Former U.S. Marine Jay Clough will announce his candidacy tomorrow for Washington’s 4th Congressional District, currently held by Republican incumbent Rep. Doc Hastings.
“I expect our Representative in this district to work harder. As I traveled throughout the district in the last few months, I heard over and over that people did not see or hear from Doc Hastings. We need a representative who is proposing new solutions and providing real leadership. Someone who regularly travels to all parts of the district to listen to people’s concerns and bring common sense solutions back to Congress.”
Hastings has a well-earned reputation as one of the laziest members of the House. It’s only a matter of time before somebody sneaks up on him and takes him out by surprise.
UPDATE:
Oh yeah… Clough is running as a Democrat.
Is he a Republican or Democrat, or something else?
a Marine.
A Democrat.
Goldy you lie A Marine can’t be a Democrat they love their country =)
As the idiot @4 illustrates, when wingnuts make a big deal of having served in the military, that only applies if you’re a chest-beating Republican who thinks just like them.
Take me, for example. I’m a real war veteran, not one of those Republicans who joined the National Guard to get out of serving in Vietnam (Bush, Quayle, et al.) or got multiple draft deferments to avoid serving at all (Cheney, Ashcroft, Gramm, etc.). But do you think that gives me any cred with wingnuts? Hell no! The only thing they look at is that I’m a “liberal.” Often as not, they’ll say they don’t believe I served (not that I could care less what they think).
Being a Marine won’t get Mr. Clough any wingnut votes. Sorry, Marine, but you’re not stupid, ignorant, or redneck enough! You have to beat your chest, kill foreigners, and vote against anything that helps Americans to get their votes. But then — why would you want their votes?
Clough will go down in flames, just like all the other Democrats who have run in that district, but it will prove the real loyalty of those voters is to party and ideology, not our serving military people. But then, we already knew that about them.
You know that there are districts in Washington State that people still think Bush was a good president, Reaganomics worked, and the sun revolves around the earth….
Good luck running there Dems.
You want their vote? Tell them they will have to buy their insurance from Wellpoint, or Cigna, instead of getting that “guvvmint run” Medicare if they vote Republicon this time.
@6
Insley used to hold that seat and Hastings hasn’t done all that great against poorly funded opponents.
I suspect the key to winning the district might be registration and GOTV drives among the Native American and Hispanic population of the district.
Shorter Stefan:
White people don’t vote for Democrats.
@9 Only smart white people vote for Democrats. People that think the world is only 6,000 years old don’t vote for Democrats however….
Mike @ 4: Or to take another example: James H. “Jim” Webb.
His father was a career air force officer, flying B-17’s and B-29’s during WWII and participated in the Berlin Airlift. He says his ancestors fought in every major war this country has been involved in.
Jim Webb himself graduated from the U.S. Naval Acadamy in 1968 and entered service in the Marines, assigned as a platooon commmander in Delta Company, 1st Battallion, 5th Marines. He was awarded the Navy Cross for heroism in combat when he personally participated in destroying three occupied enemy bunkers, sustaining wounds in the process.
After Vietnam, Webb graduated from Georgetown Law School in 1975, and went on to work for Congress dealing with veteran’s affairs, and later the Reagan administration, eventually as the Secty of the Navy. He resigned in 1988 when he opposed reductions in the size of the navy. He was also under fire for his very public opinions that women shouldn’t serve in roles that might expose them to combat (a position he has reconsidered since then).
Since 1988, Webb has earned a good living as an author and a filmmaker, writing both fiction and non-fiction books and an award-winning documentary on the Marines in Beirut. But he was very wary of the U.S. military role in Iraq, and early in 2003 he compared the problems Americans would face in Iraq with those they encountered in Vietnam – a position which brought attacks from the Bush administration, despite (or especially because) they proved true. In 2006, Webb ran for the Senate from Virginia as a Democrat, and defeated the incumbent Allen. While he was running for the Senate, one of his own sons was serving as a Marine in combat in Iraq.
Get that schmuck Hastings Jay but be progressive!
@9
Could have fooled me. Washington, King County, Seattle, and all Washington Congressional districts are majority white yet for the most part all keep electing democrats.
The point is more that turnout & registration among Native Americans and Hispanics in WA-04 is rather low and as part of a wider GOTV effort might prove to be the winning margin for a Democratic candidate.
@5
Roger, I think you have it all wrong..
You are a veteran, who volunteered and served in Vietnam. Much respect with regards to your sacrifice, service, and that goes for your family as well…However, I can and do disagree with you on 85% of issues. I do not give you respect for the manner in which you engage in your disagreements..You very readily descend to gutter level debate, usually leading the charge. Respect for your service is diminished in the manner with which you debate others. That is only my opinion and worth about $0.00..
