The Jeff Recommends: Governor, Senator, US Rep.

As we near Election Day, I'm not the only one making endorsements: Shelly In Seattle is going through the list as well, though she is starting at the other end, with the Intiatives. We should pass each other middle of next week.

Let’s start this off this round with my only nose-holder in the election: Christine Gregoire for Governor. Yes, I know she’s been upfront about the $18 Million dollar mistake in her term as Attorney General – she claimed responsibility like a grownup and shows how she’s put into place safeguards so it would never happen again. But I would rather put into office someone who didn’t make that mistake in the first place, and I fault our Democratic Party faithful for pushing this one down our throats.

The reason for Gregoire is she’s no Dino Rossi. Actually, I’m not sure if Dino Rossi is Dino Rossi, because he’s had a number of public faces. The creationist and fundamentalist of ten years ago (bad) gave way to the deal-maker of the State Capital (good) which gave way to the outsider condemning state government (bad) which gave way to the pragmatic small-businessman (good), who supports big business and development (bad), but who comes with a free frogurt, (um, I think that’s good). Rossi supports the initiative system (but not this year), has never introduced far-right social legislation (but has voted to support it when it comes up), and would create a business-friendly climate for Washington (OK, THAT doesn’t change – get out the kneepads).

If I voted for Rossi, I could not be sure which one of them would show up for work. So, with (mild) regrets, I’m going for Gregroire.

Senator, on the other hand, is a no-brainer. Patty Murray. I may be wonderfully snarky in this journal, but there is only one person I have specifically singled out as a total dumbass. That would be Murray's opponent, George Nethercutt. Watching his campaign, I still stand by that assessment. Murray has shown political savvy, good judgment, and political courage to cleave to a thoughtful course when jingoism has ruled the decision-making of others. Go, Patty!

Lastly, US Representative from the 8th District, Jennifer Dunn’s old seat, I encourage you to vote for Dave Ross. After the dust settled from the primary, I felt we had two celebrity candidates whose politics were a bit ill-defined. Candidate Dave Reichert’s policies have since proved to be “Whatever they tell me they are” – going with the national hard-line Republican playbook as opposed to the more moderate views that Dunn had supported. Ross, on the other hand, has delivered a “Take me as I am” approach, promising a willingness to listen and independence of thought, traits that play well in Washington. And a couple of his recent commercials are as amusing as the ones Russ Feingold ran back in Wisconsin. He STILL looks like a high school guidance counselor (“a face made for radio” as the old joke goes), but he’s won me over.

More later,