Today's Seattle P-I article on King County politics reports that Republican Councilmember Reagan Dunn, recently appointed to fill Rob McKenna's old seat, is challenging fellow Republican incumbent Steve Hammond in the new 9th District. Hammond is a good guy. Dunn has promise, but it's a shame he chose not to move within his district so he could take out Jane Hague, who hasn't been the most impressive Republican on the Council.
Democrat Bob Ferguson, whose old district was also vaporized in the redistricting, will have to run against Democrat Carolyn Edmonds. I wish Ferguson well. He's a decent guy and the most independent Democrat on the Council. Although I'm currently in Ferguson's district, the new lines regrettably place me out of his new district and into the new 2nd District where the frequently unimpressive incumbent Larry Gossett will remain unchallenged.
The article reports further that Ron Sims is looking beatable (I'm 99.8% confident Sims can be tossed out on his ass if a viable candidate steps up to the plate). Councilmember David Irons, whom his foes on the redistricting committee placed into the same 9th District as Hammond and Dunn, is considering a run against Sims. Irons is a good guy and he has my support should he decide to run.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at February 28, 2005 05:02 PM | Email ThisI agree with keeping Hammond. He's a good strong character! Dunn is very clever...but I think we need a hammer when dealing with King County....
Posted by: Deborah on February 28, 2005 07:23 PMI do not believe anyone has to put forth any herculean effort to defeat Ron Sims this time around....(Providing we get this election fraud cleaned up.....otherwise....he WILL try to pad the ballot boxes again...)
Posted by: Deborah on February 28, 2005 07:28 PM This suspciously has chris vances fingerprints
all over it.I would be willing to bet the farm
that vance made it very clear to reagan dunn not to
run against jane hague.Otherwise it makes little
sense.
Vance wanted keep some of his moderate buddies
on the council. to many conservatives can be
problem for people like vance.but don't worry
Vance will get his just reward soon enough.
Go ahead and vote in King County - they won't notice.
Posted by: BJ Gadfly on February 28, 2005 08:26 PMI was speaking with my father the other day who said that unlike much of the rest of this state, Metro King County actually loves Ron Sims and would probably continue to elect him.
Any solid evidence that King County would actually toss this guy (Sims) to the curb for a more sound candidate (Democrat or Republican)?
Posted by: flexnfx on February 28, 2005 10:17 PMIrons really cares about the issues that face our county and his district. With all that has happened in KC with the election fiasco, we need someone who is principled and capable! And I will stick with Councilman Hammond in the 9th District.
Posted by: ErinA on February 28, 2005 11:03 PMhttp://www.kingcountyjournal.com/sited/story/html/197473
Here's what Dunn said to the press:
``(The district) needs a representative who can bridge the gap between the suburban and rural communities in the district,''
``(Hammond is) too far to the right, I think, to adequately represent the entire district.''
Dunn vows to run ``a positive, issues-oriented campaign.''
Hammond did a ``great job'' representing his constituents in the southern, more rural part of the district, Dunn said. Now, the district has taken on a suburban flavor with the addition of more of the Renton area and south Bellevue.
Dunn's top priority on the council is to champion private property rights in rural areas and fight the Critical Areas Ordinance, which he called a ``taking of land.'' Hammond, a former minister, has made his political mark doing the same thing.
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Steve Hammond does not just represent the rural voters, although he has been an effective advocate for us. Steve Hammond also was the most voracious in trying to get to the bottom of the county's elections disaster.
Steve Hammond has worked hard on issues affecting suburban and upscale neighborhoods as well as the rural areas.
If Councilman Dunn is looking for a more 'flexible' district, he would do a fine job representing the area's currently served by Jean Hague or Julia Patterson.
Dave Irons would make a good county executive. I'd rather have him as the Cascade County Executive, but all in due time. He has the experience and fortitude to get the job done.
Posted by: Jacob Jarvis on February 28, 2005 11:38 PMWhat kind of home training did you get anyway, Stefan?
