election night but now in its somewhat diminished state will run election coverage if the Whiffle Soccer Battle of the Talk Show Hosts doesn’t go into overtime.Northwest Nights with Frank Shiers Show will start when the game is over and will have Ron & Don doing election analysis, celebrity dish, and Frank reading newspapers and fresh live reads of car dealership spots. (Photo right: Ron brings a lot to any discussion)
KTTH, "The Truth," will leave all stones unturned, and run the usual syndicated tape-delayed Dr. Laura (who's expected to pick a favorite in NY-23).
KING 5.com will have election night webcast streaming beginning at 8p anchor Carolyn Douglas will interview political analysts with video reports and live shots from candidate headquarters. KING 5’s 10 & 11PM newscasts will also be live on the web.
Howie P.S.: The KING 5 webcasts look like the best bet to me.
Mike O'Brien 7:00 pm Fremont Abbey, 4272 Fremont Ave. N, Seattle
Robert Rosenberger 8:00 pm Southlake Grill, 1253 Thomas Street, Seattle
Max Vekich 6:00 pm Alexis Hotel, 1007 First Ave, Seattle
11th, 33rd, and 34th District Democrats 6:00 pm Glen Acres Golf and Country Club, 1000 South 112th St, Seattle
43rd District Democrats Purr, 1518 11th Ave, Seattle Light snacks will be provided, donation of $5 to help cover costs. Approve R71 will also be asking for donations to help pay off any debt that they accrue to win.
Election campaigns can become increasingly disconnected from governing: Our 2009 election has revolved around endorsements, polls, PDC complaints, and interest group litmus tests.
By reading fundraising pitches from NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, you'd think Seattle City Council candidate Robert Rosencrantz might cast a deciding vote to overturn the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. (Rosencrantz insists he is pro-choice.)
The greenie flavor of the season seems to be how candidates arrive at work. Last week, in the race for King County Executive, Dow Constantine's Prius was pitted against Susan Hutchison's scooter, although Hutchison admitted having a Lexus and a Subaru in the garage.
Does this matter?
The campaign's most important underreported issue is how the voters reach their workplaces.
A few weeks after the November election, the King County Council will decide how much and where to cut Metro bus service, and whether reductions will be defined as temporary or permanent.
The consequences, in Seattle, are enormous. More people are riding transit than ever before. A serious cutback would product serious traffic problems downtown. Seattle and Shoreline, with highest ridership, get shortchanged in the "40-40-20" formula for allocating new resources.
The new Seattle mayor can't miss the bus, and needs to round up fellow travelers even before assuming office.
Urgently needed is an alliance of King County's urban centers, to resist cutbacks in downtown-to-downtown bus routes and hit up the Legislature to get more tax money for a vital service.
Mike McGinn and Joe Mallahan need to be put on the hot seat before voters put one of them in the driver's seat.
With McGinn, we have testaments from Seattle City Council members -- on and off the record -- that he made a mess of the 2008 parks levy campaign. The beefs are that McGinn was unbending, did not delegate authority, and talked a blue streak.
McGinn has made the parks levy a centerpiece of his campaign. Did he learn anything from the experience, in which a co-chair was brought in to run the campaign?
Aside from a couple of congressional internships years ago -- one employer, ex-Rep. Al Swift, does not remember him --Mallahan is a neophyte when it comes to governing.
O.K., so who will be on the Mallahan transition team? Who will help him play a role in the Metro decision? Who will he consult in choosing a new chief of police?
The pick of a top cop can define a mayor's administration. The mayor and the chief must be comfortable with each other and work closely. WTO and Fat Tuesday offer painful, recent memories of disconnect. So, does the endorsement of Mallahan by the Seattle Police Officers Guild carry an unspoken agreement that the union can veto a candidate that it doesn't like?
McGinn seemed to display little initial interest in public safety issues. He has turned out a position paper. He launched a grandstanding attack on Mallahan for not wanting to set up a committee to screen chief candidates until after the election. So how would McGinn go about finding a compatible chief, and to whom would he listen?
The choice for King County Executive gives reason for discomfort.
In last Monday's debate, responding to a question from her opponent, Susan Hutchison declared: "I have never given money to the BIAW (Building Industry Association of Washington). My campaign manager has never worked for the BIAW. So I don't know what you're talking about."
C'mon!
