When congressional candidates release their fundraising numbers ahead of the federal reporting deadline, it’s almost always good news, and that’s no exception for Darcy Burner, who just announced record numbers for the fourth quarter of 2007. Burner raised $339,494 — more than $290,000 (86-percent) coming from 1495 individuals. That’s the most ever for a Washington state challenger in any quarter of an off year, topping the $305,000 raised in the previous quarter when Burner benefited from an unprecedented $123,000 netroots fundraiser.
Burner’s 2008 campaign has now raised $858,125 total, finishing the year with an impressive $607,144 in the bank… more than half a million dollars more than at the same point during the last campaign. These results will put her in the top tier of Democratic challengers nationwide, and are a clear sign of a strong campaign and a thirst for change in WA’s 8th Congressional District.
No peep out of the Reichert camp yet on his 4Q numbers. I wonder why?
Goldy: Reichert needs to put his fingers into the wind, consult with Bush administration and then make sure the corporations that are paying him say it is OK, before releasing his numbers – and that takes time. He doesn’t do anything without approval from his backers.
These results will put her in the top tier of Democratic challengers nationwide, and are a clear sign of a strong campaign and a thirst for change in WA’s 8th Congressional District.
That last part is only true if some large proportion of Burner’s money came from actual 8th CD voters. Did it? Money raised from people outside the 8th says absolutely nothing about “a thirst for change” in the 8th.
Goldy,
In addition to money, how ese can we help?
One idea I have, what about setting up a DL benefit for her in Bellevue?
@2 Only a blind person would fail to see the tide of anger about to inundate a crippled GOP.
Oh no! I bet Reichert is just shaking in his boots. Why donate money to a proven loser like Burner? Why not just throw it down the toilet? I’ve got a real idea, why not buy Darcy a ticket back to Nebraska, she can run for something there, like dogcatcher.
@3…Steve…
You do that! And watch the pro-Reichert, anti-DUI, pro-MADD, and GOP crowd turn out in force to make it a media event of embarrassing proportions for The Darcy. And wathc her get tagged as being in the back pocket of Goldy and the hard left.
Sweet!
Nothing like that to make Centrist Eighth District voters regard her as being akin to the perp in this case:
http://www.wxii12.com/news/15018857/detail.html
Let me know when, and I’ll pass along the word.
The Piper
MADD – Mothers Against Dumb Darcy?
To the esteemed Rabbit:
We’ll see. Going into the election of 2006, there were 18 CDs in the country that voted for Kerry in 2004 but still had a Republican congressman, including the 8th. After the 2006 election, a landslide for the Dems, there were only 8, including the 8th. Reichart was the only freshman in the group to survive, and the 8th was the second heaviest Kerry voting CD that stayed Republican. By all rights, compared to her national peers, Burner failed miserably in 2006. Running in a nationally Democratic district, she lost to a freshman Republican. No other Democrat did that in 2006.
What makes you think 2008 will be any different? The 8th will vote for the Democratic party nominee for President by a large margin, we’ll give Gregoire 55% or so, and we will once again give Burner about 48%. We – and yes, I live in the 8th – don’t want to be represented by a low level Microsoft manager who hasn’t accomplished anything of note in her career in either the private or public sector other than raise money. She hasn’t earned a seat in Congress. She should have spent the last two years doing something for society or at least helping to run a successful business, but she chose to keep campaigning.
Give us a good candidate, one who has a proven track record in the public or private sector, and we’ll give the seat to the Democrats. We voted for Murray. We voted for Gregoire. We voted for Cantwell. We vote Democratic. But, we won’t vote for a nobody. The 8th’s seat is NOT for sale.
Bookmark this. Maybe in 2010, the Dems will get smart and give us a real candidate.
According to KING 5 News, downtown Vancouver, Washington, has just been hit by an F1 tornado and there’s apparently damage.
Piper@6: They won’t have to worry. I won’t guess his political persuasion!
Piper Scott,
“You do that! And watch the pro-Reichert, anti-DUI, pro-MADD, and GOP crowd turn out in force to make it a media event of embarrassing proportions for The Darcy.”
Yeah…right. Like they did the last few times Darcy came to Drinking Liberally.
