Because of the new "top two" primary election law, both parties will be nominating by convention this year instead of picking their nominees in the primary election. The parties have a right to assert their identities, and conventions are the inevitable outcome, the only way to prevent crossover voting in the absence of party ballots.
The Republican King County convention will be Saturday, June 11 (yes, this Saturday) at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. If you are a Precinct Committee Officer or elected delegate you should have received a call to the convention in the mail. Registration is at 10:00 am for all delegates except those from the ninth county council district, who should get there at 9:00. The registration fee of $10 can be paid at the door. More information at the kcgop.org website.
The Democratic convention will be held on Tuesday, June 28th at 7:00pm in the Gymnasium of Bellevue Community College. Only PCOs are eligible to participate. The call to the convention includes this swipe at the Republicans:
The Democratic Party wants Democrats to get involved. We will actually have a more open process than the Republicans. The Democratic Party will be using our Precinct Committee Officers, which are elected by their neighbors every even-numbered year. The Republicans will be using the caucus style system, which is highly Party driven on the Republican side and limited in the number of people who are allowed to participate.
More information at kcdems.org.
UPDATE: The link to kcdems.org was broken. Fixed now.
Posted by Andy MacDonald at June 09, 2005 10:45 PM | Email ThisAny opinions regarding Phil Fortunato challenge to Pete von Reichbauer's nomination?
Posted by: Cheryl on June 9, 2005 10:57 PMThis is a really bad idea. It is intended to not allow a legislator to think for themselves. REALLY bad idea!
Posted by: ipsi dixit on June 9, 2005 11:04 PMThe last thing the Washington state needs are "moderate" Republicans...
In WA "moderates" certify elections because it is isn't in their job description to ask questions.
In WA "moderates" don't ask questions.
In WA "moderates" try to undermine rather than answer.
In WA "moderates" ignore hypocrites.
In WA "moderates" are the ones who avoid street protests.
NO MORE WA MODERATES!
Ask the hard questions, take a stand and don't be sorry, be right. Don't be a moderate. We seen where moderation leads.
It is time to play by "their" rules.
Posted by: Splatter on June 9, 2005 11:43 PMOff topic, but the permanent fix to this mess, as many peole have suggested here, is to form a new county and let Seattle have its own City/County government - but that's well into the future and won't happen anyway with Sims in control.
WE HAVE TO WIN KING COUNTY IN 2005. IRONS MAY BE A GREAT GUY - BUT ROSSI IS THE PERSON MOST LIKELY TO BEATS THE DEMS. PUT EVERYTHING ELSE ASIDE AND LET'S DO IT.
Posted by: Wayne on June 9, 2005 11:56 PMWe would get the same results as today for little to no costs at all.
Posted by: GS on June 10, 2005 12:42 AMSince the GOP automatically makes PCO's into delegates, the GOP process has to be at least as open as the Democrats.
Posted by: Richard Pope on June 10, 2005 12:52 AMYou're right, it's true that Von Reichbauer win elections every few years.
So do Dow Constantine and Carolyn Edmonds. And the voting records of those three isn't all that different. But of the three, only one actually has the audacity to lie about his fundamental political philosophy and call himself a Republican. His backstabbing is so common that anything else is really quite a surprise.
Posted by: TB on June 10, 2005 02:10 AMI have to conclude the Democrats are either lying, or don't understand what they are talking about.
More importantly: the Republican Snohomish County convention is June 18, 11:15 a.m., at Calvary Chapel in Lake Stevens.
The problem here in king is the gop
leadership is trying to rig the contest
in reagan dunn's favor.
This whole time the king gop leadership
has been trying to portray themselves
as neutral.When in reality there not
back in Jan 3 days before the appointment
of dunn took place. the organization friends
of jennifer dunn donated 10,000 dollars
to the king county gop.
Then on april 4th they donated another
2,400 to the party.This is utterly shocking
they bought rob mckenna's seat and some
influence.and the king county gop wants
us to believe there neutral.
Please just how stupid do you people think
the rest of us are.Not to mention the lengths
there going to ensure the outcome at the
convention.
And today I received an email in SUPPORT of Pete von Reichbauer signed by Steve Johnson, Pam Roach, Dan Roach, Skip Priest and Jan Shabro.
Posted by: Cheryl on June 10, 2005 07:58 AMActually I was primarily thinking of the radical Democrats who would only allow "tree hugging, queer loving, anti-gun, baby killers" on the ticket. (That is a quote from a union manager)
I have no love lost on Mainstreamers as well. This next election I hope the Republicans take out those who voted for the gas tax.