Hutchison gave $1,000 to ChangePAC, the BIAW's front group, as it was launching a relentless negative attack on Gov. Chris Gregoire. The Republican consulting firm from California that's managing Hutchison's campaign was a mastermind of the anti-Gregoire campaign.
Hutchison attacks the county's Critical Areas Ordinance: Specifically, how would she change it? Will the county's environmental initiatives be allowed to wilt despite the candidate's flowery language about loving the outdoors?
As well, where is all the waste and inefficiency that Hutchison talks about eliminating? The majority of county employees wear a badge. Be honest. Paring back staffs of politicians at the courthouse will NOT close the county's budget shortfall.
He may just be pooped, but Dow Constantine hasn't exactly torn up the track during the general election campaign.
The executive's race is officially nonpartisan, but Dow and three other Democrats took more than 60 percent of the primary vote. The latest opinion polls show Constantine in the low 40's, and narrowly trailing Hutchison.
What if he pulls out the election with heavy "independent" spending by Democratic interest groups? Organized labor helped get him the nomination, and NARAL is seeking to reel in women voters on the East Side. Will there be IOUs to pay when there's no money?
The Dow Constantine stump speech seems to be of two minds on "the house that Ron Sims built": It's in great shape and I'm the guy to fix it. Which is it?
Voters are about to get ballots in the mail: It might be wise to hang onto them, and hope for a level of accountability that rises above who drives a Prius and who's the bigger abortion supporter.
The Seattle Times Joni Balter, Republican strategist Chris Vance and Democratic strategist Cathy Allen talk about the 2009 King County Executive Race between Dow Constantine and Susan Hutchison and the Seattle Mayor's race between Joe Mallahan and Michael McGinn.
Howie P.S.: According to a KING5TV poll quoted by host Enrique Cerna, 24% of Seattle voters are "undecided" on the Seattle Mayor's race.
…a fun, unique format, we are calling it “speed dating” with the candidates. It will be an interactive forum where candidates rotate alongside their opponent to small groups providing opportunities for candidates to address affordable housing issues in greater detail and in a dialogue setting. Candidates will be asked initial questions and those in attendance will have the opportunity to follow up with additional questions or comments. All candidates for Seattle City Council, Mayor and King County Exec will be there.
WHERE: Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (Delridge Way SW in West Seattle)
Young, gifted and endowed with a funny name and a "calling" to public service. Maybe an antidote to a persistent case of cynicism that seems to be spreading on this esteemed forum?
Since then, the Iraq war veteran and community organizer with a brazen ambition for a 24-year-old from West Virginia has acquired some things a candidate for Seattle City Council should have: a suit and tie, a selection of publicity photos, a campaign website, a manager, an air of modest confidence, and a collection of endorsements.
He cleans up well!
Introductions often begin with confusion: What's a Dorsol? She's running for City Council? - oh, it's a guy? Did you say Dorsol? Plants as in plants? And sometimes: Is there an election coming up?
More below:
Dorsol is a fine speaker and listener who does his homework. He has more than held his own among the dozen other City Council candidates competing for attention on public forums throughout the city, some of whom come wrapped in 30 years of experience, or have the security of a sizeable campaign chest.
This was followed by an endorsement (dual) from the 34th LD, where he enjoys the solid support of Ivan Weiss and many other members, and from the KC Young Democrats.
Dorsol has attended several Republican party events as well. Of course no endorsement was forthcoming - he acknowledged being a Democrat - but the Seattle Repubs seemed to respect his presence before them and his military experience. He may have won a few votes.
Dorsol did not fear to walk with Zombies (above) in Fremont, accompanied by Zombified supporters. He was the ONLY candidate in sight at the annual Fremont Zombie walk.
In the Gay Pride parade (above), Dorsol was the ONLY candidate to have an iconic escort - Mother Nature. True, some onlookers were confused, believing HER to be Dorsol Plants, but he did introduce himself to many voters.
Since then it's gotten very interesting.
Above, at the Central/Capitol Hill District Forum, the candidate in the center has just failed to answer several questions and handed off the mike to Dorsol, who had no problem.
At the Southeast Candidate Forum (above)hosted by Peter Masindire (Obama organizer), Dorsol left thinking he might have made a error in answering the final question about public safety by comparing the SE district situation to his experience patrolling the streets of Baghdad. But in fact he won the straw poll of attendees that was taken right after.