So…only Republicans like Jane Hague are allowed to attend fundraisers where participants drink?
This is just more Republican hypocracy. A big difference is that Darcy doesn’t drink alcohol when she attends Drinking Liberally. Jane Hague attends a children’s fund-raiser, drinks to the point of intoxication and then goes on to endanger the lives of others by driving intoxicated. And the Republicans rally around her!
“And wathc her get tagged as being in the back pocket of Goldy and the hard left.”
(*rolls eyes*)
This is the kind of bullshit that flags you as a brainless Wingding tool. Come on, Piper Scott, you can be more thoughtful than that.
Nothing like that to make Centrist Eighth District voters regard her as being akin to the perp in this case:
http://www.wxii12.com/news/150 18857/detail.html
You mean, except for the part about Darcy not drinking alcohol…and the part about her not driving under the influence. In fact, every time she has come to DL, she didn’t even drive! Good luck with that one, moron!
“Let me know when, and I’ll pass along the word.”
You know it will be announced here. Don’t be surprised if your superiors are snickering at you when you “report” your findings. (At least you will have the satisfaction of temporarily being a “uniter,” because we’ll be snickering at you as well!)
Maybe… maybe not@8:
You do realize you are going to be attacked by the 16% gang. The rabid animals don’t like reasoned Democrats writing reasoned responses.
Glad to see someone with a working brain arrive from the left.
Congrats to you dude/dame!
Also from KING 5 News, Federal Way municipal court judge Colleen Hartl has resigned after blabbing at a party that she was having an affair with a public defender who regularly represented defendants in her court. The lawyer has been barred from representing indigent defendents before that court, so he’ll probably lose his job. Expect to see the Washington State Bar Association take disciplinary action against both of them.
And just when you thought district courts are boring …
@6
I’ve never seen a Scotsman so offended by alcohol before. Is there anything on the planet that doesn’t get your panties in a bunch?
to Puddybud @12 –
Oh, I am used to it. I support Clinton for President, which upsets bloggers to no end.
I just don’t understand why in this state with so many Democratic office holders and high level business wo/men from the Bellevue area that we Democrats can’t find an accomplished candidate to run for the Congress of the USA for Christ’s sake. Burner’s resume looks like Toby Nixon’s before he ran for the state legislature. That’s where she should start.
Oh well, let the arrows fly. I doubt that any come from anyone who actually will be voting in the 8th anyway.
Does touting successful fund raising of this magnitude undermine the argument that it is precisely this kind of money that undermines democracy?
@8 You’re conveniently overlooking the fact that the 8th C.D. is a traditionally Republican district that has never elected a Democrat — so, I would say that getting within 2 points of an incumbent having the full backing of a sitting president was pretty damned good for an unknown novice.
What makes me think 2008 will put her over the top? Several things:
1) The demographics of the 8th are changing. The development of an office, retail, and commercial center in Bellevue — which used to be an affluent bedroom community — has brought in lots of worker bees, who vote Democratic. Who do you think is filling up all those shiny new apartments and condos? Not well-to-do Republicans.
2) As a member of the minority party in Congress, Reichert has little influence or ability to bring home the bacon. Many voters may prefer to be represented by someone who has access to earmarks and may get a committee chairmanship.
3) Two more years of Republican mismanagement has deepened voter antipathy against GOP candidates all the way down the ticket.
And spare me that “low-level Microsoft manager who didn’t accomplish anything” crap — just getting hired by Microsoft is an accomplishment, but it so happens that Darcy was in charge of a $17 million budget and 3 dozen employees, and met her team’s objectives. That’s more accomplishment than most people can boast of. And it’s NOT to your advantage to get into comparing resumes, because Reichert’s resume is a negative — it took him over 20 years to catch a serial killer who was right under his nose, and whose name was known to the police almost from day one, and he ran a sheriff’s department notorious for cronyism and corruption.
Another reason for 8th C.D. voters to elect Burner is because more voters are coming to the realization that they’re worse off economically when Republicans run things.
@ 17
No.
@8 “We voted for Murray. We voted for Gregoire. We voted for Cantwell. We vote Democratic. But, we won’t vote for a nobody.”
