Washblog

Disappointment in the 47th Legislative District

There were tears after the 47th Legislative District Democrats meeting tonight.  

This was our meeting to endorse candidates for the 2006 primary election. There was some debate over Cantwell and a couple of votes against endorsement for her. A few people, including me, abstained.   But the ayes had it, easy. No Washbloggian torments there tonight.  

One race, however, was seriously contested. This is the State Senate race, in which Claudia Kauffman and Ed Crawford are running.   I am a member of the endorsement committee in the 47th. Our committee had recommended a dual endorsement for this race.

Bryan Kesterson, the District Chair, presented that recommendation to the forty-eight voting members who were present. Then we debated.   We debated for nearly two hours.   A complicated set of motions went back and forth with amendments and counter-amendments. Many passionate speeches were given. I didn't talk; I listened, learned, and voted.  When it was over, we had a sole endorsement for Ed. [correction 6/9 -- a single endorsement. Thanks to Gordon Glasgow in comments.]

A candidate in a contested race who wins a sole endorsement has a much higher likelihood of a win in the general election. The unendorsed candidate is left without the benefit of the District's money, volunteer help, or public blessing. It is a disappointing outcome for the person who does not win. Tonight, when the results of the vote were announced, there was heavy silence in the room, as if we were all holding our breaths.

Claudia Kauffman is qualified for this position. She has been running for months.   She is experienced, capable, hard-working, and engaging. Many people have invested time, energy, and money in her campaign. Her presence in the race has been energizing for the district. Color is also an issue here, Claudia being of Native American heritage. I am not alone in the 47th in my preference, all other things being equal, for a candidate of color. The 47th is a culturally diverse community with representation that is not diverse. For all these reasons, and because Claudia's stands on political issues are very close to mine, I donated to her campaign as generously as I could and endorsed her early on. Tonight, I walked into that room with the intention of voting for a dual endorsement.

But I voted for Ed. Over the last two months, I had come to believe that Ed is a better choice for us here in the 47th this year. Despite that feeling I had still intended to vote for a dual endorsement, which I felt was necessary to uphold party and cross-cultural unity. But as I listened to my neighbors' speeches pro and con - and considered them in light of all my experiences in the past years and months -- my understanding of unity began to change. My feelings underwent a shift. We will have our unity, I realized. We have it already. In a race where the stakes for the community are high -- in which a sole endorsement will give Democrats a better chance to win in November, our district organization, our democracy, and our relationships across color and culture, are strong enough for me to be able to vote on my understanding of the merits. I can trust the people in that room, including the candidates and their supporters. I can trust the community. I can trust the democratic process.

I am proud of the two candidates who have served so competently and with such caring that they are worthy to be our Senators.  I am proud that these two people from my community took the personal risk to put themselves on the line for us, to offer themselves for public service in full knowledge of all the hard work and risks that lie ahead. I am proud of the members of our district who sat in a room from 7pm to 10pm to speak with each other, to listen patiently and respectfully to each other, and to think and act with great care in a difficult situation. I am delighted with democracy itself, which so beautifully unfolded in front of us tonight.


< Here's one for you Progressives | Sen. Biden Hopes for Rise in Bush's Approval Ratings >
Display: Sort:
Gaining the senate seat in your district has great importance state wide. At the convention I had the chance to talk with some on your endorsement committee and though you have two good candidates and making a sole endorsement in such a situation can be a major setback for a district, my hope was that your voting members would take the action they did, while respecting those not on the prevailing side.
As it relates to the campaign, the winning candidate must work hard every day, make no errors and raise a huge amount of money. On the financial side, this means he or she must get major contributors to give the max both prior to the primary and after. Such is the game with our states model for campaign reform. Thus a dual endorsement would have assured both candidates would have raised less money. This is something neither could afford.
As it relates to your districts future in this very important year, well done. The voters of the 47th have come to respect your district organization as it began to change from an R dist to a D district and from the sound of things, you deserve that respect. Oh and by the way, I think as stewards of your district, the endorsement committee's recommending of a dual endorsement was a good thing to do.

by Particle Man on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 09:10:01 AM PST

* 1 5.00 1 *


Thanks,

It was a remarkable meeting.  It is not often, I think, that people listen so carefully to each other in a public forum - and really think things through in light of the knowledge and opinion of others.

