The GOP’s Lean Slate (Wash. st.)

Seattle Weekly ^ | May 7, 2003 | George Howland Jr.

[JohnnyZ]

Reichert and Stanton sound OK. Hopefully they'll get to run against Gary Locke -- "another popular Democrat" my butt!

[Cicero]

Well, I'm not impressed by the state party leader. ""What won't sell is harsh, in-your-face conservatism," says Vance. Yet, "It's not as simple as moving the party to the center. If I was trying to drive the pro-lifers out of the party, that would be divisive. Our [party] slogan is 'Working for All of Us.'"

I agree that harshness is foolish in a politician. It's better to be soft-spoken like Bush than loud and offensive like Newt Gingrich. (Yes, I agree with much of what Gingrich accomplished, but not with his self-destructive way of always shouting about it at the top of his voice.)

But is it harsh to be pro-life? I would have thought it was harsh to kill babies. We don't need more RINOs in congress, who will vote against tax cuts and in favor of tax-funded abortions.

[dosadi]

Linda Smith could have ousted Murray if Mitch McConnell hadn't yanked financial support in the last month of the campaign. Something about Smith's outspoken support of term limits that tied McConnell's shorts in a knot

[JohnnyZ]

That's what Vance said. "It's not as simple as moving the party toward the center." Basically he's advocating happy-face conservatism (or compassionate conservatism, or Bushatism, or whatever). He didn't say it was harsh to be pro-life, he said it was bad to be harsh and he wasn't going to drive out pro-lifers.

I would guess that they'd like pro-lifers to be generally less Bible-thumping, to make a pragmatic argument on the areas of widest agreement, and libertarian anti-taxers to make pragmatic arguments against the worst of the spending excesses instead of saying they'll repeal all taxes and services. Might as well play to your opponent's weakness rather than your own, even if you "weakness" is right and only "weak" 'cause it's controversial.

[Eala]

I don't know Stanton but I've heard Reichert speak at Republican conventions. He does have an excellent presence.

[Maigret]

"I don't know that Patty Murray has been a strong person in advising our governor. Her vision is not as sharp as it should be, and her record of accomplishment is questionable."

This certainly takes the understatement of the year award! Sadly, there are few Republicans who worked at Microsoft and made fortunes that would let them buy an office.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

Vance is incompetent, until you dump him the Republican Party will continue to lose.

[Publius]

But is it harsh to be pro-life?

In Washington, it is. The state is strongly pro-choice. In 1998, there was an initiative on the ballot to ban partial birth abortions, and it lost by 2 to 1. It even lost in conservative eastern Washington.

[Publius]

There hasn't been a Republican governor since 1986...

Actually, since January of 1985, when Democrat Booth Gardner was inaugurated, replacing Republican John Spellman whom he defeated in 1984.

[Publius]

Linda Smith could have ousted Murray if Mitch McConnell hadn't yanked financial support in the last month of the campaign.

You're the second poster at FR who has made this statement, and it's becoming something of an urban legend in Washington politics. Unfortunately, it isn't true.

The key issue in 1998 was whether Clinton should be impeached for something that was "only sex." Smith could not make the argument. When confronted with the statement, "You can't legislate morality," Smith's retort was, "You can if you have the votes." This didn't sit well with Washington's extremely secular voting base.

John Keister on KING-TV's "Almost Live" managed to define the race in one simple quip. "Patty Murray isn't the brightest star in the sky. Linda Smith's star is bright, but it has a very erratic orbit."

Smith, like Ellen Craswell, was too far to the right to win a statewide office in Washington.

The only kind of Republican who can win these statewide offices is what is known as a "Dan Evans" Republican, i.e. conservative on economic issues but liberal on social and environmental issues. Here at FR, we call these people RINO's.