What’s this “we” stuff? You remind me of a Lone Ranger and Tonto joke.
@11 “Come on, Piper Scott, you can be more thoughtful than that.”
No, he can’t, as he proves daily on HA.
@12 Just what this blog needs — puttybutt pretending a wingnut poster is a “Democrat.” Both of you are as transparent as Saran Wrap.
Maybe @2,
Huh. As of the previous quarter, Burner had raised 90% of her money from individuals, whereas Reichert had raised only 56%. I doubt these percentages will change much after the Q4 reports.
The fact that Reichert relies so heavily on PACs and committee transfers… that suggests a groundswell of support for him?
@6 et al. — How many DUI arrests has DL produced so far? Got any idea?
@6 (continued) I guess the notion of a bunch of people gathering in a tavern and having only 1 beer — OR NOT DRINKING AT ALL — is an idea wingnuts like piper can’t handle.
@16 “That’s where she should start.”
Why? Numerous great leaders in our nation’s history used Congress as their entry point into politics. It seems to me that service in the legislature is not necessarily useful training for Congress. At most, it gives you some expertise in local issues. But Congress is about national issues. Learning the ins and outs of state ferries funding doesn’t teach you anything useful for voting on Iraq or Medicare reform. I would want a congressman who has devoted her energies to studying the national issues. I don’t regard service on a city council, school board, or in the legislature as a significant qualification for Congress.
18 –
Well reasoned, Mr. Rabbit.
A few points in rebuttal:
I worked at Microsoft much longer than Darcy did, so I think I’ll keep the “low level manager” tag on her… it is true in the context of Microsoft. She was in the first level of management, that’s as low as it gets. But you are right, that is better than being a low level manager at a small company. There are hundreds (maybe a few thousand) of 8th CD people who have worked (or work now) at Microsoft who had more responsibility than her – are they better qualified then to be our representative?
– the 8th has been voting nationally for Democrats since the late 90s. Yes, it is a bit more Democratic now than in 2004, but don’t confuse electing Jennifer Dunn with us being a Republican district. We haven’t been a Republican District for many many years. Dunn was the exception, as is Reichert.
– That said, the 8th won’t elect someone simply because of a (D) or (R) by their name. That is Burner’s problem.
But, as you say, we will see. Move on over here, and you can vote for Darcy! We have excellent rabbit habitat here.
@17 No, because she has to compete in the system we have before she can cast votes in Congress to change it.
“Goldy and the Hard Left.”
What a band name!~
@28 “There are hundreds (maybe a few thousand) of 8th CD people who have worked (or work now) at Microsoft who had more responsibility than her – are they better qualified then to be our representative?”
They aren’t running. Your choice is between Darcy and Reichert.
@28 “We haven’t been a Republican District for many many years. Dunn was the exception, as is Reichert.”
Not true. No Democrat has ever won the 8th.
Goldy @ 24 –
I wasn’t commenting on Reichert, but on Burner. Of those individuals, how many live in the 8th? If you are claiming fundraising indicated support IN THE 8TH, then logically, you should be talking about fundraising from 8th district voters.
Getting money from Seattle people says nothing about her support in the 8th. That was my point, and it stands.
Now, it could be that most of those individuals are 8th CD residents, which would bolster your point. But, I don’t know… do you?
(And PS I have no love for Reichert either).
@28 “We have excellent rabbit habitat here.”
Yes, I had a taste of your “excellent rabbit habitat” last spring when I fell for that stupid box propped up with a stick trick and had to chew through concrete and rebar to get out of that fucking concentration camp in Redmond.
28 MMN
I live in the eighth.
I contribute money and time to Ms. Burner. I think she is a superior candidate to Lazy Dave in just about every way.
The fact that she came from nowhere, with no name ID, to within 1.5% of taking a moderate, majority incumbent’s seat was astonishing in 2006. She did it with brains and hard work. Now she’s using brains, hard work, a Rolodex, and a pile of money. Reichert can’t deliver any goods because he’s in the minority. He’s toast.
33 MMN
Um, everyone including Lazy Dave gets money from outside their district as well as from within. What’s your point? But as I said, I live in the 8th and keep Darcy well-stocked.