A reporter from Crosscut challenged him to come up with 100 ideas for Seattle - so here they are. By the way, one of those is publicly financed campaigns, and this is prominently stated on the 100 Ideas page. Dorsol signed the Candidates' Pledge for Washington Public Campaigns 6 months ago.
Top vote in "Candidate Survivor"
In the most entertaining candidate forum of the season, a large field of 09 City Council candidates, wearing track suits, were put through an amusing series of qualification rounds and some eliminated by audience text-message vote.
As the youngest candidate, Dorsol (in white tee at left) was an early favorite of the youthful audience and continued to win enthusiasm. Dorsol's "2-minute talent" demonstrated self-defense moves and ended with a drop to the floor and five one-handed pushups. Photos on Flickr
The event at the Showbox was sponsored by Washington Bus and The Stranger to motivate young voters to participate in an off-year primary. After being crowned with a rhinestone tiara, Dorsol received multiple offers of volunteer help. "I am a politician, not a rock star," he reminded some who seemed a bit starstruck. But after the show, he pulled up his shirt several times to display rippling abdominal tattoos to fascinated fans, many of who took snaps with their cellphones. Seattle P-I: Your skinny dipping Seattle City Council candidates
The intoxicating triumph of "Candidate Survivor" was followed up this week by The Stranger's endorsement of Dorsol for City council position 4.
Volunteering to help Dorsol with his campaign is gratifying - it's starting to remind me of the heady days of Dean for America 04. That's a bit of a stretch, but it truly is a grassroots campaign for an exceptional, deserving candidate, and this one I know personally. Well, grassroots would be a step up, actually...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here is an email from a voter that Dorsol shared with me:
"Greetings Mr. Plants, I just received my vote-by-mail package. You appear to be an interesting candidate for the City Council #4. I checked out your website too. Good Luck at this, Seattle needs some new blood on the council and I hope that at the very least your candidacy shakes a few members who are way too comfortable in their chairs. I will be looking forward to seeing how many others share my opinion.
T-Mobile executive Joe Mallahan was the lone Seattle mayoral hopeful rated "Outstanding" in the Seattle-King County Municipal League's much-watched candidate ratings, coming in one category above the "very good" rating given incumbent Mayor Greg Nickels.
Nickels has bounced around over the years between "Outstanding" and "very good." The higher rating for Mallahan - a political neophyte - is highly unusual.
Three other front-rank mayoral candidates received lower ratings.
City Councilwoman Jan Drago and Sierra Club activist Mike McGinn were rated as "good," while former Seattle SuperSonic James Donaldson was given a lower evaluation of "adequate".
All four Democrats seeking the officially non-partisan job of King County Executive - Dow Constantine, Fred Jarrett, Ross Hunter and Larry Phillips - were rated as "very good." Former KIRO-TV anchor Susan Hutchison, who leads in the polls, was a notch lower at "good."
A trio of Seattle City Council candidates won the coveted "Outstanding" rating.
Seattle City Council president Richard Conlin, who always aces the Muny League's evaluations, received an "Outstanding." Challenger David Ginsberg was evaluated as "adequate."
In the race to succeed Drago, leaving the council after four terms, former prosecutor Sally Bagshaw was rated as "Outstanding." Opponents Dorsal Plants and David Bloom were given ratings of "Good."
The other open seat - now held by Councilman Richard McIver - saw a wide variance in ratings.
Businessman and three-time council candidate Robert Rosencrantz received the coveted "Outstanding." Wedgwood activist David Miller and former mayoral aide Jordan Royer were rated "Very Good."
Down a notch, at "Good," were Seattle Dept. of Transportation official Bobby Forch and Sierra Club activist Mike O'Brien.
Rusty Williams, son of the late Councilwoman Jeanette Williams, was rated as not qualified.
The Muny League did not give an advantage in what's shaping up as the hottest race involving a council incumbent.
Councilman Nick Licata was rated as "very good," along with challengers Jessie Israel and Marty Kaplan.
The mayoral campaign of T-Mobile Vice President Joe Mallahan has caught an early summer breeze, picking up so much momentum that a competing outsider, Sierra Clubber Mike McGinn, is trying to torpedo him.
Mallahan has twice made mincemeat of incumbent Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, besting him by a wide margin when 46th District Democrats voted on an endorsement, and capturing a clear majority when King County Democrats convened on Tuesday night.
While falling short of the two-thirds vote needed for formal support, Mallahan has gained much more this week by way of backhanded compliments. The political neophyte is a target for copycats and brickbats.
