February 20, 2009
Gregoire for a 3rd Term?
The option is out there.
$5 on a contested primary if she does follow through with a run in 2012.
Posted by Eric Earling at February 20, 2009
06:49 PM | Email This
1. Why not? The voters of this state just love to reward incompetence.
2. I'm not sure about a contested primary. Can you really imagine Inslee or Sonntag (both of whom seem intent on running) managing the gravitas to mount a challenge?
They're not soulless, or anything, they're just hardly insurgent-type politicians. And probably not very happy to hear this.
3. Many D legislators think they can do better. There will be plenty of pressure on her not to run. If she does, I agree it will be contested, but think we'll still be in a top 2 system. Not sure who from the R side will step up (McKenna won't if Gregoire is running).
4. The arrogance of the democrats permanently on display. Unbelievable.
I guess she does believe she's queen... perhaps we can call her queen Chavez.
Perhaps her lowness can pay a bit more attention to our expanding deficit and less to herself....
5. Is there a way for the public to enter a vote of "no confidence" for these morons in state and national governance??
6. Ragnar:
Yes there is a way for the public to enter a vote of no confidence.
"And what country can preserve its liberties, if it's rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms." - T. Jefferson
7. Why not? Another 4 years of indecision, inaction, and passing the buck. Could be worse... she might actually do something.
8. Let her run, but think she will not be able to because of term limits. If the courts legislate from the bench again and allow her to run and Rob McKenna decides to run, he will beat her like a base drum. McKenna will break the stranglehold that the Dimocrats have had on Governor for over 25 years, if he runs.
9. If Sontag runs, I'll bet that there will be a lot of republicans voting for him as democrat just to see if Gregoire loses in the primary. Don't you think?
10. KS: Washington's term limit initiative was struck down in Foley. That issue is settled, no additional "JA" is required for Gregoire to run for reelection.
I think it very unlikely that Sonntag wants to be Governor -- but rather than speculate I should just ask him.
Liberal interst groups in the state have been talking Lisa Brown up since the 2008 election -- I think as subtle preparation for a possible campaign for Governor in 2012. I assumed this was because those same groups expected Gregoire to not seek a third term.
A quick look at the PDC site shows she's c. $30,000 in the black, so this isn't just an effort to pay off some debts.
11. Sorry for the incomplete sentence. The PDC shows *Gregoire* has just under $30,000 left over from 2008.
12. I think Forrest Gump's line is needed here; "Stupid is as stupid does". One could apply that to either her or the voters who would like to see her anywhere around state politics again.
13. If we could only vote for a (D) for Gov, Sonntag would easily get mine if he was one of the candidates: On balance he has done a good job as State Auditor. But I expect Alex Hays is right @ #10: I would be surprised if Sonntag ran for Gov.
WRT Lisa Brown: The legislators from the 3rd Leg District a.k.a. Central Spokane and the voters who send them to Oly continue to disappoint most of the rest of us in eastern WA..... But; yeah:
It's a pretty good bet that Brown will run for Gov. [_sigh_].......
14. I have heard that the reason she is filing for a third term is to allow contributions to her campaign fund to flow in from lobbyist groups, tribes and persons with business before the State.
When she "decides" not to run for a third term, she will simply keep the money. Call it the Gregoire supplemental retirement fund.
15. Maybe the Republicans should set up a straw candidiate for Governor and have them file and start to blast Gregoire every week in a news conference. Challenge her to a series of debates starting NOW. When she refuses, because she is too "Busy" blast her for being a coward and hiding.
Call her out by saying 4 months ago you told the voters of Washington we didn't have a budget problem, well we are back and we want answers! You said we were in a relatively good position compared to other states because of your "plan", how's that plan working out for you? Governor, you said "Now is not the time to even talk about a State Income Tax or Tax increases", does that mean you will veto any legislation that come before you that raises taxes or fees in this session? Pick an agressive spokes person and let the fun begin. Afterall if she has time to file she must want to start active campaigning right?
16. Yes, good idea and let's have that 'straw candidate' be Dori Monson.
17. #14 is correct. She has the years in state government to retire with a very nice pension and a quarter to half million from the tribes & other special interest would be a nice nest egg to take into retirement.
Also I had heard our Lt. Governor has his eyes on that spot. Wanted to finish his "career" in government with that feather in his hat.
18. Why not, and Schwarzenegger and Corzine, etc. Let's assemble the most incompetent governors that have run the economies of the Blue States in to the ground and give them another shot. Makes perfect sense.