32 – Rabbit:
Yes, that is true. What I am saying though is that the 8th has strongly supported the Democrats running for Senator and Governor for years. It isn’t a hotbed of Republicans.
[Deleted — Darryl, see HA Comment Policy]
34 – Careful, RR, Gates has more rabbit hunting tricks up his sleeve!
@35 “He’s toast.”
She couldn’t win in a blue year such as 2006. There is absolutely no indication this time will be any different. Wishful thinking does not win an election.
36 Daddy –
I guess I am not expressing myself well enough.
Here is my point, my original point.
Goldy’s claim: Darcy’s fundraising success means 8th CD voters are thirsting for change.
My counter: It may be that Darcy’s fundraising success has little to do with 8th CD voters; her money may be coming from mainly outside the 8th. If so, then her fundraising says nothing about the 8th’s thirsting for change.
That’s it. Pretty simple and, I believe, logically correct. The question is – where is Darcy’s money coming from? If alot of it is coming from the 8th, it may very well be, as Goldy says, a sign that the 8th wants to change. But if much of it comes from Seattle and other non-8th places, it does not lend any support to the claim that the 8th wants change. It doesn’t mean the 8th doesn’t want change, nor does it mean it does.
That’s all I was saying originally. I later went further :).
One idea I have, what about setting up a DL benefit for her in Bellevue?
DRUNKS FOR DARCY …what a plan.
After her first loss, the weighty one, aka the fat broad with a jew pimp should have adopted the song, “Can’t buy me love”.
@6 Piper
What you seem not to understand is that Darcy is the centrist. Antiscience, antieducation, imperialist, tax and waste are now DEMOCRATIC stands.
The rally I see would include UW faculty worried about research dollars, VA patients worried about their care, teachers concerned with fundie interference in the science classroom, and middle class folks hit by the double whammy of Bushist devaluation fo the dollar.
Tell me how many creationst votes there are emplyed at Microsoft? Oh, and what was the Gates stand on taxes???
Somewhere in the world today Piper someone is being tortured under the orders of your brave President. This person is a terrorist according to your government. The same government you think can do nothing right Piper.Yet you Piper will not denounce the use of torture or even consider the suggestion that the person being tortured without access to habeas corpus may be innocent. Somewhere in the world Piper a person is being subjected to waterboarding, extreme temperatures, bright lighting and loud music, hung from the wall by their limbs and who knows what other evil is being done to them. This is happening 24/7! Torture is not something people can respectfully disagree about Piper. Torture is evil Piper. Profoundly and inexcusably evil! Piper. And so when I happen upon a person who enables and supports torture, like you Piper, I feel profound contempt and disgust for that person. Your President has done great harm to the very essence of this country Piper. And he has done it with the support of people like you PIPER. You support evil Piper. And you can go on and on and on with your rhetoric and straw men and quotes from Shakespeare Piper as much as you want . But somewhere Piper is a poor son of a bitch suspended from wall shackles being tortured in your name Piper, and you are as guilty of that act of torture as the torturer and the man who ordered it: Your President Piper George W. Bush.
@40 … Hmmm, how about some counter programming .. maybe we should set up:
“Teetotalers for Reichert” Lou Guzzo will lead off and propose banning booze.
“God’s Posse” Sponsored by the discovery Institute, we will rally all the creationists, esp. those afraid of black helicopters.
“Iraw Victory Rally” enough said.
Or maybe if Giuliani is the Prexy candydate, “Divorcess for Dave”
38 Upton
She couldn’t win in a blue year such as 2006. There is absolutely no indication this time will be any different. Wishful thinking does not win an election.
A favorite refrain of our ignorant GOP. The so-called “Blue Wave” was that of Democrats picking up all or nearly all the contested swing seats and picking off a few incumbents. But incumbents by and large won big in 2006, as they nearly always do. Darcy’s near miss caused the GOP to pour money into the district and ensure the wins of Democrats elsewhere, though.
But sure there are indications. Care to hear them?
1. She starts this race with CD-wide name recognition. That’s a huge hurdle she spent a lot of time and money to overcome in the last race that she won’t need to waste this time.
