More than Just Labor Leaders

I’m no big fan of McGinn or Mallahan. But I am a fan of Murray, and think we badly need him in Olympia. Tax reform in this state is far more important than anything going on in the City of Seattle (or the County). We need him on this issue, among many others.

As for a write in campaign led by Nickels allies (not just labor): where were these folks the last 8 months? Nickels polled below 30 percent this whole time. Had they convinced him to embrace reality, instead of believing he was invincible in the face of this polling, other credible candidates would have stepped forward, and they wouldn’t be so desperate now.

I’m no big fan of McGinn or Mallahan. But I am a fan of Murray, and think we badly need him in Olympia. Tax reform in this state is far more important than anything going on in the City of Seattle (or the County). We need him on this issue, among many others.

As for a write in campaign led by Nickels allies (not just labor): where were these folks the last 8 months? Nickels polled below 30 percent this whole time. Had they convinced him to embrace reality, instead of believing he was invincible in the face of this polling, other credible candidates would have stepped forward, and they wouldn’t be so desperate now.

Ditto what Trevor @ 1 says, across the board, and for the same reasons. If Murray gets into this race he will have my full support.

As for the turnout, yes, the all-mail ballot is a factor, but it is not the key factor. Dow had the best field organization in the County Executive’s race, and the most volunteers. Field not only wins elections, it gets the vote out.

Plus Dow himself outworked all the other candidates, with his own shoe leather and phone fingers, and the shoe leather and phone fingers of his campaign staff and volunteers.

I like Larry, Ross, and Fred just fine, by and large. But fact is, their field operation was not as evident, not as visible, not as ubiquitous as Dow’s was. That makes a difference to voters. When they see that, it makes them want to vote.

I should have said: BUT if Murray gets into this race he will have my full support, longshot though any write-in campaign would be. Ed has been great in Olympia, but he is not indispensible to the tax reform effort. Other than that I agree with Trevor.

I should have said: BUT if Murray gets into this race he will have my full support, longshot though any write-in campaign would be. Ed has been great in Olympia, but he is not indispensible to the tax reform effort. Other than that I agree with Trevor.

Rather than trying to run Quixotic write-in campaigns perhaps labor and other Nickels allies should sit down with both McGinn and Mallahan and decide which they’d rather live with.

Backing a write-in candidate amounts to sitting out the election and ensures you won’t have a seat at the table come November. The odds of even a well-financed write-in campaign succeeding are rather long.

Rather than trying to run Quixotic write-in campaigns perhaps labor and other Nickels allies should sit down with both McGinn and Mallahan and decide which they’d rather live with.

Backing a write-in candidate amounts to sitting out the election and ensures you won’t have a seat at the table come November. The odds of even a well-financed write-in campaign succeeding are rather long.

@2
McGinn also has an amazing field operation and an army of volunteers knocking on doors and making phone calls. He also was out pressing the flesh much more than any of the other candidates in the race.

If you like McGinn or not you have to respect his campaign organization. Anyone who assumes Mallahan will be a shoo-in due to money and establishment support does so at their own peril.

@2
McGinn also has an amazing field operation and an army of volunteers knocking on doors and making phone calls. He also was out pressing the flesh much more than any of the other candidates in the race.

If you like McGinn or not you have to respect his campaign organization. Anyone who assumes Mallahan will be a shoo-in due to money and establishment support does so at their own peril.

The write in campaign is a dumb idea. Murray’s presence would likely take votes from McGinn, which in turn would put Mallahan in the Mayor’s office.

The write in campaign is a dumb idea. Murray’s presence would likely take votes from McGinn, which in turn would put Mallahan in the Mayor’s office.

The problem with this write-in zaniness is that the actual grass-roots energy that would be necessary to run a Murray campaign is already tapped for the McGinn campaign.

A write-in might work if we were left with 2 establishment candidates due to the crowded race. But that’s not the case. Whatever else his sins, McGinn is not an establishment figure. So I don’t think this will work, except to further marginalize labor and reveal its incredible weakness in local elections.

The problem with this write-in zaniness is that the actual grass-roots energy that would be necessary to run a Murray campaign is already tapped for the McGinn campaign.

