Candidate Bruce Harrell stopped by Drinking Liberally last night. He’s the second of Michael Grossman’s clients to visit our Tuesday night lift-cup sessions. Other consultant’s candidates are no shows thus far.
Big props to Grossman for reaching out to a 3rd tier political gathering. The local bloggers and activists who meet up at the Montlake Ale House have been visited by all sorts of folks- congressmen, county council folks, state reps- but the city has been mostly absent. Boo! Tim Ceis was a highlight, but Mayor Nickels has to visit us soon.
Bruce Harrell seems like a very civic-minded guy. He’s really concerned with fixing the schools. (This is a tough one, because City Hall has very little sway over the district) He sees the nine on the council as go-along, get-along types who don’t take a stand. Then again, all challengers say this. I’m curious to find out what he wants the city to look like in 40 years, not just 4 years. But he is willing to listen. I almost turned him from being anti-districts to pro-districts. (In Seattle, the council is elected at-large, which is dumb) Next time I’ll seal the deal.
One big piece of advice to anyone running for city council:
Don’t let Stefan endorse you. Don’t email him campaign updates. Hope he doesn’t write about your campaign in any way favorable. Make no mistake, Stefan is the “Kiss of Death”. Just ask Robert Rosencrantz and Casey Corr, who both got hammered (Rosencrantz twice!) in city races. I’m amazed that Seattle’s preeminent wingnut blogger doesn’t understand how radioactive he is. Republican Jim Nobles, the first “out” Republican to run for city office since the 1980’s, is too smart to embrace Stefan and his mean–spirited, petulant, race-baiting politics.
Words to the wise, candidates.