Politics How Much Was That Times Endorsement Worth?
posted by on November 14 at 9:45 AM
With Darcy Burner apparently set to concede later this morning, it seems a good time to ask: Did that controversial Seattle Times endorsement of Dave Reichert swing this race?
Reichert is currently leading Burner by 4,727 votes. Many have asked whether newspaper endorsements make any difference, but it does seem plausible that the Times, with its heavy circulation on the eastside, could have given the Reichert campaign at least 5,000 votes (more than the current margin of victory) with its endorsement.
it's also worth noting that their endorsement, and any votes for reichert, were wasted.
now that the gop is NOT in power, reichert loses any sway with the dems because of the mean spirited race he ran. so what will all those bellevue voters get out of electing a lame, and lame duck congressman?
nothing. they, and the times, have screwed themselves with ineffectual endorsements and elections.
frank blethen should move.
Actually, one could suggest they needed to have only swayed 2500 voters. If 2500 voters decided to vote for Burner instead of Reichert, she'd be in front at this point.
Uh, but wasn't there just a post on this blog/slog earlier today pointing out that NONE of the other Times endorsements panned out in the election? So, what, Times readers ignored every single endorsement they made EXCEPT for the Reichert one? Seems kind of like a leap to me.
One way to test this hypothesis is ask 1,250 voters (a statistically valid sample) if they based their decisions on newspaper endorsements.
Anyone have a ton of free time?
Did the Times swing any of their other pet races? No.
Reichert eked out a win over the Dem Promotional machine. That was all.
Frank's moving to Arizona or Idaho, states that don't have a state estate tax. In the mean time, let's eliminate the state sales tax exemption for newspapers.
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