A write-in might work if we were left with 2 establishment candidates due to the crowded race. But that’s not the case. Whatever else his sins, McGinn is not an establishment figure. So I don’t think this will work, except to further marginalize labor and reveal its incredible weakness in local elections.

Pedersen is a corporate lawyer and fiscal conservative, while Chopp is too cautious as House majority leader to lead with his progressive values (that is the generous explanation). Take out Murray, and the 43rd legislative district might as well be run by blue dog dems.

The Mayor is paid better than a state legislator, is more publicly prominent. But in many ways, a senior state senator has more power because state government sets the conditions within which city and county governments work– including power of the purse.

Pedersen is a corporate lawyer and fiscal conservative, while Chopp is too cautious as House majority leader to lead with his progressive values (that is the generous explanation). Take out Murray, and the 43rd legislative district might as well be run by blue dog dems.

The Mayor is paid better than a state legislator, is more publicly prominent. But in many ways, a senior state senator has more power because state government sets the conditions within which city and county governments work– including power of the purse.

A city-wide write-in campaign has succeeded in recent memory, although the process at the time appears different: 5% write-ins at the primary put the candidate on the general election ballot. See: http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19900914&slug=1093051

A city-wide write-in campaign has succeeded in recent memory, although the process at the time appears different: 5% write-ins at the primary put the candidate on the general election ballot. See: http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19900914&slug=1093051

Chris @ 5:

Did my comments indicate to you that I do not respect field operations, or that I thought Mallahan was a shoo-in?

There’s no evidence yet that McGinn’s field operation is “amazing,” or that his number of volunteers constitutes any “army,” and certainly not compared to what Dow can muster.

But as of now, Seattle voters will have to choose one or the other, so sure, McGinn might be able to field an “army” just from coin flippers.

I’m so glad I don’t live in the city limits. One candidate is unpalatable and the other is unqualified. Hobson’s choice.

Chris @ 5:

Did my comments indicate to you that I do not respect field operations, or that I thought Mallahan was a shoo-in?

There’s no evidence yet that McGinn’s field operation is “amazing,” or that his number of volunteers constitutes any “army,” and certainly not compared to what Dow can muster.

But as of now, Seattle voters will have to choose one or the other, so sure, McGinn might be able to field an “army” just from coin flippers.

I’m so glad I don’t live in the city limits. One candidate is unpalatable and the other is unqualified. Hobson’s choice.

For some strange reason I still voted but not for Constantine or McGinn.

I think it is 2008 inertia, a media that has found cheap progamming (political talkinghead cable channels), and a write in vote. Adding in the close mayoral race and I think that is plenty. Attributing this to the grassroots people that I never, ever, ever, saw in my neighborhood is stretch.
Publicola, the Daily Weekly, Friends of McGinn, a single daily metro newspaper following predictable content, splitting every hair, and . . . getting Facebook Friend requests from candidates.

Or, it coulda been the doorbelling in Greenwood.

I would vote for Ed Murray over all of the primary candidates, and the boy king Peter Steinbrueck. I wondered a month ago why he did not run.

For some strange reason I still voted but not for Constantine or McGinn.

I think it is 2008 inertia, a media that has found cheap progamming (political talkinghead cable channels), and a write in vote. Adding in the close mayoral race and I think that is plenty. Attributing this to the grassroots people that I never, ever, ever, saw in my neighborhood is stretch.
Publicola, the Daily Weekly, Friends of McGinn, a single daily metro newspaper following predictable content, splitting every hair, and . . . getting Facebook Friend requests from candidates.

Or, it coulda been the doorbelling in Greenwood.

I would vote for Ed Murray over all of the primary candidates, and the boy king Peter Steinbrueck. I wondered a month ago why he did not run.