We had a person speak last night who was a candidates in a similar situation in the 47th -- who received a dual endorsement in 2000, and lost in the general by 189 votes.  People who had taken part in that endorsement process spoke up.  We had people from the boards of endorsement committees of community organizations -- a labor union, a conservation group, and a professional group -- speaking pro and con about what the ramifications of this process are.  There were passionate advocates for each candidate who spoke on their individual merits.  There were testimonials about what the presence of a person of color in this race means for people in the district.  Shy people got up to speak, firebrand orators got up to speak.  Collective intelligence was at work.  Good faith reigned.  

by noemie maxwell on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 09:53:12 AM PST

* 2 5.00 3 *


Noemie, thank you for describing the 47th LD's endorsement meeting.  Special thanks for writing up your thoughts and feelings on the endorsement, and the state of unity the 47th District Dems.  

Extra-special thanks for talking about the exquisite, delicate phenomenon that is local party unity.  The important insight I take away from your description is that when built carefully and constructively, local party unity can be quite strong, affirming and empowering.

Keep up the great work!

by microveldt on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 05:47:18 PM PST

* 5 5.00 2 *


Noemie, you have captured in writing many of the same feelings I had sitting in the room with you on Weds. night.  I came to the same conclusion that a vote to endorse Ed was our wisest move and the most effective thing we could have done to further the cause of winning our 47th senate seat.

This was, in my mind, the most important series of votes we've ever taken as an organization.  Usually our endorsement carries little or no weight.  But our endorsement in this race has the potential to move mountains - of support and money.  Now it is up to us to publicize our vote and maximize its effectiveness.

I woke up Thursday feeling positive and optimistic.  Sorry, yes, for Claudia, because I personally like her.  I hope we haven't seen the last of her.  And as everyone said, should she prevail in the primary, I will work for her enthusiastically.  But I am excited as well, because we actually DID something that is likely to make an impact.

Bittersweet still doesn't seem like the right word, but closer to how I feel than "disappointed".

by Dennis Higgins on Fri Jun 09, 2006 at 07:50:30 AM PST

* 9 5.00 1 *


I think contested primaries can be beneficial to Democrats provided that

  1.  Both agree to lay off of media buys and compete strictly with their respective ground games.
  2.  Both agree to lay off of mudslinging and general negativity.

Competing ground games boost interest in the contest among Democrats, who get invested in doorbelling and other outreach activities and become more likely to continue these things in the general election.  This is party building at the most basic level.  The "save the money for the general election" argument goes by the wayside if both campaigns agree not to do heavy media expenditures.

I think that 2004's contested primary in the  11th boosted interest in state legislative politics in the district.  Not minimizing some of the Seattle vs Renton bad feelings in the district organization at the time, but I was both heartened and absolutely astonished that the two candidates with the most effective ground games both canvassed my neighborhood in person.  In the 22 years I had lived at the address, I had never been visited even once by anyone running for a state-level office,let alone two.  I'm sure that boosted turnout in the general election.

by eridani on Wed Jun 14, 2006 at 11:36:54 PM PST

* 15 5.00 1 *


There is a fine technical distinction here, but what was voted was a SINGLE endorsement for Ed Crawford, not a SOLE endorsement. The initial motion was for a sole endorsement but it was amended to be a single endorsement.

As a member of the Endorsements Committee, I was disappointed to see our recommendation not be accepted by the membership. But as a newbie to the political arena I have to accept that there are no doubt practical considerations far beyond my ken. It is my interpretation of events and what was said that this decision by the LD was based on those considerations, and not as any kind of an evaluative statement on Claudia.

