National Republicans are trumpeting the recent endorsement of eastside Congressman Dave Reichert by the Washington State Council of Firefighters, and they’re using the opportunity to pound a new theme: That Reichert’s opponent, Democrat Darcy Burner, is a “B-List” candidate.

Here’s a graphic from an email sent to Washington State reporters today by the National Republican Congressional Committee:

The Republican charge that Burner has made a “B-list Blunder” traces back to a Slog post that I wrote back in March, shortly after Reichert had secured the endorsement of the Seattle Firefighters’ Union. Pointing out that the Seattle firefighters aren’t in the 8th Congressional District, Burner spokesman Zach Slik told me that the more important endorsement would come from the Washington State Council of Firefighters, and he added that Burner had a “strong shot” at getting their support. Now that she hasn’t received their support, Republicans are pouncing:

Darcy Burner: Burned By Firefighters’ Unions

Political observers can always spot a B-List congressional candidate: They run sloppy campaigns, take out-of-the-mainstream positions, and tend to say some goofy things.

Case in point: After Republican Rep. Dave Reichert (WA-08) won the endorsement of the Seattle Firefighters’ Union last March, Democrat congressional candidate Darcy Burner’s campaign manager Zach Silk snubbed the union, and claimed that the other union’s endorsement was key:

“With all due respect, the Seattle Firefighters Union is clearly out of touch with the needs of first responders in the 8th Congressional District. … The endorsement that’s really relevant for this race is the State Council of Fire Fighters, and we feel like we have a strong shot at their endorsement.” (The Stranger, March 20, 2006)

Feet, meet mouth: Last week, Washington’s State Council of Firefighters endorsed Dave Reichert’s reelection bid. This is a classic B-List Blunder. Liberal activist Darcy Burner is now left having taken a ridiculous position — that she knows first responders’ needs better than first-responders themselves.

To which Silk responds:

If Darcy was really a B-list candidate, the NRCC wouldn’t dedicate so much of their limited resources to this kind of slick attack…

Darcy will continue to work closely with fire fighters and other first responders in the district to understand their concerns and needs so that she can fight for their priorities in Washington, DC.