The Evergreen State: Potentially red

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer ^ | November 29, 2007 | Liz Mair

[Clintonfatigued]

In just over a month, the first round of presidential decision-making will kick off with the 2008 Iowa caucuses. Yet, despite the early state focus, several Republican front-runners already are directing their attention to the Evergreen State, which they believe could be competitive next year.

Surprising, isn't it? Washington has not gone to a Republican since Ronald Reagan in 1984, and the state boasts two Democratic senators, six Democratic members of Congress, a Democratic governor and a Democratic-controlled Legislature. Of course, Washington has elected Republicans from outside the conservative mainstream, such as Sens. Slade Gorton and Dan Evans (who also was elected governor).

But, with Gov. Chris Gregoire's ultimate triumph over Dino Rossi in 2004 and the decisive victories of Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell in their most recent races, sure enough Washington is now viewed as blue territory by most at home and across the nation.

Not according to Arizona Sen. John McCain, though. Recently, he has been touting his ability to beat the Democratic front-runner, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, in a head-to-head contest in Washington. McCain is confident that his green streak, evidenced by his sponsorship of major anti-global warming legislation in the Senate and the accompanying praise he earned from green group Environmental Defense, puts him within the mainstream in Washington. He also believes that Evergreen Staters like leaders with an independent streak -- something the man frequently praised (and just as often derided) as a maverick still seems to possess. In addition, he's happy with the results of an October SurveyUSA poll that showed him beating Clinton here, albeit by just one point.

[sionnsar]

Thanks to Clintonfatigued for the ping.

Say WA? Evergreen State ping

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.

Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.

[Clemenza]

“47 States and the People’s Soviet of Washington (state).” -— Franklin Roosevelt

[colorado tanker]

but she wasn’t elected

What are you talking about? The Dems stole it fair and square. Is it their fault they kept finding more ballots squirreled away that they could then "count"??

[Randy Larsen]

I did the same to Hugh Hewitt!

[bethtopaz]

I can’t listen to him anymore.

He was trying to push the Bush’s Amnesty bill, too.

[ReluctantDragon]

You are mostly right. Republican candidates usually do well all over the state, especially in eastern Washington. King County usually tips the scale to the dems.

[Lexinom]

I listened to David Boze today, which I don't usually do because I'm usually working during that time.

He and callers were tossing around ideas for Republicans to stop and reverse the "blue" tidal wave. Every district in the Seattle/King County area, east to Issaquah is now represented by a 'crat.

Some interesting ideas that could help us:

* Take the lead on some local practical environmental issues - clean up various marine locals, for example. Not crack-pot global warming hubris, mind you, but very real problems, real polluted beaches, etc. that people can see with their own eyes (and smell in some cases).

* Address the fishery situation of farm-raised vs. wild caught salmon. I know very little about this issue as I do not fish, perhaps someone else could chime in.

* Don't compromise principle. While many here are liberal on social issues, there are still plenty of single-issue social conservatives. Building a coalition will require a balance: Don't need to parade social conservatism, but don't need to go overboard hiding it either. A fiscal-only strategy will also fail as was proven a decade ago. The key here is moderation in presenting the message.

* Retain the fiscal conservative line on taxes but with specifics. Lay it out so the average Joe can understand.

* Take a tougher tack on crime and vagrancy.

* Someone with the time, gifts, and calling needs to lead. I believe conservatives here are dispirited and no one is motivated to stand up and be a leader. Could Dino Rossi be this person?

[FreedomProtector]

I grew up in Southwest Washington. A large portion (per square mile) of both Washington and Oregon is actually fairly conservative. The Pacific Northwest mirrors the rest of the country where the cities are blue and the rest of the state is red.

Without Portland, Oregon goes red.
Without Seattle, Washington goes red.
Without Philadelphia, Pennsylvania goes red. etc

[Lexinom]

Even the Democrats are more conservative in that part of the state, more the FDR blue collar variety rather than the flaming Marxist activists of Seattle/Portland.

[BillT]

You forgot to explain that King County still has uncounted votes (created) that can be used next election. No need to waste good votes even if they were from the last election.

[Bean Counter]

Clinton isn’t popular out here because people like Baghdad Jim McDermutt are. Yah, that might give McCain a boost in some precincts, but there’s no way he’s getting any traction among anyone I know....

[fish hawk]

The Sea Hawks are doing good. I can’t think of anything else nice to say about that sick liberal state.

[Publius]

Not FDR. Jim Farley, FDR’s Postmaster General and overall political fixer.

[Publius]

While many here are liberal on social issues, there are still plenty of single-issue social conservatives.

There are not enough social conservatives to matter. Even Republicans in Washington State are majority social libertarians.

Let me give you an example. In 1998, an initiative was placed on the ballot to ban partial birth abortions. It lost by 2-1 and lost in every single county in the state except for one tiny county in Eastern Washington. Even in Eastern Washington, where people were polled after the election as to how and why they voted, folks voted against the initiative because, while they had issues with partial birth abortion, they were against government inserting its nose into people's private business.

This is why State Rep. Fred Jarrett went over to the Democrats today. Like it or not, people here are social liberals, particularly the Microsofties, who dominate Jarrett's district. Urbanites and suburbanites in Western Washington favor abortion on demand, euthanasia, gay marriage and drug legalization, no matter which party they belong to. You'll never win with a social conservative.

Could Dino Rossi be this person?

In 2008, Dino Rossi will be remembered as a bug on Christine Gregoire's windshield. He will not be able to withstand the Democratic tide coming to this state next year.

[cherry]

just this week, a state legislator turned Rat after many years as a Pub....the second to do so in the last few months...

let's face it...Washington state is much like New York state...controlled by a myopic group of city dwellers who could care less about traditional values or conservative fiscal policies...

if property taxes keep going like they are, it'll be Idaho for us.....

[Lexinom]

Those things may be true for the Seattle area, but are not elsewhere in the state (like where I live). Someone else said it best earlier in the thread: WA mirrors America in a lot of ways. Given the closeness of the election in 2004 I stand by my point.

Since you brought up abortion, I've been shoving the grim reality of the procedure into the face of these "social libertarians" (how can you have "liberty" without life?) for the last twenty years with zest, and will continue doing so until the day I die.

[coincheck]

King, Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, and Snohomish Counties control all the politics in this state. This is why the state is socialist. This is also why we are among the highest taxed states in the union. The people are funding all the socialist plans and experiments to force us to accept mass transit and collectivization. Small business is the enemy of the state, related to the taxes and “fees” they must pay to stay in business. Our state government is also trying to push every other business out with regulation and restrictions that punish success and promotes dependence on the state. Don’t know how much more of these “enlightened” socialist democrats we can take.

[miliantnutcase]

Hugh and Romney really need to get a room together...

[Lexinom]

And that is why I don’t live in that hellhole, even though I happen to be one of the “Microsofties” he described. There is NO WAY I would ever live in King county under any circumstances. I try to have as little contact with these little Stalins as possible.

[SW6906]

Wow. I really respect your opinion and your post really depresses me.............