Wow, looks like the tunnel supporters are seriously worried if they’re trying to recruit Murray into the race. Murray’s committee passed the bill that put Seattle taxpayers on the hook for tunnel cost overruns and Murray did nothing to get the $120 million in MVET money for transit service that was promised in the tunnel plan. Murray explained the MVET slight by stating, “With the economy collapsing, I’m not sure we can go asking for millions in transportation taxes,” (publicola.net/?p=730). So let’s get this straight, Murray’s willing to ask Seattle taxpayers to cough up $930 million to pay for the tunnel, put Seattle taxpayers on the hook for cost overruns, and then not even allow us to vote for a tiny increase in our taxes to pay for more transit service – all while saying we shouldn’t be increasing taxes? Now he thinks he can run a write-in campaign when he’s on the wrong side of the biggest issue in the election? Is this bizzaro world? Nope, just Seattle.

Wow, looks like the tunnel supporters are seriously worried if they’re trying to recruit Murray into the race. Murray’s committee passed the bill that put Seattle taxpayers on the hook for tunnel cost overruns and Murray did nothing to get the $120 million in MVET money for transit service that was promised in the tunnel plan. Murray explained the MVET slight by stating, “With the economy collapsing, I’m not sure we can go asking for millions in transportation taxes,” (publicola.net/?p=730). So let’s get this straight, Murray’s willing to ask Seattle taxpayers to cough up $930 million to pay for the tunnel, put Seattle taxpayers on the hook for cost overruns, and then not even allow us to vote for a tiny increase in our taxes to pay for more transit service – all while saying we shouldn’t be increasing taxes? Now he thinks he can run a write-in campaign when he’s on the wrong side of the biggest issue in the election? Is this bizzaro world? Nope, just Seattle.

Possibly the Boy King wanted someone else to kill off the Evil King so he wouldn’t have to try and miss.

Possibly the Boy King wanted someone else to kill off the Evil King so he wouldn’t have to try and miss.

McGinn, field organization, army of volunteers, idealists, puke

McGinn, field organization, army of volunteers, idealists, puke

With 13, I was thinkin about going back to the endorsements from a former city councilman to see how popular the people were that were given such a cherrished gift.

Well, I have to go get a bucket of steam from Central Market.

Has Murray ever articulated positions on issues like development, land use, density, human services funding, parks, the bag tax, South Lake Union trolley, Vulcan giveaways, etc., etc., etc.?

With 13, I was thinkin about going back to the endorsements from a former city councilman to see how popular the people were that were given such a cherrished gift.

Well, I have to go get a bucket of steam from Central Market.

Has Murray ever articulated positions on issues like development, land use, density, human services funding, parks, the bag tax, South Lake Union trolley, Vulcan giveaways, etc., etc., etc.?

Hmmmmmm…I actually think Ed Murray could win because I don’t hear a lot of broad support for McGinn or Mallahan. I heard it was business leaders, labor and factions of the environmental community (obviously not the Sierra Club but the Cascade chapter is well known for being out of step with the rest of the environmental community. And probaly not CLC since, along with Vulcan, they bankrolled Seattle Great Cities Inititative).

Murray would have broad support and could be a Uniter whereas McGinn would be a very devisive lighting rod of controversy and nothing would get done for 4 years. Mallahan is an unknown with big, big problems – mostly an utter lack of understanding of the public sector.

Hmmmmmm…I actually think Ed Murray could win because I don’t hear a lot of broad support for McGinn or Mallahan. I heard it was business leaders, labor and factions of the environmental community (obviously not the Sierra Club but the Cascade chapter is well known for being out of step with the rest of the environmental community. And probaly not CLC since, along with Vulcan, they bankrolled Seattle Great Cities Inititative).

Murray would have broad support and could be a Uniter whereas McGinn would be a very devisive lighting rod of controversy and nothing would get done for 4 years. Mallahan is an unknown with big, big problems – mostly an utter lack of understanding of the public sector.

@13 and @ 15 -

Prince Peter will endorse whomever he feels is the least threat to him. So, my money is on Mallahan.

Peter’s primary endorsement candidates did not fare so well. Maybe a blessing for Mallahan will be a win for McGinn.

@13 and @ 15 -

Prince Peter will endorse whomever he feels is the least threat to him. So, my money is on Mallahan.

Peter’s primary endorsement candidates did not fare so well. Maybe a blessing for Mallahan will be a win for McGinn.