The first was a hasty statement by Nickels coming out for repeal of the head tax that Nickels' street-repair package slapped on "the act or privilege of engaging in business activities within the city."
Mallahan has hammered at the head tax, enacted in 2006, as a wet blanket over business, and described the gold-plated rebuild of Mercer Street as an extravagance the city cannot afford.
The encore came Wednesday: The negative, somewhat nasty McGinn campaign embarked on class warfare, with a copycat of Sen. John Edwards' "two Americas" themes from the 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns.
"There are two Seattles. One for the business elites and politicians they support and one where the rest of us live," McGinn declared. "Nickels and Mallahan picked which Seattle they prefer. When the business elites says (sic) get rid of a business tax, Nickels and Mallahan listen."
The blast shows signs of desperation. The other guy is catching on. What else would explain McGinn's screechy tone, and his bad grammar?
Summer used to be our season to set aside politics and concentrate on enjoying a gorgeous corner of the country. With a late August primary, however, it's being forced on us. An early reading of tea leaves:
Spring training star: The guy's first name sounds like a dangerous sea creature lurking in the Great Barrier Reef. But Dorsol Plants is making heads perk up at bleary candidate forums.
He's in his mid-20s, an Iraq combat veteran who works in a homeless shelter. He surfaced leading opposition to a proposed jail in the Highland neighborhood.
"I have rarely seen a guy catch on to organizing so fast," said Ivan Weiss, union man and former chairman of the 34th District Democrats.
Plants is seeking the Seattle City Council seat being vacated by Jan Drago. It was supposed to be a race between the well-funded Sally Bagshaw, a recently retired prosecutor, and liberal former Church Council of Greater Seattle activist David Bloom.
Candidly, an alternative to establishment endorsements and tedious far-left Church Council political orthodoxy is most welcome. Plants is raising very little money, but he is blossoming on the campaign trail.
A slow start: Jordan Royer entered the contest for the other Council vacancy as one Greg Nickels aide who is privately good-mouthed. He served as troubleshooter on such projects as rescuing Freeway Park, showing tenacity and resourcefulness.
But Royer has not yet projected clear themes of what he would do if he wins. He is the son of ex-Mayor Charley Royer, whose verbal skills buried four City Council members in his first election.
David Miller, a Wedgwood community activist, has moved up. Miller has done well in the Democratic endorsement game and is boosted by the town's most prominent Green, Bullitt Foundation President Denis Hayes.
Perplexing guys: Two Sierra Club activists, McGinn in the mayor's race and Mike O'Brien seeking a council seat, have created a not-always-favorable impression. Every seattlepi.com blog on Mallahan has brought anonymous McGinn soundoffs, running down Mallahan's record of civic activism.
O'Brien recently sat down with editors of the Web site Crosscut. Afterward, one participant reflected: "I felt that if I were to call this guy and complain about a pothole in front of my house, I would get a lecture on evils of the automobile."
Cats in a bag: Dow Constantine and Larry Phillips, two King County councilmen, are running for county executive, and competing for the same urban liberal base. Eastside Democratic legislators Fred Jarrett and Ross Hunter have dared to suggest pruning the county bureaucracy, so forget Democratic district endorsements.
A KING/5 poll suggests that Constantine is moving ahead, although far behind Republican donor and former KIRO/7 anchor Susan Hutchison.
Phillips is palpably anxious on the stump. He talks too fast and goes over time limits. Would-be donors feel pursued: One local lawyer received five calls, three from Phillips family members, hawking the campaign kickoff.
Curiously, the mellow Fred Jarrett, a Boeing manager and former Mercer Island mayor, gets widespread praise even from supporters of his opponents.
"I like him: He's a manager, not a politician," state Rep. Maralyn Chase said as King County Democrats were voting on a dual Constantine-Phillips endorsement.
Awful trend: Withholding information on endorsements has become a game for campaigns. In cases where a dual endorsement or recommendation has been made, candidates' e-mails have often left out the other guy.
A classic example was the Facebook exclusivity of the Phillips and Constantine campaigns after King County Democrats decided to bless them both.
One final word: It's refreshing to see talented newcomers. The Seattle School Board received a welcome transfusion of new talent two years ago.
Mallahan and Plants may well lose in the primary. In that case, anonymous e-mails will arrive -- one sure to bear signs of the bitter loser of a recent Council race -- with the message: "Ha! Ha. Ha. Your candidates didn't do too well."