There is a tremendous separation between the Democrat on the street and the communists (literally) who run for Democrat PCOs. If the average decent Americans who consider themselves Democrats ever realize what is going on the Democrat party won't get enough votes to qualify as a major party.
Take a poll with a 10 question quiz at any fair or public place and you will find that something like 75% of the people will agree 80% with Republicans. They just don't realize it. The Democrat Party is now a party of absolutely Anti-American radicals. Tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, control, control, control - socialism vs. freedom.
I just read a story in the PI that the State has allocated 387.7 MILLION this year alone, to study ect a 15 mile stretch of I-90 for Animal Crossings!! Total Cost could be 980 million...
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transportation/227961_bridge10.html
Can this be TRUE???? How many moose are there on I-90, let alone Grizzly bear....How many years have animals been crossing I-90, and now (right now) they need crossings?
My Goodness, what has this state come too....For the past 20 years I knew my tax dollars were wasted, but I know now they are flushed into a cesspool of deciet.....
Who thinks these things up anyways....
Posted by: Chris on June 10, 2005 08:22 AMI don't consider myself a Dem or Rep, but what Splatter said is true. We are so far left in this state now, that we cant AFFORD moderation now. People need to step back and take a good hard look at the big picture.
Its all about the big picture, where we have been, and were this state is headed. The morals and values are there basically, but the self serving attitudes of those who are in charge keep getting in the way.
By not being "moderate", doesn't mean your not modern. By not being "independant" doesn't mean you cant think for yourself. Think for yourself, research your canidate, vote your conscious, and to hell with the party name behind it.
Watch out for those that wear the "rose colored" glasses. Beware of those that "promise too much" when you know that it's not feasible to achieve such a promise. Look to those canidates that are not "Bought". Vote/Support the one who thinks/acts like you do, with the same morals you value.
But don't go to the "other side" just because someone pi$$ed you off. Sit on the fence if you have too, but dont support something, unless you truly believe in it.
I can see you have never been shouted down for disagreeing on something. I have many times. I have been a Democrat all my life. Third generation as far back as I know. Every since FDR ran on a platform of cutting the government 25%. ON occassion aI even vote for more moderate Democrats unless there is a viable American Republican running.
Posted by: ipsi dixit on June 10, 2005 08:46 AMI won't claim to know everything about voting records, but he was a no vote on that Tent City crap, a no vote on the CAO, a no vote on creating Sound Transit, and according to an article a few weeks back in the mirror (Federal Way's stupendous journal of record), he called for that Elections Director's resignation.
He seems pretty legit as a Republican to me.
Posted by: Del Harper on June 10, 2005 08:48 AMA "Moderate" Republican really means a milque-toast Republican, a cowardly one. One that is too afraid to stand with the GOP. While the 'rats continue to become more radically Socialist, some Republicans want to compromise the GOP so that "moderate Republican" is now synonymous with RINO (Republican in name only). Compromise and political moderation is not what we need in a time when the 'rat party is becoming ever more radical, militant, and dishonest while forcing their agenda on everyone.
My email is on a list... got this email which is evidently a reprint of a Times article:
Redistricting panelists divide GOP
By Keith Ervin Seattle Times staff reporter November 24, 2004
The Metropolitan King County Council began the politically painful process of downsizing this week, and the result of that first effort wasn't pretty.
Instead of reaching consensus over who should represent Republican Party interests on a new Districting Committee, Republicans fractured into opposing camps.
By the time the dust settled late Monday, Jane Hague and Pete von Reichbauer had installed their preferred candidate by making a deal with Democrats instead of their four Republican colleagues.
Under a county charter amendment approved by voters this month, the Districting Committee will draw lines for nine council districts from the existing 13 districts.
Reducing the size of a legislative body is an unusual undertaking that will force some incumbents to run against their colleagues next year.
"This is not a good precedent to set — for Republicans to cut a deal with the Democrats to get around the majority of the Republican caucus," said Councilman Rob McKenna, a Bellevue Republican who will be stepping down next month to become state attorney general.
Von Reichbauer, who believes his Federal Way-based seat is relatively secure, had no apologies.
"I'm proud of the fact that we're trying to get a bipartisan process," he said.
He also lauded his and Hague's choice, retired Quadrant President Steve Dennis, as an experienced negotiator who will contribute to a successful redistricting process.
Four of the council's six Republicans favored former county Republican Party Chairman Dick Derham, who served on the state redistricting committee in 2001.
The county Districting Committee, which holds its first meeting this morning, is supposed to complete its work by Jan. 15.
County Council members voted 8 to 5 in favor of Dennis, Issaquah Republican Skip Rowley and Democrats Joann Francis and J. Michael Mann, both of Seattle. Rowley was supported by all six Republicans.
