We’ve known this day would come for years. Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA-01) is now running for governor.
As a constituent of Rep. Inslee, I am pleased by the announcement. Jay is progressive. He has a strong record on the environment. He sees an important role of technological leadership in the economy of the future. Basically, he is strong on many of the issues that are important to me.
And he is one of the few politicians around who can beat Rob McKenna. That’s particularly to me, as I have watched this state embark upon a journey toward Alabamization—a journey that would be furthered with a Gov. McKenna. Don’t believe me? Look at what is happening in every state with a newly elected Republican Governor….
I am not claiming that Inslee will win, just that he can. It’s going to be a battle.
In 2004, Dino Rossi almost won the Governor’s mansion because the voters never really got to know him. Rossi was a known quantity by 2008, and the voters rejected him (and one more time after that).
In 2012 the problem will be that people think they know McKenna. McKenna has skillfully spun himself as a moderate while capitalizing on his AG position to pass himself off as a populist. But there is evidence to suggest McKenna is far more conservative than people’s perception of him. The one slip-up in this regard was McKenna’s surprising decision to join the lawsuit against the Affordable Health Care Act. What other surprises does Rob McKenna have for us?
Inslee, with his rich legislative record, is a known quantity, but not well known by Washingtonians. I suspect that the more people get to know Inslee, the better they will like him. For McKenna, the more people get to know him…the less they will like him. So let the learning begin!
Personal experience with McKenna & Inslee –
Inslee is the real deal.
Inslee remembers your name, does his homework, and calls you back with real answers. He knows his stuff.
McKenna is a con.
McKenna mocks, diffuses, and avoids real answers. And McKenna is kind of a lazy ass who rarely does his homework. And if you are fortunate enough to have an in depth conversation about the issues, you will discover that McKenna has a stunning lack of real knowledge.
Also, the quickest way to bring McKenna down is to get him on video clearly stating his extremely radical abortion position –
no abortion allowed under any circumstance including rape and incest.
I, too, am one of Jay’s constituents. He is empathetic, concerned, and a quick study. His heart is in the right place with regard to virtually any issue. I think Jay’s one of the finest members of Congress, and I’ll miss him in our district when he becomes governor. But, that trade-off is well worth it as I suspect he will be the finest governor Washington has had in quite some time.
I’ll be working my ass off on this one. See you guys at campaign HQ.
@3 …as opposed to someone who would no doubt be one of the worst.
5
This state hasn’t had a governor as out-of-touch with Washingtonians in my lifetime as McKenna would be. I’ve lived through 2 Republican governors (3 if you count Dixie Lee Ray). Dan Evans was a gem, the kind of Republican that can no longer get the Republican nomination because he suffers from the affliction of sanity. John Spellman was alright. McKenna is a power-crazed ideologue, who fundamentally is at odds with the values of this state.
“The candidate’s one specific proposal was to invest money from the State Pension Fund in startup companies: “We need to find a way to get startup capital to these innovators.”
http://www.seattlepi.com/local.....z1QXV13kD4
Now that’s a great idea!
Leave it to the HA faithful to buy into Inslee’s “Hope and Change” message. You’d think they would have learned the first time around, but then again . . . this is HA!
5. You are just seeing one leave!
LD,
Gregoire served as governor during an international financial crisis largely caused by GWB’s foreign and domestic follies. She did a good job, under the circumstances. Idiocy at your level is hard to achieve. Could you share your secrets with those of us who are wondering how you did it?
@8
We have a binary political system, it’s either a D or an R. The R would have done much worse than Gregoire. Remember Dino’s ‘)8 transportation plan?
Gregoire served as governor during a explosion in State spending.
She just got the chance to ratchet it down a few notches.
The next governor will get to ratchet it down to size, because their revenue will continue to plummet due to failed liberal policies.
“McKenna is a power-crazed ideologue, who fundamentally is at odds with the values of this state.”
I expect that McKenna’s plan is to use the governor’s mansion as a stepping-stone to either the U.S. Senate or the Presidency, either in 2016 or 2020, depending upon which way the winds blow.
His right-wing ideology might serve him well in a national run for the Presidency, but quite frankly the electoral math/primary schedule doesn’t favor ANYONE from Washington State. His best bet would be to do just well enough in the primaries to have a shot at a vice-presidential nomination.
12
The thought of McKenna running for president makes me shudder. I think you’re right, though, that he wants to go to DC in some position.