Wireless exec won't run for governor --- blow to the Washington state Republican Party

In another blow to the state Republican Party's bid to win the governor's office, Western Wireless chief executive John Stanton has decided he will not run for governor in 2004.

Stanton became the third big name to turn the party down after King County Sheriff Dave Reichert dropped out and U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt of Spokane, who had been thinking about a run for governor, promised instead to announce this month whether he'll challenge U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.

"While I am very flattered to be considered, for professional and personal commitments I will not be able to pursue anything in 2004," Stanton said by phone last night.

He said he came to his decision over the weekend and called state Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance yesterday afternoon.

"For John it was never about 'can he win,' " Vance said. "It was 'is this the right thing to do' for his company and his family."

Stanton's announcement makes it less likely that Vance will be able to sign up candidates by his self-imposed deadline this month. In the past, he has said his party has failed to win the Governor's Office because it spent too much time finding candidates. The more time it takes, the more time it loses to raise money for a campaign.

"We're not going to give up," Vance said. "We're going to have one great candidate, and that person is going to be the governor."

According to Brett Bader, a Republican political consultant, dwindling support for Gov. Gary Locke has opened the door for a Republican contender, so Stanton's decision hurts the GOP even more.

"It's a big opportunity for the Republicans because Locke is beatable, but the state party has thus far been unable to recruit a candidate," Bader said. "Chris Vance's self-imposed deadlines for finding high-profile gubernatorial and Senate candidates have come and gone."

I wish the press would quit quoting Brett Bader, he is a, has been wash up. Everybody saw what he did for the Carlson campaign. His only claim to fame is Dan Evans. Bader is nothing but a shyster, but seems to get work like pro R-51. Look at the money behind the R-51 crowd, now look, and see WHO IS NOT CONTRIBUTING to the state party. There is a war going on and Chris is caught in the middle.

Makes me wish Don Benton were back, do not get me wrong Chris is doing his best in a difficult situation. I really blame the central committee for putting up with the crap. The central committee has the authority to run the party and determine its direction. They voted twice to move the party to Olympia; guess what they have not even tried to move. Yes I know the excuses about not being able to get out of the lease.

When is our central committee going to wake up and clean house?

Nation wide, republican donations are coming from individual small donors. In this state, the grassroots is ignored until campaign season. Don Benton tried to change that and he is gone. The WSRP is useless; the state senate campaign committee has more money than the State Party does.

When is our central committee going to wake up and clean house?

Once they get tired of being the RATS lap-dogs and once they stop being happy with the little crumbs the RATS leave them for being a good, tame minority party.

The RATS have so many under-the-table and downright underhanded deals going on because they've now single-handedly controlled state government for a generation.

Here's just one of them: The State Investment Board (Currently made up of 9 RAT voting members and one Republican -- West, who's only been on the Board since January and has been sick the entire time) controls contracts with private investment managers for billions of dollars (some $45 billion to be precise -- 2/3 of all the assets controlled by the state government). And the new executive director of the SIB (a former chief of staff to Locke and dept. head under Clinton) is running around to every one of these managers with this message from Locke and Gregoire: "start bringing that money into the party coffers or you won't do business here anymore".

And the managers do. Why submit to the strongarm? There's no opposition. And the state GOP is too damn stupid to look under the rock and blow the whistle on what's going on.

That's why they're going to keep losing statewide races from now till the world ends.

I've worked in the state legislature and in agency management for 23 years, the last 8 where all that money is...there is so much corruption and under-the-table movement of money and favors that one would be very hard pressed to exaggerate it. But it takes something like Tacoma (which is part and parcel of some of the same thing that is going on in the AG's office...oh, and the AG is investigating the Tacoma event...isn't that sweet?) to get people's attention. Garden-style money corruption just doesn't tickle their fancy. They're too worried about whether, maybe, someone who might not like abortion very much might get elected.

And the Republicans here? A complete waste of time. They wouldn't know how to drive a good issue home if it smacked them in the face. What's the difference between the state GOP and Locke on the business climate and the current high tax burden? Nope, by gum, the GOP is right on the page with Locke about that 7E7 project! /sarc

Scott, thank you for the information. First, we need to get the TRAITORS OUT OF OUR PARTY! The RATS have infiltrated it!