Well, the past four American presidents have lost an election early in their careers. They learned, and returned.
Besides, given the staleness of local government, what's wrong with people promising to throw open the windows of City Hall and the courthouse?
Howie P.S.: Could "change" finally be on its way to Seattle government?
They've displayed differences even on whether to recite "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, so it's not surprising that contentious, very liberal 43rd District Democrats could not agree Tuesday night on a candidate endorsement for Seattle Mayor or King County Executive.
The meeting did continue a pattern of subpar showings for Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, who's been involved in Democratic politics since attending a caucus when he was 16.
The vote total for mayor in the 43rd, with 60 percent required for endorsement, went as follows:
Sierra Club activist Mike McGinn, 49 votes.
Mayor Greg Nickels, 37 votes;
T-Mobile vice president Joe Mallahan, 36 votes;
Seattle City Councilwoman Jan Drago, 15 votes;
Ex-Sonic James Donaldson, 8 votes;
The "Fighting 43rd" did agree on a few endorsements. It's backing the reelection of Seattle City Council incumbents Nick Licata and Richard Conlin.
True to liberal traditions, the district endorsed former Church Council of Greater Seattle activist David Bloom for the council seat that Drago is vacating. Other endorsements have gone to Sally Bagshaw, who formerly headed the civil division at the King County Prosecutor's Office.
No endorsement was made in the contest for the seat of retiring Seattle City Councilman Richard McIver.
In the King County Executive race, incumbent County Councilmen Larry Phillips and Dow Constantine dominated the voting. But neither collected the necessary 60 percent.
Next time West Seattle’s biggest political group, the 34th District Democrats, meet, they will decide who else to endorse for the August primary — and that’s why more than two dozen candidates in almost one dozen races came to The Hall at Fauntleroy last night for our area’s biggest pre-primary candidates’ forum.
One week earlier, four of the contenders for King County Executive took questions in the InSPIRe-sponsored forum (WSB coverage here) across the street at Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor); with many 34th DDs involved in that group, they urged members to attend that event to get a look at the KCE candidates, but as for everything else - last night was the big night.
The marquee race: Seattle Mayor, which started the night; also featured - four Seattle City Council races, the Seattle City Attorney race, Seattle Port Commission positions, and Burien City Council. Read on for our marathon roundup of highlights (focusing on the city races) - including links to the 34th DD’s own coverage, as well as photo galleries, and a link to what we sent out via Twitter during the event:
The format: First a lightning round of sorts in which the candidates were asked “yes/no” questions and had to quickly hold up paddles displaying their answer. Then, a series of questions in which the candidates had one minute each to respond. In some groups, another “lightning round” followed that.
Mayoral candidates who were on hand: James Donaldson, Councilmember Jan Drago, Joe Mallahan, Michael McGinn, incumbent Mayor Greg Nickels, and Norman Sigler. Place cards were out for no-shows Kwame Garrett and Elizabeth Campbell, who is gathering signatures for an anti-tunnel initiative — she was in West Seattle but at the Viaduct/Tunnel “scoping” meeting, not the candidates’ forum:
The lightning round is where the clearest differences emerged as the mayoral candidates answered questions. Two examples: Nickels was alone in holding up “yes” in response to “do you support spending city funds to build a new jail”; he was alone in holding up “no” in response to the “do you support parking meters in The Junction?” (that refers to the city’s Junction parking review, under way now; our coverage is archived here). Here’s video showing most of the “lightning round” - the questions were asked by 34th DDs chair Tim Nuse:
When the yes/no questions were done, all expressed varying degrees of support for publicly funded campaigns, increased public transit, labor unions, LGBT rights.
One curveball came on an issue that often comes up at 34th DDs meetings - the fact that the White Center Food Bank, which has a clientele partly in the city limits (West Seattle from SW Myrtle southward), doesn’t get funding from the city of Seattle, while the West Seattle Food Bank gets, according to the 34th DDs, about $76,000 a year. Will you pledge to support the WC Food Bank if elected? the candidates were asked.
Nickels didn’t answer the question directly, saying only that he would keep helping those in need. McGinn followed that up by saying, yes, he would, and Drago and Donaldson said the same. Mallahan noted that he was unaware of the situation but thinks it “makes complete sense … that the city would help fund it.”