Chris @ 8
Good point.
Clough will need more than money. These challenger candidates are left to fend for themselves. First time candidates need help and guidance.
What’d be really great, and I’m just brainstorming here, is if we had a state-wide political organization that could groom and support candidates that share our platform. Help train, organize, raise funds, etc.
That’d be much better than feeding candidates to the meat grinder of highly paid political consultants of dubious value.
I’ll give Clough $100 on principle. More over time if he develops. We need to build our farm team.
(Our opponents haven’t stopped. McKenna and others are doing fund raisers for future trogs.)
Mike @4,
John Glenn — Mercury astronaut, first American in orbit, longtime liberal Democratic Senator from Ohio — was a Marine fighter pilot.
@ 4, @ 11, @ 16
It was scarcasm guys, my way at poking fun at the wing nuts, hence the smily face.
Translation: Roger really kicks our asses, exposing our vapid arguments, so we have to attack him and lie about him every chance we get.
Does Clough have an ActBlue page? I’d like to see a Dem in that seat rather than “Doc” Hastings.
@14 “I do not give you respect for the manner in which you engage in your disagreements..”
Of course not — why should you? As you point out,
“You very readily descend to gutter level debate, usually leading the charge.”
Buuuuuut … when you say,
“Respect for your service is diminished in the manner with which you debate others.”
You absolutely DO NOT GET IT!!! I copy rightwingers to show people like you what ASSES they are.
Now c’mon, rightstuff, after all the time and comments you’ve been here — and have never said ANYTHING about the debating “manner” (if that’s what you want to call it) of Coulter, Beck, Malkin, Bachmann, Palin, et al. — you can’t sit there pounding away at your keyboard and criticize me for DOING WHAT THEY DO with a straight face if you have an iota of honesty in your bones. You just can’t because that would be Wingnut Bullshit Hypocrisy.
As I’ve said many, many times … I’ll stop when your side stops. But your side has to stop first because your side started it.
@16 Oh, he’s got me pegged — I’m obnoxious, alright. I try to be. But why shouldn’t I be? They are.
And that’s the point. Right stuff seems to thing I should play nice, even though wingers don’t. That’s bullshit.
If a mugger attacks me on the street, why the fuck should I be polite to him? Any rational person will say, “Kick the mugger in the nuts!”
Well, these rightwing bastards have been mugging us for years! So where does Right Stuff get off expecting me to play nice? That’s just plain screwy.
No, I’m not going to fight conservatives with one hand tied behind my back. I had to fight communists in Vietnam that way, and I’ll never agree to do it again.
@15: There is an organization like that: It’s called Progressive Majority, though they’re more focused on recruiting for local races.
The key for Democrats in the 4th CD is winning over and turning out Hispanics, which has simply not happened.
TV is cheap in the district so money goes further. Unfortunately, it’s geographically massive so that complicates a field program.
Of course, at the end of the day it’s the most conservative district in the state. Any Democrat who plans to win is going to need proven credentials, a boatload of a money, phenomenal staff, a strong top of the ticket and a great deal of luck.
Mike @ 17: Sorry, but with the nature of the wingnut comments here, it’s getting really hard some times to tell who is being sarcastic and who isn’t.
Jay seems like a nice guy, but I haven’t seen him, nor heard he was “traveling the district”. When I was on elected councils, Doc was actually pretty helpful on issues pertaining to minorities (no matter what the left spins). Oddly enough, it seems like Doc is slowly gaining votes with each election. I really don’t think with likely Republican gains in 2010 that Mr. Clough will win this seat. Dem’s didn’t do so well last week (ie, Grants loss putting all our reps in the R column), as well as more local R victories (sweeps in a lot of areas) in the lower level positions.
It would be nice,however, for Doc to step down at this juncture. This area has lots of good, intelligent, reasonable people in our republican base to take it over. I really don’t want our area to be like “Seattle”, where another “perceived” idiot like McDermott continually wins just based on ideology, and not performance. Turn-over is a good thing no matter which party it happens to.
Have a nice day,
Farmer Fred
24
Comparing the intelligence levels of Jim McDermott and Doc Hastings is ridiculous. McDermott is a licensed MD. Hastings dropped out of Central. Dumb Doc is one of the more intellectually challenged members of Congress. The sole reason he retains his seat is that he is such a reliable water-carrier for his rightwing masters.
Jason @15
You know, call me crazy, but I though at least in part this is what the state and county Democratic party organizations were for?
For that matter why aren’t some of the long-serving and well respected elected officials like Sen. Murray, Rep. Dicks, etc. doing this?
@25….McDermott is a whackadoodle crook who should be in jail…he’s voted in every election by the loony tunes lemmings in his district who do nothing but pull the lever for the D without thinking – but then again, that seems to be how most people in the greater seattle area vote.
better be careful using those cell phones, you never know when big brother Jim McDermott might be listening in AND recording your phone call.