Republicans Steve Hammond, David Irons and Kathy Lambert supported McKenna's motion to substitute Derham's name for Dennis'. Democrat Bob Ferguson, D-Seattle, who ran for the council last year on a platform of downsizing to nine members, also voted for Derham.
Ferguson said Democrats should support the Republican majority in its choice of who will represent their party. Calling the vote "an unfortunate precedent," he said, "I don't feel it's appropriate for Democrats to choose the Republican any more than I would want the majority of Republicans to team up with one or two Democrats to chose Democrats from my side of the aisle."
Republicans who favored Derham said their party should, like the Democrats, have one member experienced in redistricting on the committee. Mann served on King County's 2001 districting committee.
But von Reichbauer said that experience wasn't necessary, noting that Democrats hold a majority of seats in both houses of the Legislature that Derham's previous committee redistricted three years ago.
McKenna and von Reichbauer both described the council's downsizing as a high-stakes game of musical chairs in which there won't be enough seats for incumbents when the redistricting committee completes its work.
I haven't made a decision regarding Von Reichbauer v Fortunato, but Von Reichbauer is beginning to sound an awful lot like John McCain and Sam Reed.
" Dear John
First let me say thank you for your past support and being my Key Note Speaker at my State Representative Race Kick off.
I realize that your friendship with Pete and the fact your Mom is Pete's Receptionist may be an influence for your endorsement.
That does not change the fact that because of his constant voting with the Democrats on key issues, the budget and his support for the Democrats Redistricting Plan, he has hurt our Grassroots Republican effort to ever get a majority on the King County Council
If nominated I will work hard to live up to your statement during the 9th Council appointment that I would make a “great addition to the council”.
In closing I would like to say I also appreciated your Governor’s race and supporting you at press conferences when no other elected officials besides me and then Rep. Luke Esser showed up
Your help in getting the word out about the “Original” voter fraud election in my race in the 47th, was appreciated. With your help we were able to get out that 41 double and an estimated 250 felon votes contributed to my 129 vote loss in one of the most expensive legislative races ever with the Democrats out spending us by more then three to one
That ground work later became the basis for Dino Rossi’s election challenge.
I look forward to seeing you on Saturday
Phil Fortunato "
Posted by: Cheryl on June 10, 2005 09:47 AMThank you for taking a stand to actively support the Republican Party in its inaugural nominating convention for the County Council. Your commitment to Republican ideals and your willingness to work tirelessly in bolstering them is going to help turn this county around.
The key to winning back the county is to run candidates who can win in “swing” districts. For over a decade on the King County Council and before as a State Senator, my friend, Pete von Reichbauer, has destroyed Democratic opposition in South King County. In a district controlled by Democrats in Olympia, leftist city councils, and entrenched liberals that voted overwhelmingly for Gore, Sims, and Kerry; Pete von Reichbauer has been a strong and effective conservative voice for our Party.
As a mentor and friend to Seahawk and former Republican Congressman Steve Largent, State Representative Dan Roach, and rightful Governor Dino Rossi, Pete has aggressively supported the future leaders of our Party.
His friendship, loyalty, and aggressive advocacy for the Republican Party and its candidates are just a few of the many reasons I hope you will join me in uniting behind Pete von Reichbauer as South King County’s unanimous choice at Saturday morning’s convention.
Sincerely,
John Carlson
This Saturday, the King County Republican Party will kick-off its first-ever nominating convention for County offices. With Seattle Democrats stealing property rights and votes, and left-wing politicians forcing tent cities, higher taxes, and crippling regulations on the citizens and businesses of South King County, there has never been a more important time to keep Pete von Reichbauer in office!
As elected Republicans, we understand how hard it is to keep experienced Republican leaders in power. There is no such thing as a safe Republican seat in King County, and South King County is a crucial stage for battling back the Democrats and taking back our county government. No official has been better suited to that task than Pete.
Please join with us in uniting the new seventh district behind the only conservative with the resources, experience, and electability to stand up to a runaway liberal agenda. Please join us in continuing to support Pete von Reichbauer.
Sincerely,
Senator Steve Johnson
47th District - Republican
Senator Pam Roach
31st District – Republican
Representative Dan Roach
31st District - Republican
Representative Skip Priest
30th District - Republican
Representative Jan Shabro
31st District – Republican
Isn't there some more election complaining you can do? At least that's entertaining....
Posted by: Tom Purcell on June 10, 2005 01:31 PMAre there any major Republican contenders for Patterson, Constantine, and Pelz positions?
Posted by: Elvis is the King County on June 10, 2005 08:37 PM