With some supporters of the “Nickelsville” homeless camp, which just moved back to West Seattle last weekend, in the audience, a little tension rippled as the candidates were asked about homelessness, but the word “Nickelsville” didn’t even come up (Mallahan referred to it somewhat obliquely as a “tent city,” saying “it wouldn’t be fair” to use a different term). Donaldson suggested that closed Seattle Public Schools buildings might be used to house the homeless; Sigler proposed two permanent tent cities, one in the north end, one in the south end. Drago advocated “street outreach teams.”
No attacks, no sharp disagreements, no harsh words, and after about 45 minutes, the group thanked the candidates and declared it time for the next group. Nickels left quickly afterward:
(photo by Johnathan Fitzpatrick) A few other major groups around the area had endorsement meetings last night, though we don’t know for sure if that’s where he was headed. He and the mayoral candidates did arrive early for mingling.
After two Burien City Council candidates fielded questions, hopefuls for Seattle City Council positions 2 and 8 took the stage: incumbent Councilmember Richard Conlin, West Seattleite David Ginsberg, Bobby Forch, David Miller, Mike O’Brien, Bob Rosencrantz, Jordan Royer and Rusty Williams.
Of note during the yes/no round - all expressed opposition to the concept of having Seattle annex all of North Highline (this August’s ballot will ask the southern half of that area whether they want to become part of Burien); only Royer professed support for using city funds to build a new jail; changing City Council positions to geographical districts instead of at-large was supported by all except Conlin, Rosencrantz and Royer; all except Forch said “yes” to the concept of continuing to reduce the requirement that housing developments provide parking for residents.
Asked about cleaning up the polluted Duwamish River, it was another case of nuances among all trying obviously to stress their environmental credentials. Miller noted that he’s been endorsed by B.J. Cummings, who led the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition for years. O’Brien touted his Sierra Club leadership role; Rosencrantz said he’d led the Thornton Creek Alliance; Royer offered “Don’t just clean up the contamination, but also where it’s coming from”; Ginsberg suggested specific improvements throughout the watershed, such as bioswales; and Williams recalled growing up with the knowledge the Duwamish was polluted, flashing forward to the current knowledge that a cleanup is under way, “hard to believe it’s happening.”
What about public safety? the candidates were asked. After several other candidates voiced support for continuing to hire more police officers, O’Brien veered over to the root of the issue: “Yes, of course, I suport more of all the good things. The question is - how do we do it? We’re talking about building a $4 billion tunnel and we just laid off 170 teachers. We’re talking about building a $200 million jail and we’re going to close the libraries for a week to save a million bucks … it’s about priorities.” A few minutes later, Royer jabbed back a bit, saying, “Getting rid of the tunnel would not give us one dime more for police. It would be nice if it did, but it won’t.”
Williams wrapped up the topic by saying Seattle “needs to be a fun city to hang out in again” and that won’t happen without enough law enforcement to keep people feeling safe.
An audience question fielded only by this group: What neighborhood do you live in, and what neighborhood event did you last participate in?
Forch: Central Area, Central Area Festival.
Miller: As a past president of the Maple Leaf Community Council, he said, he’d “attended them all.”
Rosencrantz: Past president of the Montlake Community Council, and recently attended a meeting for 520 bridge-replacement planning.
Royer: Wedgwood - “Last night, the PTSA meeting at my daughter’s school.”
Ginsberg: High Point - recent neighborhood picnic (and he noted that with last night’s forum being held in West Seattle, technically that made it a community event for him).
Conlin: Madrona - where he had been land-use chair of the community council, and attended the Madrona Mayfair.
O’Brien: Fremont - Most recent, the Fremont Market, “and I’ll be in the (Solstice) parade in a few days.” (At that point, someone called out from the audience - “with clothes on?” leading to laughter.)
Williams: View Ridge; co-chair of the Magnuson Park Committee, attended the Magnuson Tree Fest, and added, “Trees are cool!”
Another round of yes/no hold-up-the-sign questions: Do you back the bag tax (which will be on the August ballot as a referendum)? Yes for all except Ginsberg, Rosencrantz and O’Brien. Do you support parking meters in The Junction? “No” from everyone except O’Brien (who drew hisses, as did those in the mayoral group who expressed support).
On now to another big group of candidates, for Positions 4 and 6: Sally Bagshaw, David Bloom, Brian Carver, Jessie Israel, incumbent Councilmember Nick Licata, Martin Kaplan, West Seattle resident Dorsol Plants.