Posted by: DeadManVoting (aka Iguana) on February 28, 2005 11:48 PMDunn and Hague struck a deal and it is very obvious why. The Republican party does not want him (Hammond) in Seattle politics or any other state politics for that matter. It is VERY obvious the party wants someone in there that is willing to play THEIR games.
If your aren't willing to be a member of the "good old boy" club and dance to the tune they play then they'll do whatever it takes to get you out of the picture. Rotten politics runs deep in the Republican party and this is just another example. Wouldn't be at all surprised to find mamma, Chris and the rest of the wolves huddled around a table planning the kill.
There are very few people who have any values and ethics serve any length of time or at all for that matter. It's not WHO you are but WHOSE you are.
Posted by: mel on March 1, 2005 07:57 AMAll that you are saying is that politics is political. Dunne has more political support in the county than does Hammond. Is there any reason to bring the discussion to a lower level than that? Why the sour grapes?
Posted by: Huckleberry on March 1, 2005 09:48 AMI find your remark about bringing the discussion to a lower level interesting. You must not be familiar with the "guts" of party politics because decent people like Hammond are not wanted, only those who can be bought and manipulated are. Those willing to sing the song and dance the dance will get the support. Those like Hammond usually end up riding into the sunset because he is not willing to prostitute his values.
Like I said before, it's not WHO you are but WHOSE you are. How different this state and nation would be it we could choose between the better of two goods and not the lesser of two evils.
Mel
It would be good to see the new redistricting of King County. The political landscape of Seattle will not change until the 60's generation out of power. I would still like to see a new county that would include the area outside of Seattle, because Seattle deserves a county of its own and those outside of Seattle deserve to be extradited from Seattle so they can grow in a Democratic way and not a Socialist way.
Posted by: KS on March 1, 2005 12:20 PMHammer! {AKA; Steve Hammond}
You have your work cut out for you.....but you also have the attention and respect of a large and growing movement of citizens fed up with Ron Sims and the KC Dem machine....
You can do this!
Posted by: Deborah on March 1, 2005 08:10 PMAlso, I'm not sure how someone that goes to work for the Ashcroft Justice Department in the capacity of prosecuting terrorism cases can be seen as anything but conservative. Now if he was a public defender I could see how one might think that he was "moderate" or on the left edge of the GOP, but that's certainly not the case.
Like Steve Hammond (who I like very much too), he thinks that the CAO is an absolute taking without just compensation and (I've talked at length with him on this) he is committed to either overturning the CAO's provisions or to force King County to pay people who are harmed by this taking. Of course, King County doesn't have the money to pay everyone whose property values are harmed by this overbearing regulation on property owners but that's another story.
It is unfortunate to have such great conservative values represented in both of them (which certainly makes it difficult to choose), but that's what we get for voting to downsize the council. I never supported it because I believed (and still do) that it's going to decrease our access to elected county officials and increase our exposure to a larger staff (so that they can handle an increase in the number of constituents that will inevitably occur next January).
Be careful what you wish for; you just might get it.
David Carson
Redmond
Before Dunn even got onto the council, he made a deal with two vulnerable Republicans. Otherwise, he never would have gotten on. Don't you think they all were projecting down the road to the vote in November after the redistricting? Before the council voted Dunn on to the council, certain ones had to reassure themselves that he would not run against them. Dunn was new and naive and did not know what the deal was all about. He does not have the political maturity of Hammond.
Posted by: Edwina on March 7, 2005 03:26 PMFor Dunn, the Council seat is just a first step towards a career pointing towards the governorship someday. He will move on up as soon as he can (with his mother's money and friends, of course.)
Posted by: Hooked on Hammond on May 12, 2005 10:05 PMReagan (named for the governor - definitely not a pro-life President) could easily have moved a few blocks to take out a flaming Dem and would have bolstered the Rep edge on the council.
But no, personal ambition and elite party politics
served to take a good man down. There is no way Dunn at 34 could have contributed as much as he says he has. Ask any attorney listed on the Massoui conviction documents - I'm sure they would take offence at the bandwagoning tactic.
I am teetering on disolving my association with the King County and Wash State Republican party. I'm not alone, let's see a Republican - even a pro-abortion Dunn win election then. Look out Reichert!