Who are they? The old faces of Ralph Monroe, Slade (to a certain extent), and Sam Reed are still hanging on. They are waiting for a new crop of traitors to emerge.

The new crop is here, and holding public office. Senator Bill Finkbeiner and Rep. Fred Jarret are two of the worst!

SENATOR BILL FINKBEINER WAS APPOINTED TO SIT ON THE "GOVERNOR’S SUSTAINABLE WASHINGTON ADVISORY PANEL" ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVE FRED JARRETT, BOTH MEN ARE REPUBLICANS AND FINKBEINER WAS ELECTED TO A SENATE LEADERSHIP POSITION. THE PANEL RECOMMENDED THAT THE STATE IMPLEMENT THE PARAMETERS OF THE KYOTO TREATY ON GLOBAL WARMING. BELOW IS A BRIEF HISTORY OF A LITTLE BUT ANTI-GROWTH AGENDA OF LOCKE AND THE SUSTAINABILITY PANEL, INCLUDING FINKBEINER'S PROMINENT ROLE.

"A New Path Forward. Action Plan for a Sustainable Washington: Achieving Long-term Economic, Social, and Environmental Vitality"; was Submitted to Governor Gary Locke on February, 2003 by the "Governor’s Sustainable Washington Advisory Panel."

Governor Gary Locke issued Executive Order 02-03, Sustainable Practices By State Agencies and legislation is under consideration to pave the way for Kyoto implementation in Washington State. An example is House Bill 2119, designed to create a carbon registry; passed the Democrat controlled house while its companion, Senate Bill 5945 did not receive a hearing and died in the Republican controlled senate. Last year ESHB 2326, which created the Washington Climate Center, was signed into law on March 29, 2002 by Governor Locke.

The Cost to the Washington State Economy will be horrendous. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimated the following:

"Carbon Permit Prices. Carbon permit prices... increase energy costs for the average household by about $335-$1,740 annually."

"Electricity. Average electricity prices... an increase of 20-86% over the baseline."

"Gasoline. Gasoline prices... an increase of 14-66 ¢/gallon, or 11-53% over the baseline."

"Fuel Oil. Average fuel oil prices... an increase of 14-76% over the baseline."

"Natural Gas. Average natural gas... an increase of 25-147% over the baseline."

"GDP. GDP declines range from $61-$397 billion ..."

The last element is very meaningful to Lewis County, "the EIA estimates a decline in coal use of 20-80%, and an average coal price increase by 154-866%, with additional COAL MINING JOB LOSSES OF 10,300-43,000 (15-63%)." The Heartland Institute also has calculated that Locke's greenhouse gas reduction blueprint could cost the normal family an additional $5000 per year.

Finkbeiner Supports Takings and Land Use Restrictions

Conservation groups in Washington state kicked off the “Wild Washington” campaign this spring with the with the goal of permanently protecting Washington’s last remaining wild forest lands as wilderness. These efforts to protect Washington’s remaining wild places received a bipartisan boost on the 35th anniversary of the signing of the Wilderness Act earlier this month. Two Republican members of the state legislature, Senator Bill Finkbeiner and state Representative Kelly Barlean circulated letters in support of wilderness protection, while Republican Ralph Munro, Washington’s Secretary of State and Democrat John Roskelley, Spokane’s County Commissioner co-authored an op-ed praising Wilderness protection efforts.
Governor Gary Locke also joined the chorus with his own statement encouraging continued work to protect wild lands throughout Washington. “There is a grassroots effort under way across our state to give new protection to our remaining national-forest wilderness. Fifteen years ago was the last time federal lawmakers acted to permanently conserve some of Washington’s natural crown jewels. Much of what’s left of Washington’s pristine wild country remains exposed and at risk,” said Gov. Locke.
Contact Washington Wilderness Coalition at 206/633-1992 for more information about the Washington Wild! Campaign.

Finkbeiner also introduced most of the pro Kyoto bill in the WA Senate this year. Than God for Bob Morton and Joyce Mulliken, the bill did not go anywhere.

Finkbeiner and Jarret also raise money for the WA Conservation Voters, a group that supports Democrats.

THESE GUYS GOTA GO and so along with the Bellevue crowd.

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