19. Just kill me now. I can't take another term of uncomparable incompetence that is glorified as capable by the Democrat-dominated local press.
It is like the state Democrats and the national Democrats are trying to up one another on some kind of American civilizational suicide. Responsibility is looked on with disdain and those who practice it are dupes and fools.
Thanks, Democrats.
Buy your guns and gold now!
20. Eric--
I seriously question whether she will finish this term..much less a 3rd one.
Once the info gets to the Public about the Mass Incompetence of the politically appointed Pension Fund Board....taking unwarranted & excessive risks trying to obtain 8% returns, she will be in deep trouble. They lost $15.6 BILLION Eric.
They projected $6 Billion of Gains.
It's a disaster...still waaaaaaaaay under-reported for some reason??
Taxpayers are liable for the State Pension Fund underfunding...it's probably close to $20+ BILLION underfunded now.
I've been screaming about this for the past year...to no avail.
Wake up Washington!
You've truly been hosed by incompetent appointees...appointed by DEMOCRATS!
21. I like Sonntag and will vote for him. In the big race though, McKenna will win regardless of who he opposes, providing that he runs in 2012. Democrat overreaching seems to be in vogue in here and in DC. Because of this, people will be plenty pissed off by 2012 anyway.
22. Sonntag is the only competent leader in the executive branch, for this reason alone he should run but I doubt he will. No, WA state loves re-electing incompetent politicians.....when was the last time WA state did not re-elect a democratic statewide politician?
23. With all her reckless spending and playing a huge part as to why we currently have a huge deficit? I think not. Who the hell does the arrogant Queen of arrogance and ignorance think she is? Time for the GOP to begin mounting a campaign and candidate to get her the hell outta here! 'Nuff said.
24. Reardon will probably challenge her as well.
That said, if it were Sonntag v. McKenna, I'm honestly not sure whom I'd vote for. My instincts tell me an R is always better then a D, but Sonntag seems like one of the few people on either side willing to challenge the status quo.
25. Assuming the current "top two" system is still in effect, there will just be the one (mixed party) contested primary where each candidate states their party preference or lack thereof, and the top two go to the November ballot regardless of party affiliation. There won't be a Democratic Party primary as such.
26. As one who has dealt with the State Auditor's Office on numerous occassions, be careful with too much Sonntag love. There are soooo many issues I could enumerate...but seems to me like they selectively roast some offenders and let others off the hook with not even a slap on the wrist.
I mean, don't you think if any elected official or bureaucrat fudges on an expense report, then pays it back when caught ought to be written up for the taxpayers to see and judge for themselves??
I do...but it doesn't happen.
Don't you think if a municipality intentionally fails to budget a known expense at the beginning of the year that the public ought to know??
Sonntag has some skeletons in the closet.
Be careful with blind man-love.
27. @ 20 Mr Cynical:
I'm afraid you misunderestimate the stupidity that exists within the blue bubble of ignorance. In Washington state, common sense is not a common virtue, but I hope you're right.
28. Looo-GAN!...
Loooo-GAN!....
Looo-GAN!
29. Last Republican producer to leave the state, please turn the light off. WA is fucked. Time to go to Idaho, and please libtards don't follow us!
30. Kind of surprised at all the talk about Sonntag being a candidate. My understanding was that he almost didn't run for re-election as Auditor and has been pondering retirement for awhile. He would be a pretty unlikely candidate for Gov.
31. seems to me like they selectively roast some offenders and let others off the hook with not even a slap on the wrist.
Congrats. You've identified the obvious. You seem to be "shocked, shocked" that politics goes on in a political office.
That doesn't mean he isn't a whole lot more likely to stand up against entrenched interests then other WA officeholders, and frankly, so far, that includes McKenna.
I'd vote for Rossi, Reichert, or several others over Sonntag. And I've got nothing against McKenna, he's a decent guy and much better then most D's. But I'd consider Sonntag over him, because Republicans can be just as bad, if not worse, because they are too worried about looking like "one of them." See: John Spellman. Booth Gardner was a MUCH better, and probably more conservative, Governor.
32. No news here. Gregoire I'm sure just doesn't want to look like a lame duck in her budget negotiations with the D's in the Legislature. I think everyone knows that she's heading to D.C. and the Obama Administration after the 2010 elections.
Rob McKenna will be the next governor of this state. Even Chris Gregoire understands that.
33. This state does reward an incompetent ninconpoop. Stupidity proved by the voters.