@16, yes, his position are called Sponsored Bills, or co-sponsored.

You can also query tvw on any of the bills he sponsored, that passed out of committee, and listen to his testemony for his bills.

http://www1.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Murray/SponsoredBills.htm

not as much guessing with legislators on what positions they take.

Lucky me, unlike Murray, Ken Jacobsen sponsored a bill to allow people to be buried with their pets, I now like to call the bill, “Death Panels for Fido”.

@16, yes, his position are called Sponsored Bills, or co-sponsored.

You can also query tvw on any of the bills he sponsored, that passed out of committee, and listen to his testemony for his bills.

http://www1.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Murray/SponsoredBills.htm

not as much guessing with legislators on what positions they take.

Lucky me, unlike Murray, Ken Jacobsen sponsored a bill to allow people to be buried with their pets, I now like to call the bill, “Death Panels for Fido”.

Turnout as of Monday was
31.32% for King County;
38.21% for Seattle;
40.44% for Medina;
41.18% for Vashon;
42.07% for Director District No. 6;
44.75% for Beaux Arts;
48.78% for Water District No. 117
(among others).

Turnout as of Monday was
31.32% for King County;
38.21% for Seattle;
40.44% for Medina;
41.18% for Vashon;
42.07% for Director District No. 6;
44.75% for Beaux Arts;
48.78% for Water District No. 117
(among others).

A viable write-in campaign would make it a 3-way race for mayor, meaning the winner would need something like 40 percent, or more, to win.

You can’t get that high a percentage in a general election merely by tapping the activists and the knowledgeable; you also have to get a high percentage of your vote from voters who are only marginally tuned in, or don’t become tuned-in at all until the ballot is open in front of them.

And I just don’t see very many of those folks writing in a name for mayor, making sure it’s spelled correctly, blackening the oval, etc. Far more likely they will just mark one of the two names printed on the ballot.

That said, if Murray decides to go ahead with this anyway, it will help McGinn. With both Murray and Mallahan supporting the big-bore tunnel on the waterfront, and only McGinn against it, the pro-tunnel vote gets divided.

A viable write-in campaign would make it a 3-way race for mayor, meaning the winner would need something like 40 percent, or more, to win.

You can’t get that high a percentage in a general election merely by tapping the activists and the knowledgeable; you also have to get a high percentage of your vote from voters who are only marginally tuned in, or don’t become tuned-in at all until the ballot is open in front of them.

And I just don’t see very many of those folks writing in a name for mayor, making sure it’s spelled correctly, blackening the oval, etc. Far more likely they will just mark one of the two names printed on the ballot.

That said, if Murray decides to go ahead with this anyway, it will help McGinn. With both Murray and Mallahan supporting the big-bore tunnel on the waterfront, and only McGinn against it, the pro-tunnel vote gets divided.

@18, I think it is a combination of the person not a threat to his popularity as a person, and still in line with his vague Seattle-scape neighborhoods with lots of money running the city pov.

I’ll stop, he is, afterall, on his way to Harvard to get Ivy Stink on him, for a year. After that he could run for the second coming of Jesus of Seattle, forget mayor.

@18, I think it is a combination of the person not a threat to his popularity as a person, and still in line with his vague Seattle-scape neighborhoods with lots of money running the city pov.

I’ll stop, he is, afterall, on his way to Harvard to get Ivy Stink on him, for a year. After that he could run for the second coming of Jesus of Seattle, forget mayor.

@19 Give me a break, I said city issues, not state issues. I understand there’s overlap, but they’re simply not the same set of issues and not stacked up in the same priority order. I love his positions on marriage equality, state tax system, & abolishing the death penalty. None of which are very relevant to the city of Seattle mayor.

Murray is a good legislator. I like him. But it’s crazy to pretend we know where he stands on the key issues of Seattle city politics.

Unless they are in the same priority order, and regulating

@19 Give me a break, I said city issues, not state issues. I understand there’s overlap, but they’re simply not the same set of issues and not stacked up in the same priority order. I love his positions on marriage equality, state tax system, & abolishing the death penalty. None of which are very relevant to the city of Seattle mayor.