27
Seattle is one of the better-educated cities in the nation. We attract the best and brightest from all over. When nutjobs like you diss Seattle in the manner you just did, I sleep easier. I realize our competition simply doesn’t have a clue. You guys should be seeking protection under the Endangered Species Act, but because you only talk to each other and watch FoxNews, you don’t realize how marginalized you’ve become. Keep it up, bud, I am grateful for the peace of mind you provide me.
@28,
Yep you can see the moonbat map for McDimWitts voters.
Mike@17,
HA Libtardos don’t pay attention to who’s who here. They flame on big time when they think the commenter is anti-progressive.
@27 McDermott a crook? Yeah right. One candidate that doesn’t have to shake down death dealing corporations to fund his campaign…. I heard Doc got most of his money from the DeLay money machine a few years back. Now that money is straight up right? Sure buddy.
Doc is on the take. When has he ever voted for the people of his district instead of the “haves” and the “have mores” folks?
Never
He is pathetic.
Even voted against SCHIP. Them little kids do NOT deserve the same health care ‘ol Doc gets now do they?
Doc is a piece of slime on the corporate tit.
@28..wrong again foolio….care to make any other ASSumptions about my political leanings? Fox News is just as bad as PMSNBC….they both cater to the extremes. Your arent talking to some party lemming(which seem to inhabit this place – including yourself).
You fools on the left are going to make the same mistake that the fools on the right did: you ASSume that those of us in the middle, who actually THINK about issues, are yours for the taking – you take us for granted. We arent the lemmings that you and those on the far right are. That is why you are gonna get fucked come 2012. And that is also why the Republicans will get fucked in 2016…you both have short memories, along with the fact that your lemmings.
And please, spare the me the “we are smarter than everyone else” crap. Seattle thinks its so damn above everyone – so tell me, why is the state, king county, AND the city broke as a mofo? Not too damn smart if you ask me.
and getting back to that crook McDermott – the facts sure do support my argument: NOBODY wins with the percentage that he does(time after time) without a cadre of lemmings just pulling the lever without thinking.
That fuckface should be in jail.
LMFAO @ he just “mysteriously” recieved cell phone traffic from someone elses phone call…..
owned, bitch.
@28 “Seattle is one of the better-educated cities in the nation.” Yep, that’s why Boeing left. I think the Tri-Cities is going to give Seattle a run for its money concerning the tech sector.
@28 x2 “competition doesn’t have a clue”. Except South Carolina, perhaps.
@31 “Doc is on the take. When has he ever voted for the people of his district instead of the “haves” and the “have mores” folks?” Lots of times, that is why he keeps getting re-elected. Doc personally helped our cause a lot, getting federal funds for our reservation school, as well as numerous natural resource issues.
@31 x2 “McDermott a crook? Yeah right.” Did you contribute to his fund to pay his “fine”?, I didn’t have to with Doc!
Face the facts, Docs district has not felt the recession as bad as Seattle has, and Yakima and the Tri-Cities have not had the real estate values and job drop-off, much less losing part of its major employer. Why would we want to be like Seattle? Not bashing Seattle, just making a valid point. I appreciate Mr. Clough’s taking part in our legislative system, just don’t think he’s gotta a chance. Remember Mr. Fearing from a year ago, and how Goldy “raved” about his chances? All the articles locally today about him mention the fact that he can’t seem to have the same address for more than a month at a time, dropping out of a race when he found out he didn’t live in the district, ect. Sad to say, Eastern Washington Dem’s are made up of the regions losers, trying to take a liberal approach in some dream of trying to get elected.
Have a nice day,
Farmer Fred
32
You are, indeed, on the right, way over on the right. You folks on the right convince yourselves that you are in the middle. You are not. Let me ask you, “fuckface,” why Jim McDermott should be in jail? What crime did he commit?Wingnut passion is the only source of an expression like that, not middle-of-the-roadness. Wingnuts do not have any answers, my little friend.
Farmer Fred,
Having spent plenty of time in your Congressional District, including having attended attended most of my public school years there, I am quite familiar with the district. I still spend plenty of time there because of the recreational opportunities. I agree with some of what you say, but when you say “Sad to say, Eastern Washington Dem’s are made up of the regions losers, trying to take a liberal approach in some dream of trying to get elected,” I must take exception. Farmers in eastern Washington have benefited from governmental largesse to a huge extent. Indeed, I would say if you are a farmer there, you are only a farmer because of the dams that came about during the FDR Administration. (Don’t get me started if you want to dam up Crab Creek, like so many Republican antigovernment people want to do in eastern Washington now, uh, even though the state government would have to fund it.) Your definition of “loser” surely differs from mine, Farmer Fred. I’m guessing you had more than a little help along the way.