Up until last night, I thought we were very fortunate to have two eminently qualified candidates, but as the old saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for, you might get it."

by Gordon Glasgow on Thu Jun 08, 2006 at 07:43:26 PM PST

* 6 none 0 *


Display: Sort:

 

 

PNW TOPIC HOTLIST

 

Login

Make a new account
Username:
Password:

 HELP

Recommended Diaries

Related Links

+ noemie maxwell's Diary

Washblog RSS Feeds

Political Contacts

Local Media

Coastal/Grays Harbor
Aberdeen Daily World
Chinook Observer
Montesano Vidette
Pacific County Press
Willapa Harbor Herald
KXRO 1320 AM

Olympic Peninsula
Peninsula Daily News
Bremerton Sun
Bremerton Chronicle
Gig Harbor Gateway
Port Orchard Independent
Port Townsend Leader
North Kitsap Herald
Squim Gazette
Central Kitsap Reporter
Business Examiner
KONP 1450 AM

Sound and Islands
Anacortes American
Bainbridge Review
Voice Of Bainbridge
San Juan Journal
The Islands' Sounder
Whidbey NewsTimes
South Whidbey Record
Stanwood/Camano News
Vashon Beachcomber
Voice Of Vashon
KLKI 1340 AM

North Puget Sound
Bellingham Herald
The Northern Light
Everett Herald
Skagit Valley Herald
Lynden Tribune
The Enterprise
Snohomish County Tribune
Snohomish County Business Journal
The Monroe Monitor
The Edmonds Beacon
KGMI 790 AM
KELA 1470 AM
KRKO 1380 AM

Central Puget Sound
King County Journal
Issaquah Press
Mukilteo Beacon
Voice of the Valley
Federal Way Mirror
Bothell/Kenmore Reporter
Kirkland courier
Mercer Island Reporter
Woodinville Weekly

Greater Seattle
Seattle PI
Seattle Times
KOMO TV 4
KIRO TV 7
KING 5 TV
KTBW TV 22
KCTS 9
UW Daily
The Stranger
Seattle Weekly
Capitol Hill Times
Madison Park Times
Seattle Journal of Commerce
NW Asian Weekly
West Seattle Herald
North Seattle Herald-Outlook
South Seattle Star
Magnolia News
Beacon Hill News
KIRO 710 AM
KOMO AM 1000
KEXP 90.3 FM
KUOW 94.9 FM
KVI 570 AM

South Puget Sound
The Columbian
Longview Daily News
Nisqually Valley News
Lewis County News
The Reflector
Eatonville Dispatch
Tacoma News Tribune
Tacoma Weekly
Puyallup Herald
Enumclaw Courier-Herald
The Olympian
KAOS 89.3 FM
KCPQ 13
KOWA FM 106.5
UPN 11

Cascade/Okanogan
Ellensburg Daily Record
Levenworth Echo
Cle Elum Tribune
Snoqualmie Valley Record
Methow Valley News
Lake Chelan Mirror
Omak chronicle
The Newport Miner

Spokane/Palouse
The Spokesman-Review
KREM 2 TV Spokane
KXLY News 4 Spokane
KHQ 6 Spokane
KSPS Spokane
Statesman-Examiner
Othello Outlook
Cheney Free Press
Camas PostRecord
The South County sun
White Salmon Enterprise
Palouse Boomerang
Columbia Basin Herald
Grand Coulee Star
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
Yakima Herald-Republic
KIMA 29 Yakima
KAPP TV 35 Yakima
KYVE Yakima
Wenatchee World
Tri-City Herald
TVEW TV 42 Tri-cities
KTNW Richland
KEPR 19 Pasco
Daily Sun News
Prosser Record-Bulletin
KTCR 1340 AM
KWSU Pullman
Moscow-Pullman Daily News