All opposed Seattle potentially annexing all of North Highline and potentially rezoning industrial land in Sodo to non-industrial uses. Opposition also was unanimous for using city funds to build a new jail; Asked about changing City Council elections to district-based votes, the only “no” votes were from Bagshaw, Carver and Kaplan.
The transportation question for this group led to a discussion of streetcars’ merits; Bagshaw said she would prefer to put money into buses, such as West Seattle’s forthcoming RapidRide line. Criticism for the Seattle Streetcar line to South Lake Union abounded; the strongest voice in support of an expanded streetcar network came from Israel, though Kaplan also offered some defense for the streetcars, saying that South Lake Union is “getting a bum rap” because the people aren’t there yet to use it in droves, but he believes they will be.
Should addiction be decriminalized? they were asked. This brought the most frequent use of the word “agree,” as the candidates expressed enthusiasm for each other’s answers to the question. Plants, who works at a shelter, said, “People want to go into recover, but they’re afraid the police are waiting for them there.” Licata urged, “Let’s get them some help; you don’t stabilize someone’s life in jail … the system does not work right now.” (He seemed to have a particularly enthusiastic pocket of supporters at the event, greeting that answer and some of his others with loud applause and cheers.)
What about preventing crime, especially among youth? Israel thought the problem should be separated into a “short-term look” and a “long-term look” and suggested beefing up “neighborhood policing,” which she believes has “eroded over the past decade.” More police are needed, Carver said, “but we need to look at the root cause … of kids getting into gangs at a very young age. We need to engage the community to fix this problem - everybody needs to get involved.”
Get to know everyone in your neighborhood, Licata advised, and that will help. Plants told a personal story of being jarred by the recent shooting outside Westwood Village McDonald’s (WSB coverage here), as that was not far from where he lives in Highland Park. “But you won’t solve it just by arresting people - we’re not putting the priorities on our kids, and that’s why we’re having these problems.” Kaplan talked about the “two Seattles” as a resident had described the haves/have-nots division, and mentioned last week’s City Hall symposium on gangs.
Other questions for this group included another yes-no round: The bag tax is supported by all but Bagshaw; parking meters in The Junction were opposed by all but Israel; Plants and Carver opposed reducing parking requirements for development.
Second-to-last faceoff of the night put West Seattle-residing Seattle City Attorney Tom Carr at the table with challenger Pete Holmes. No huge differences regarding the topics they were asked about, but Carr did provide a moment of tension when he began his answer to a question about the Public Disclosure Act by saying, “My opponent has been telling a lot of half-truths, so I’m going to correct them wherever I get the opportunity.” In response to a question about whether Seattle arrests too many people without “underlying charges, Carr said yes, but he believes they’re being dealt with appropriately, as his office has dismissed about half of those cases.
The final group of the night included five candidates for Seattle Port Commission - Tom Albro, David Doud, Rob Holland, Max Vekich, Robert Walker — who discussed issues including port safety (incumbent Commissioner John Creighton had to leave before the three-hour event made its way to the port race, but left a written statement that was read into the record).. Our notes ended at this point but you can see their positions - and those of the other participants - in a document linked to the 34th District Democrats’ website, compiled by Christi Stapleton; the 34th DDs’ site is where you also will see photos from last night’s event. An additional photo gallery created by independent journalist Johnathan Fitzpatrickcan be seen here. We provided short bursts of live coverage during the forum on a special Twitter account we’ve set up for intensive coverage of “live” events - you can browse our “tweets” at twitter.com/wsblive. For a full list of everyone running for office in King County, at the county/city/districts (school, water, fire, etc.) levels, go here - the filing period is over now, so aside from withdrawals, this will be the final slate.The 34th District Democrats will make endorsements at their next meeting, Wednesday, July 8th, 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy; they already threw early support to West Seattle-residing King County Council Chair Dow Constantine in his bid for the King County Executive job.
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.
Young, gifted and endowed with a funny name and a "calling" to public service. Maybe an antidote to a persistent case of cynicism that seems to be spreading on this esteemed forum?
Since then, the Iraq war veteran and community organizer with a brazen ambition for a 24-year-old from West Virginia has acquired some things a candidate for Seattle City Council should have:
The intoxicating triumph of "Candidate Survivor" was followed up this week by The Stranger's endorsement of Dorsol for City council position 4. 