2. She’s outraising her previous record fundraising. Good sign.
3. Dave Reichert is no longer in the majority, where the GOP leadership could provide him with convenient votes to take for his campaign. He’s a do-nothing minority back-bencher. Much less impressive.
4. Lazy Davey still votes with the unpopular president GW Bush and the unpopular GOP. Not a good resume item.
Dave’s never been weaker. Darcy’s never been stronger. That’s not wishful thinking, that’s cfact. She lost by only 1.5% last time (the swing that would have elected her). I don’t see why she would do worse this year, and I sure as hell don’t see any reason (nor do you provide one) why Dave would do better. He’s toast.
@44 Daddy Love
One thing to note is the number of liberal issues DR has sided with.
Maybe @33,
We’ll have to wait until the full reports are posted, but I would wager that many more individual 8th CD residents have given to Darcy than to Reichert. But we’ll never know the exact figures because the vast majority of Burner’s contributors have given less than $200, and thus are not itemized.
Pelletizer pelleted:”because Reichert’s resume is a negative — it took him over 20 years to catch a serial killer who was right under his nose, and whose name was known to the police almost from day one, and he ran a sheriff’s department notorious for cronyism and corruption.”
You need memory pills stupid rabbit. Even incorrectnotright had to change his tune. To show you Pelletizer only reads his own droppings and selected other posts:
Memory test. Now I have no idea if Goldy and his Minionaires will contact Pelletizer by email and send him the answers so I trust a democrat (big mistake) won’t cheat (what?) here. Shucks Pelletizer can’t even remember he told people he’s a human acting like a silly dumb bunny “for effect”.
Without looking it up Pelletizer when did Reichert become Sheriff?
Without looking it up Pelletizer, who was Reichert’s boss during the Green River killings?
Without looking it up Pelletizer what was missing from their investigation?
Without looking it up Pelletizer how many lie detector tests did non-sheriff Reichert give Gary Ridgway?
Without looking it up Pelletizer how did they catch Gary Ridgway?
Regarding the cronyism, hmmm… as I remember there are quite a few complaints regarding “cronyism” before he became sheriff Pelletizer.
Now if Pelletizer discussed conduct unbecoming an officer – I’ll be standing next to him on that one.
See liberals, I did my Puddystudy. Even incorrectneveright conceded points to me.
And when I mean conduct unbecoming an officer I mean people acting stupid in the Department, not Congressman Reichert. There were some strange shenanigans by officers.
But when I see people posting on the company dime, thems some strange shenanigans to me too!
@ 38 Daddy Love,
You points make sense, as I’m a Democrat, I hope she wins.
However, I’m also a realist, Reichert is associated with the capture of the Green River Killer, negating many of his negatives. I just don’t see Darcy Burner overcoming that.
What the trolls on this board don’t get is that electoral dynamics have fundamentally changed. No longer is terrorism the top issue; it has receded into the background. Even Iraq is no longer #1; the 2008 election will be defined from top to bottom by middle class economic insecurity. And that will translate into a mass rejection of the GOP and its policies.
What ordinary Americans have experienced under Republican rule during the 12 years from 1994 to 2006 that Republicans controlled Congress, and the 7 years of Bush’s presidency, is:
Corporate pension funds going bankrupt;
Health insurers increasingly refusing to pay policy claims;
Exploding incomes at the top while the middle class loses ground;
The cost of living spiraling out of control;
And ever deepening debt just to stay above water.
Burner is going to win because voters in the 8th C.D. (and everywhere else) have come to understand that the Republican Party is the problem, not a solution, and that only by electing Democrats can they improve things.
Pelletizer, why haven’t you answered my questions in #47?
Because you can’t, because you don’t pay attention or care about real facts when presented.
Goldy >”…No peep out of the Reichert camp yet on his 4Q numbers. I wonder why?”
His hairspray expenditures were “over budget”
Pelletizer maybe ManofTruth can help you with Congressman Reichert.
ManofTruth: Why not tell us your knowledge of Sheriff Reichert? Can’t look at Google though.
You lefties don’t do your homework, love to screech over simple things so easily refuted.