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Chamber Endorses Mallahan

News   September 14, 2009 at 1:16 pm Erica C. Barnett

The Alki Foundation—the political arm of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce—has endorsed Joe Mallahan for mayor, despite what many observers agree was a lackluster performance at last week’s Chamber-sponsored mayoral debate.

As we noted last week, the business community is in a bit of a quandary: As longtime backers of lame-duck Mayor Greg Nickels, they now must choose between a business guy who lacks political experience, knowledge and clout in Seattle (T-Mobile executive Mallahan) and an environmental activist who’s business-friendly in many ways (supporting lower taxes and urban density) but has what many perceive as a fatal flaw: His opposition to the $4.2 billion downtown tunnel (Great City founder and former Sierra Club director Mike McGinn).

Alki spokesman George Allen says that of the two candidates, Mallahan “more closely represented the issues that the Alki found important—concerns about creating a job growing economy and how we crawl out of this recession. … Mallahan has experience running a business.”

The Alki Foundation also endorsed: Dow Constantine for King County Executive, David Doud for Seattle Port Commission, Position 3; Tom Albro for Seattle Port Commission, Position 4; Lloyd Hara for King County Assessor; Kay Smith-Blum for Seattle School Board, District 5; and Wilson Chin for Seattle School Board, District 7. Previous endorsements (which still stand in the general election) include Richard Conlin for Seattle City Council Position 2; Sally Bagshaw for City Council Position 4; Jessie Israel for City Council Position 6; and Robert Rosencrantz for City Council Position 8.


  • Mikos

    You buried the lede. They endorsed Constantine over Hutchison.

  • Mikos

    You buried the lede. They endorsed Constantine over Hutchison.

  • Mikos

    You buried the lede. They endorsed Constantine over Hutchison.

  • Leaward

    Hardly surprising that Doud and Albro got the Chamber’s blessing. Both are major business pawns.

  • Leaward

    Hardly surprising that Doud and Albro got the Chamber’s blessing. Both are major business pawns.

  • Trevor

    Corporate lawyer and corporate leader vie for corporate vote. Why do I have a feeling that Burgess will be the big winner regardless?

  • http://twitter.com/fattailed Fat-tailed

    @1 Agreed. Constantine couldn’t get an endorsement in the primary among other dems, but he got it over Hutchison? What’s up with that?

  • http://twitter.com/fattailed Fat-tailed

    @1 Agreed. Constantine couldn’t get an endorsement in the primary among other dems, but he got it over Hutchison? What’s up with that?

  • http://twitter.com/fattailed Fat-tailed

    @1 Agreed. Constantine couldn’t get an endorsement in the primary among other dems, but he got it over Hutchison? What’s up with that?

  • Perfect Voter

    Fat @4, the Chamber has a certain minimum level of competence it expects from candidates it supports. Mallahan met that minimum; Hutchison did not. That’s “what’s up with that?”

  • Perfect Voter

    Fat @4, the Chamber has a certain minimum level of competence it expects from candidates it supports. Mallahan met that minimum; Hutchison did not. That’s “what’s up with that?”

  • Perfect Voter

    Fat @4, the Chamber has a certain minimum level of competence it expects from candidates it supports. Mallahan met that minimum; Hutchison did not. That’s “what’s up with that?”

  • http://twitter.com/fattailed Fat-tailed

    @5 wow, if Mallahan out-classed Hutchison is the competence department, she’s really in trouble.

  • http://twitter.com/fattailed Fat-tailed

    @5 wow, if Mallahan out-classed Hutchison is the competence department, she’s really in trouble.

  • http://twitter.com/fattailed Fat-tailed

    @5 wow, if Mallahan out-classed Hutchison is the competence department, she’s really in trouble.

  • MagnoliaPolitico

    They chose Constantine because unlike Hutchinson he is actually competent enough to fix things.

  • MagnoliaPolitico

    They chose Constantine because unlike Hutchinson he is actually competent enough to fix things.

  • MagnoliaPolitico

    They chose Constantine because unlike Hutchinson he is actually competent enough to fix things.

  • Trevor

    Corporate lawyer and corporate leader vie for corporate vote. Why do I have a feeling that Burgess will be the big winner regardless?