Former Washington State Republican Party chair and failed 8th Congressional District candidate Diane Tebelius has a poll in the field testing the waters against 48th Legislative District Democratic incumbent Representatives Ross Hunter and Deb Eddy.
From all accounts the questions are pretty typical for this sorta poll: right/wrong direction, favorables/unfavorables, descriptions of the candidates followed by head to head match-ups and then some demographics. It is being conducted by Fallon Research.
The 62-year-old Tebelius has long been a party drudge with little to show for her efforts, having repeatedly been passed over or urged out of races in favor of fellow Republicans perceived by the powers that be to have more political upside. Following the GOP’s disastrous showing in 2006, a wave election for which Tebelius can hardly be blamed, she was unceremoniously ousted from her brief tenure as WSRP chair in favor of McKenna cabin boy Luke Esser. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” and all that.
I know GOPers are hoping that 2010 might produce a wave that washes in their direction, sweeping a few Republicans back into control of key Eastside seats that until only recently were solidly red, and there are a few vulnerable Dems who come to mind. But neither Hunter, the Times-endorsed candidate in last August’s King County Executive primary, nor former Discovery Institute fellow Eddy, come across to voters as representing the liberal wing of their party, and thus neither would provide much of an ideological contrast for Tebelius. And having watched Tebelius represent the KCGOP during their misplayed 2005 mass voter registration challenge, both Hunter and Eddy just come across as, well, smarter.
I’m not saying that Tebelius would make a bad candidate (though from past performance she hasn’t come across as a particularly good one), but one of the keys to success in politics, as in many other endeavors, is being in the right place at the right time… and once again Tebelius can’t quite seem to line the two up.
No doubt neither Hunter nor Eddy would prefer to draw Tebelius as a challenger, but I’m guessing neither is particularly awed by the prospect either. This may be the most favorable political climate local Republicans have enjoyed in years, but if they’re just going to throw old-timers like Tebelius at the Dems, it doesn’t say much about the WSRP’s strategy for exploiting it.
what does kemper think?
Goldy–
Alert! This is 2010. A Constitutional Conservative Revolution is sweeping America.
Dissing Tea Partiers as you chronically do ain’t working. WHile Tebelius may be a longshot in this District…there are plenty of folks sick to death of Obamunism and what the Democrats just did in Olympia with massive tax increases, increased spending and virtually no cuts in State Employees Compensation.
Do the math Goldy…
A $2.8 BILLION Deficit.
Salaries and Benefits are 60% of the Budget.
Democrats reduce compensation bt a teeny $48 MILLION or 1.6% of the Deficit.
It’s simple Goldy…
Salaries & Benefits are 60% of the Budget, but were only reduced by 1.6% of the Deficit.
They should have been reduced by 60% X $2.8 BILLION or $1.68 BILLION.
$1.68 BILLION is Salaries & Benefits portion of the Deficit….and the Democrats reduced it by $48 MILLION.!?
C’mon Goldy, it’s obvious the State Employees Union owns Governor Gregoire and the Democrat Legislature.
It’s unsustainable….and time for a change.
Voters are feeling overtaxed….and figuring out that Gates Sr.’s Tax scheme doesn’t tax “super-rich” or even “rich people…it taxes folks striving to be rich.
Heck, I read his kid Gates Jr., the worlds richest man, actually saves $$ with his old man’s plan!
Folks are tired of overspending by Federal, State & Local Government. Will they express their anger at the polls? That’s why we have elections. I know Government Workers will vote for your Socialist Candidates Goldy.
What else do they have?
@2
The only problem being that as soon as those folks open their moths it becomes painfully obvious that they don’t know anything about the constitution.
LOL…
The banner ad up tops is for:
http://cougarlife.com
Sorry, sweetie I’m too old to be cougar bait.
Would Diane give tax breaks to Microsoft the way Ross Hunter has? What does she think of MSFT getting a $757 million tax break at the expense of our taxpayers?
http://microsofttaxdodge.com/2.....dodge.html
We know Ross Hunter supports this, and he was probably the person who slipped in the language in this year’s session to increase the give away. So maybe Diane would actually be an improvement over Ross at getting more money for education.
ross hunter is very serious.
“A Constitutional Conservative Revolution is sweeping America”
You mean those stupid, angry teabaggers? Great idea, you dumbfuck KLOWN, put them in charge.
It sure didn’t take the KLOWN long to dumb down the comment section. Hey, Goldy, I vote that you ban the KLOWN for being too dumb for fucking words and replace him with Marvin (I liked talking audio production now and then at the tail end of open threads).
When it comes to candidates, the GOP not only has no bench strength, it has no bench and is missing a few starters. The party’s stars are recycled has-beens.
7. Steve spews:
Hey Steve–
3 years and still nothing of substance.
You’re STUCK ON STUPID!
Another one of Rossi’s goons goes down:
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/.....er=popular
In typical BIAW/GOP fashion, Coppola asks the cop if they can “go off the record.”
Lary Coppola was elected Mayor of the City of Port Orchard in November of 2007. He authors the WestSound Politics blog, is President and Publisher of WestSound Home & Garden Magazine and Publisher of Kitsap Peninsula Builder and Remodel Kitsap magazines for the Homebuilder’s Association of Kitsap County (HBA). He also sits on the Board of Directors for the pro-business Forward Washington Foundation, and is a seven-term member of the USA Today Small Business Panel, a board member of the Homebuilder’s Association of Kitsap County (HBA), a seven-term member of its Government Affairs Committee, and was named the Homebuilder’s Association of Kitsap County (HBA) 2006 Associate of the Year. He also serves as State Director of the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW), is a member of the Washington Affordable Housing Council and BIAW Legislative Policy Committee. A nationally published automotive writer, he is past President (2-terms) and past treasurer (2 terms) of the Northwest Automotive Press Association and a member of the prestigious Motor Press Guild, as well as a past board member of the Columbia Tower Club, and a 30-year Rotarian, serving as the Centennial President of Port Orchard Rotary.
Gary S @ 10
“Coppola was polite and respectful to me throughout the contact,” the officer added.
It could have been a lot worse …
Goldy — Diane Tebelius is only 61 years old, and won’t be 62 until after the election. I am not exactly sure how her age is relevant.
I know Tebelius and her husband jogged quite a bit through the neighborhood — they don’t live that far from me. They used to run past my house every so often, but it has been a while since I have noticed them.
I assume Tebelius can be energetic enough to run a campaign, and that she could run as good a race as anyone else the GOP could dredge up.
And yes, neither Ross Hunter nor Deb Eddy are liberal enough for my tastes either. On the other hand, that could be a major plus for Hunter and Eddy keeping their seats, since the 48th isn’t exactly a liberal district either.
It will certainly make for a more spirited race this time around, to say the least. And that should be good for the voters, but hopefully not good for the GOP.
“3 years and still nothing of substance”
Project much, KLOWN? It’s a Psych 101 thing.
Personally, I hate to see any seat go unchallenged and Tebelius isn’t insane so good for her. I hope she loses a good clean race. ;-)
You mean the Diane whom the Seattle Times and Seattle PI endorsed over Dave Reichert in the 8th CD primary? You mean the Diane who raised more money than all of the boys in the 8th CD primary? You mean the Diane that eliminated the State GOP debt from the 2004 gubernatorial challenge? You mean the Diane who has the energy level of a 30-year old who bikes, jogs, and will canvas the entire district? Wow, sounds like an A-List candidate to me!