Murray is a good legislator. I like him. But it’s crazy to pretend we know where he stands on the key issues of Seattle city politics.

Unless they are in the same priority order, and regulating

@23 Oops on that ending. Meant to make a wisecrack about Murray’s sponsorship of bills to regulate body piercing, soil & wetland sciences, accupuncture titles, and dentistry licenses. Now you’ll never know.

@23 Oops on that ending. Meant to make a wisecrack about Murray’s sponsorship of bills to regulate body piercing, soil & wetland sciences, accupuncture titles, and dentistry licenses. Now you’ll never know.

So, we have vague positions of Mallahan, and the anti-Tunnel McGinn, vs somebody elected by the 43rd district to represent them in Olympia.

I am guessing that he has had to answer your questions and actually win an election on his answers.

So, we have vague positions of Mallahan, and the anti-Tunnel McGinn, vs somebody elected by the 43rd district to represent them in Olympia.

I am guessing that he has had to answer your questions and actually win an election on his answers.

I think you missed the boat on your analysis of the high voter turnout in Seattle. It was clearly because there were eight mayoral candidates and sixteen city council candidates not to mention eight county executive candidates, all with campaigns with the goal of turning out supporters.

I think you missed the boat on your analysis of the high voter turnout in Seattle. It was clearly because there were eight mayoral candidates and sixteen city council candidates not to mention eight county executive candidates, all with campaigns with the goal of turning out supporters.

@25 I hope to see McGinn & Mallahan stake out some more positions too. I agree they’re still very under-examined on where they stand on most issues besides the tunnel (one for, one against), ice on the road (both against), and T-Mobile’s corporate political stances (oddly, both against). We need to press both — or all three, if the time comes — for more explanation & more answers.

But I’m bristling at the idea that Murray is a known quantity on city issues, because he’s just not. Where does he stand on single-family zoning? On subsidies for downtown developers? On spending city $ for “workforce” housing vs. housing the poorest? On industrial lands? On homeless encampments? On gang violence initiatives? On how to address the Metro bus funding crisis (not technically a city issue I know but the mayor will likely play a role in this)? Etc. etc. etc. If he has opinions, please point me to them!

Finally, Murray has barely had a contested election in his career, so the idea that he’s “won an election on his answers” ain’t worth much.

@25 I hope to see McGinn & Mallahan stake out some more positions too. I agree they’re still very under-examined on where they stand on most issues besides the tunnel (one for, one against), ice on the road (both against), and T-Mobile’s corporate political stances (oddly, both against). We need to press both — or all three, if the time comes — for more explanation & more answers.

But I’m bristling at the idea that Murray is a known quantity on city issues, because he’s just not. Where does he stand on single-family zoning? On subsidies for downtown developers? On spending city $ for “workforce” housing vs. housing the poorest? On industrial lands? On homeless encampments? On gang violence initiatives? On how to address the Metro bus funding crisis (not technically a city issue I know but the mayor will likely play a role in this)? Etc. etc. etc. If he has opinions, please point me to them!

Finally, Murray has barely had a contested election in his career, so the idea that he’s “won an election on his answers” ain’t worth much.

I say Go Ed Go! As one of his former Legislative Assistants, I’ve seen Ed in action, and his action is exactly what we need in the mayors race and what we need in the mayors office.

I say Go Ed Go! As one of his former Legislative Assistants, I’ve seen Ed in action, and his action is exactly what we need in the mayors race and what we need in the mayors office.

Ditto what Trevor @ 1 says, across the board, and for the same reasons. If Murray gets into this race he will have my full support.

As for the turnout, yes, the all-mail ballot is a factor, but it is not the key factor. Dow had the best field organization in the County Executive's race, and the most volunteers. Field not only wins elections, it gets the vote out.

Plus Dow himself outworked all the other candidates, with his own shoe leather and phone fingers, and the shoe leather and phone fingers of his campaign staff and volunteers.

I like Larry, Ross, and Fred just fine, by and large. But fact is, their field operation was not as evident, not as visible, not as ubiquitous as Dow's was. That makes a difference to voters. When they see that, it makes them want to vote.