[Wphile]

You have to realize that this is WA State. Politically, it's a mess. The Dems totally control the city of Seattle and of late, have controlled the suburbs. If you have a candidate who is considered too conservative, you'll lose the suburbs and therefore the state. The east side is solidly conservative but the population is over there. When I say "too conservative" I don't mean one can't be pro-life. They can be pro-life but they cannot support the overturning of Roe V. Wade. Any candidate who suggests that and runs on it, is doomed.

The article is probably right about Patty Murray in that she is popular - over on the West side. But it is way wrong about Gary Locke. His approval ratings aren't much better than Gray Davis's in California and people are sick of his talk, talk, talk and never any action. His rebuttal to Bush's State of the Union address in January was embarrassing and I think most WA voters saw it that way.

I think winning the Governorship is possible but getting that senate seat is going to be tough. Dunn could have done it but she declined. Nethercutt is my congressman and he's great and well respected and supported here in Eastern Washington. Whether he can cut it in Western Washington is THE QUESTION. Unfortunately, I don't have the answer.

[JohnnyZ]

Wphile, what's the status on Gary Locke running again? Is there pressure on him to retire yet? Are there other Democrats gearing up?

[Wphile]

Locke hasn't said one way or the other and he does have a democratic challenger whose name escapes me at this point. Talmadge or something like that who is running because of Locke's "abysmal lack of leadership."

So, I don't know what Locke will do. If he doesn't run, I'm not sure where he will end up. Perhaps he's thinking he'll land a VP slot - there was talk of him in 2000 with Gore - or a cabinet position should the dems win the White House.

[Publius]

Former state supreme court justice Phil Talmadge is preparing to run against Locke from the left in the primary. When Locke betrayed his base in WEA (the teacher's union), he signed his political death warrant.

Talmadge is a far leftist. A "Dan Evans" Republican could isolate him on the left by eliding conservative positions and running from the center.

[Wphile]

Thanks. I can't believe I got the name right. I agree that the Governorship is attainable for the GOP. Murray's seat is another question...unfortunately.

[bigfootbob]

"We don't need more RINOs in congress, who will vote against tax cuts and in favor of tax-funded abortions."

2 years ago Vance hired a so-called moderate polling outfit, (actually democRAT operatives), to figure out the voters minds in the Seattle Crescent. Several of the items the "R's" were told to stop, was being too "strident" and lose the "property rights fanaticism" at the expense of salmon restoration attempts. It sounds as if he's still following the playbook designed by liberals.

We're doomed at the state and federal level in '04. The only hope I see for the R's right now, is local races. This is where the leaders for '08 will come from. I don't see it turning around until then. We have some more pain coming our way before the dummies in the Seattle megaopolis wake up and help us vote these thieves out.

[Publius]

Murray can be beaten if someone isolates her to the left -- which is where she generally hangs out -- and runs against her from the center. Jennifer Dunn could have done it, but she has a brand new marriage and wants to retire in two or four years.

But there is hope.

• State Rep. Fred Jarrett from Mercer Island would be a fine candidate because he is brilliant (IQ off the charts), photogenic and would make Patty look like a dufus. He is a "Dan Evans" Republican.
• State Rep. Doug Ericksen from Bellingham has promise, even though he's still very young. He can wait until 2008 if necessary.
• State Sen. Linda Evans Parlette from Wenatchee is also a "Dan Evans" Republican and is very photogenic. (She and I both started out in the Goldwater campaign 40 years ago.)
• State Sen. Dan Swecker from Chehalis is an evangelical, but he is strong on environmental issues -- he is a salmon farmer when not in Olympia -- and he is an innovator on transportation issues. His avuncular demeanor hides one of the sharpest minds in Olympia.

We may have to go for a dark horse, but we have talent in the legislature.

[Wphile]

Thanks for the info. I am not familiar with any of these individuals. What do you think about Nethercutt's chances were he to decide to challenge Murray?

[Publius]

The problem with Nethercutt was his decision to violate his term limit pledge. No one will let him forget this. I don't think he can win unless Patty says something stupid again.

[Publius]

Ping.