Wingnut bullshitter @27 sez McDermott is a “crook who should be in jail”.
What did he steal? Nothing.
If you think he should be in jail for being the whistleblower who released the tape recording of Newt Gingrich and his buddies plotting the overthrow of our democratically elected government, then the Republican domestic spymasters should be right in there with him. They broke the law far more overtly and massively than he did.
@32 “We arent … lemmings …”
Yeah you are.
@33 “I think the Tri-Cities is going to give Seattle a run for its money concerning the tech sector.”
The Tri-Cities wouldn’t even exist without federal money that comes from urban taxpayers in places like Seattle.
@33 “I didn’t have to with Doc!”
Yeah, good ol’ hear-no-evil-see-no-evil-speak-no-evil Doc made sure no Republicans would pay fines. He gave them a green light to break the ethics rules to their hearts’ content.
Farmer Fred, you should listen to what PL says @35, because without federal largesse, you guys wouldn’t even exist. I remember reading somewhere that federal irrigation subsidies in the western U.S. average $2 million per farm, which is more than the farms are worth. You guys get 90% of the water, for nearly free, and you get dirt cheap electricity to run your pumps, courtesy of urban ratepayers. In addition, urban taxpayers subsidize your roads, schools, and public services. And western farms don’t even produce very much — something like only 10% of the country’s agricultural output. You’re the biggest welfare queens in the country! So, go ahead, prattle about rugged individualism and all that … we urbanites know better. We’re not as stupid or uninformed as you think.
Roger Rabbit Quiz
Which state produces the most beef?
[ ] 1. Texas
[ ] 2. Montana
[ ] 3. California
[ ] 4. Florida
Careful now, this one’s subtle!
The correct answer is 4. [X] Florida.
The vast majority of U.S. beef is raised in feedlots east of the Mississippi River. The west just doesn’t produce much beef compared to the more fertile and better watered eastern states. That’s a fact.
@ 35
Dams have helped me greatly, federal farm programs not so much (not much wheat). Would Seattle be what it is today with-out the cheap power for Aluminum and Boeing? Nope. Why proclaiming the dam construction legacy of FDR, why do dems want to take them out? How many salmon go over the city of Seattle dams (and Ballard Locks)? OH WAIT, those dams are for city folks and “real” jobs, can’t touch those! Been fishing the lower Duamish(sp) lately? How much of Seattle’s past and current income comes from FEDERAL defense contracts? I’m sure Seattle citizens benefited greatly from these federal expeditures, also.
As for the losers comment, how many rural dem state legislators are there? If they aren’t winning, they are L___ing! Same can be said for urban King co. Repubs., but in reverse. My definition comes from Websters, yours? I would support a blue dog dem (Jim Davis was the only one who ran against Doc), but the local dem parties think Obama and the left is going to provide the promised land to conservative rural areas, so they run “not winners” most of the time. There is as much chance as a Dem winning Docs spot as a Repub winning McDermotts. That’s reality!
Have a nice evening,
Farmer Fred
@40 “we urbanites know better. We’re not as stupid or uninformed as you think.” True, thats why NJ and VA went red in the last election!
Have a nice evening, rabbit,
Farmer Fred
PS I like wolves!
Doc “term limits” Hastings has had his time in office. As a former Marine I think it is time for Doc to go. I will support his opposition and change.
Farmer Fred @ 44
Thanks for posting. Making your case, not calling people names, I feel like we could enjoy a beer together.
You mention dams.
I haven’t kept up. My concern with dams on salmon bearing water ways is managing the waterflow to help prevent the salmon from going extinct. Saving the salmon is a complicated problem and increasing the water flow is just part of puzzle.
Having said that…
As I understand it, water rights held by agricultural users are the big hurdle. Something about “use it or lose it”, so that a farmer has to waste water, otherwise she’ll lose her rights.
I’d totally support a fair market based approach to water management. Place a fair market value on water. Make it a tradeable right. Have an exchange. Farmers, power, cities, and pro-fish all bid on the rights.
Right now, as a tree hugger, I can’t put my money where my mouth is and buy water rights to help save the salmon. Instead, we’ve got potato growers in Idaho growing potatos that go to waste, because they have to.
Does that sound accurate to you?
Here’s a little secret for the Republicans who may want to rebuild their party: Put the conserve back into conservative. Anyone who comes up with innovative ways to streamline our economy by protecting our ecology will do well electorally. Mark my words.
PS- My grandpa was a farmer. Independent farmers are among the smartest and hardest working people around. I’m very pro farmer. Agribusiness, megacorps, subsidizing waste, poisoning our food, etc, not so much.