For those of you unhappy, I would chill. There are more democrats than Republican in WA, that more democrats turned out for the primary is not a surprise, hardly any major races had serious intra-party contests so there was not much reason to turn out. As always the GE will be decided by those who are far too unengaged to ever bother voting in a primary.
IMO this top 2 crap is unconstitutional. But one possible benefit is there are no third party candidates to take GOP votes (so no Green party but but GOP has been more hurt by the Libertarians than the rats hurt by the Greens).
A Look at all the races
Senate
55% for C*ntwell. Dem/GOP total was about 58-41, I don’t think C*ntwell is in any trouble and this result doesn’t disabuse me of that notion. Pretty good GOP candidate though.
http://www.votebaumgartner.com/
Governor
Dem 50.17 GOP 47.37
Reinforcing that this is a close race. McKenna was well ahead months ago but in WA lean GOP races often end up as tossups once the slander and fraud machine starts up. McKenna still ought to pull it out.
CD 1
I rate Koster (R) the slight favorite here in the closest district in the state
He was the only GOP and he got 44.36% to the rats combined 53.67%. This does not trouble me because the rats had a wide open primary between a bunch of former Microsoft people so had they had reason to turn out.
http://www.kosterforcongress.com/
CD 2 Safe D (This is more the old CD 1 that was vacated by Inslee, there is also a meaningless special election for that old district, the rat will likely beat Koster for that)
CD 3 Safe R (still a close district but the new map improved this seat of Freshman Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler who is no danger from a weak rat)
CD 4 Safe R
CD 5 Safe R
CD 6
Open dem leaning seat being vacated by ancient democrat Norm Dicks-Head, politically weird area as it’s mostly rural.
The only rat who ran State Senator Dave Kilmer got 53.69 to the GOP’s combined 43.78 with the rest for an independent. Not a terrible showing.
The GOP nominee is Businessman and veteran Bill Driscoll
http://electbilldriscoll.org/
Should keep on eye on that one to see if it’s competitive
CD 7 Seattle
CD 8
Safe R. Same Story as CD 3 close seat that got a bit more Republican, RINO Dave Reichert got just 50.2% but other Republicans got an additional 11.6%. He can finally breathe easy against a nobody rat.
CD 9 Safe D (very safe, chunk of Seattle in this one now I think)
CD 10
The new seat
Obama got 57% here to McLame’s 41, same partisan lean as the 6th district.
2 rats combined for 50.96%, 2 Republicans combined for 43.48. 3 indie losers got the rest.
The GOP candidate Dick Muri lost by 10 points to Adam Smith in 2010 for a seat slightly more democrat than this one.
Another one to watch, better odds than the 6th district I’d say
For the other statewide races
LT Gov
The long-tenured Brad Owen got under 50% total and faces a real GOP challenger but I have trouble seeing him lose. It seems he wants to die as LT Governor. Before being elected to his current post in 1996 he was in the state leg since 1977. Lifer.
Sec of State, open R office
Rats outpaced GOP in the primary vote but it looks like we have a chance to retain that. The R sec of state didn’t help stop the stolen election in 2004.
State Treasurer
Rat incumbant was only man on the ballot, the only GOP to run did so as a write in. Still counting but it looks like she will be 2nd and make the NOV ballot so she can lose badly to the democrat.
State Auditor
Open rat seat. The lone GOP got 46.27, 3 rats the rest. Pickup opportunity
AG
McKenna’s open office, 1 dem got 51.52, GOP the rest. 2 King County Councilmembers squaring off. The GOPer is Reagan Dunn, son of the former Congresswoman. He was born in 1971 so he’s probably not named after Ronny.
Land Commish
Rat incumbent 51.45, GOP 41.3, indie the rest
The GOP is Clint Didier, ex-football player and Senate candidate from 2 years ago.
School Superintendent
Nonpartisan race, incumbant whom I sure is a union rat got over 55%.
All GOP candidates and their websites can be found at link http://www.politics1.com/wa.htm
I’m hopeful McKenna and Koster will win and that we’ll get a couple more of those state offices.
I know James - standup guy and VERY impressive Conservative and money manager. I forget the details (on his website), but was President of a bank in Alaska in his young 20’s. Worked at the Treasury and cut lots of money there, then went into computers, etc. Good, standup guy. Here is his press release:
Watkins Wins State Auditor Primary!
Post Primary Statement and Video
August 9 - Following gracious concession messages from State Senator Craig Pridemore and State Representative Mark Miloscia, this morning the Watkins for Auditor campaign released the following statement (and debate invitation), and video from James. The statement is below. The video can be viewed at http://watkinsforauditor.com/video-and-print/post-primary-statement-and-debate-invitation
The preliminary results are in, and it looks like I’ll face State Representative Troy Kelley in the general election for Washington State Auditor.
During the primary campaign, I had a chance to get to know and appreciate State Senator Pridemore and State Representative Miloscia. I’d like to thank them for their public service and for running good, clean campaigns. I hope they’ll continue to serve the citizens of Washington State.
To the hundreds of thousands of voters from across the state who made me the top vote getter and trust me to be their watchdog in Olympia – thank you. I’ll do my best to honor your vote and will work to make our government more accountable, more effective, and more efficient. I will be your watchdog in Olympia. If you didn’t vote for me in the primary, I hope to earn your vote in November.
As we move to the general, the central question of this election is clear – will Washington build on the legacy of Brian Sonntag and retain an independent state auditor’s office or will we turn the office into another Olympia-based political shop?
The new state auditor will help drive reform – or block it. He will champion open government – or protect government from oversight. He will work for the taxpayers – or work for the government.
As candidates in the primary, State Representative Kelley and I ran very different races. I like Troy – but he ran an incredibly cynical race, spending a record amount to fool voters into thinking Brian Sonntag endorsed him as state auditor. In print, the voter’s guide, on-line, and on television, Troy used a two year old endorsement for a different office as if it were current - and was called out for it by the Tacoma News Tribune, Seattle Times, the Spokane Spokesman-Review and Brian Sonntag himself.
I chose to focus on my 23 years of experience and the real issues facing Washington State and the auditor’s office – and earned a convincing primary win, mainstream endorsements from all the major newspapers that endorsed, and bi-partisan endorsements from Democrats and Republicans across the state.
In the primary, State Representative Kelley hid behind misleading advertising instead of engaging in real debate about the role of the auditor’s office, his background, and his qualifications. I hope he’ll reconsider in the general election. Today, I’d like to formally invite Troy to appear with me in a series of debates across Washington State – from his adopted hometown of Tacoma to my hometown in King County. From Spokane, the Tri-Cities, Yakima, and Wenatchee to Aberdeen - voters deserve an open and transparent election. They deserve to know their candidates’ real backgrounds and exactly where their candidates stand.
In conclusion, although times change, many things stay the same. The last time Washingtonians hired a sitting legislator to be their state auditor, he used the auditor’s office to push policies he couldn’t pass as a legislator. He successfully pushed for higher taxes and more tax collectors. Four years later, he lost the office in a landslide. That was in 1897. Washingtonians haven’t made that same mistake in 115 years – and I don’t think we’re going to make that mistake in 2012.
As I’ve said for months, the state auditor’s race isn’t glamorous, it’s not sexy, and it shouldn’t be partisan. It’s about hiring a professional to do a very necessary job. Washington’s taxpayers demand an independent, non-partisan, and professional state auditor – and state auditor’s office. I intend to see they get both.
Thanks again for your support.
Thanks for the round-up.
Great analysis, thanks for posting.