Slog - Comments on And Now for Some Election News http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news The 2009 election, that is! According to a poll conducted by Constituent Dynamics, Mayor Greg Nickels is in trouble. In a survey of more than 1,000 Seattle voters, just 26 percent said they would vote for Nickels for reelection; 53 percent said they would vote for another candidate. Among perfect voters--those who've voted in all four of the last four elections--those numbers were even worse for Nickels: just 22 percent said they would vote to give the mayor a third term, and 57 percent said they would vote for another candidate. Perfect voters may be a better predictor of actual... Copyright 2008 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:41:23 -0800 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:08:47 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by elswinger I will vote for anybody but Nickels.

]]> elswinger http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190222 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190222 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:46:03 -0800 Comment by Frank Steinbrueck better get on it and start raising money.

]]> Frank http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190244 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190244 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:54:04 -0800 Comment by Cato the Younger Younger I know I won't vote for Nickels again (I did the first time since I HATED Sidran).

And BTW Peter is really pretty damn cute!

]]> Cato the Younger Younger http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190252 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190252 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:59:51 -0800 Comment by Brian And he still hasn't endorsed Gregoire.

]]> Brian http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190253 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190253 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:00:10 -0800 Comment by SeMe i thought Steinbrueck was doing consultant gigs for the mayor? thats one way to keep him from running.

i like peter, but i dont think he can win. itd be nice to get an exciting candidate to run against nickles and company.

]]> SeMe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190256 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190256 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:02:02 -0800 Comment by Westlake, son! *high fives all around* hell yeah, I can't wait to send Mayor McCheese packing. One way ticket on the first SLUT "out of town?" It'll drop him off right next to his Vulcan pals.

]]> Westlake, son! http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190259 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190259 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:02:42 -0800 Comment by wing-nut Nickels, Gregoire, and Sims may all be out of office this time next year.

]]> wing-nut http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190334 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190334 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:18:23 -0800 Comment by egnever I nominate Dominic Holden!

]]> egnever http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190436 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190436 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:24:00 -0800 Comment by SP Someone, please step up. And we need some decent candidates for Council!

]]> SP http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190781 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190781 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:40:07 -0800 Comment by just thinkin' out loud It can't have helped Sound Transit's chances this year that Nickels was the board chair and "face" of ST2.

]]> just thinkin' out loud http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190826 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190826 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:43:06 -0800 Comment by I am your Mother Nickels has a good chance of winning a third term simply no one in this town seems capable of getting a viable opponent in the race. Last Mayoral election it was (UW professor) Al Runte. As silly as he was as a candidate he still got like one third of the vote.

Given how many people profess to be agitated with Nickels - such as all the neighborhood nimbys, the low income, homeless & affordable housing activists, the nightlife crowd, etc. - they all seem incapable of understanding how to do practical things like identify and recruit potentially viable political candidates and to organize and launch a successful political campaign.

We need only look at the amazing arc of Barack's campaign to see how its done. It's not that his campaign invented something new. No, it's that he bothered to use tried and true principles and strategies that have essentially always been available. Yes Barack is gifted speaker, but he also really based his campaign on all of us together with him and he displayed integrity, smart messages, and really listened to what's going on with people. He didn't just decide one day that he should be president. I think probably that he is as surprised as anyone at where he's at.

I've seen first hand how the local Dems are capable of organizing an amazing grassroots campaign (no doubt with some help from Barack's people). If the local Dems wanted a different mayor, they could probably do it. I must conclude they are happy enough with Nickels, which means the 60% of average joes and janes in seattle who don't want Nickels again are going to have to go on a diet from the pervasive Seattle past time of whining long enough to learn how to put a viable opponent on the ballot.

It's not enough to have a majority who will vote against someone, you also have to give'em someone they can vote for, and preferably someone who will actually be good for Seattle.

While Steinbrueck certainly has enough name recognition, etc., to win, I'm not convinced he'd be a really great choice for Mayor. Just because someone has enough name recognition, etc., to win doesn't mean they would actually be good to elect - look at Godden or Compton - they may not be as bad as Nickels but they don't do much other than take up space. Licata I think could possibly be agreat Mayor, if he decided he really wanted to.

]]> I am your Mother http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190880 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190880 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:46:27 -0800 Comment by michael strangeways I'm gonna go with the Hamburgler for Mayor.

]]> michael strangeways http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190940 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1190940 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:49:58 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Why don't we have any women mayors around here?

Well?

Seriously ...

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191088 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191088 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:01:57 -0800 Comment by Hernandez No way I'm voting for Nickels next time around.

I could easily see myself voting for Steinbrueck if he decides to run.

]]> Hernandez http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191103 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191103 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:03:58 -0800 Comment by Fnarf Big puff piece on Steinbrueck in the P-I this morning -- he's talking about NATIONAL office. But his haircut is going to disqualify him for anything.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191129 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191129 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:05:29 -0800 Comment by SeMe i wonder if he is waiting for mcdermont to retire.

]]> SeMe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191281 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191281 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:21:26 -0800 Comment by Frank Everyone wants McDermott's seat, but we need Steinbrueck for Mayor. C'mon Peter, we know you're reading this. Run!

]]> Frank http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191290 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191290 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:22:21 -0800 Comment by Vince Anyone but Nickels.

]]> Vince http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191586 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191586 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:54:34 -0800 Comment by Greg Hamburglar '09!

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191652 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1191652 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:04:35 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Good point on the haircut, Fnarf.

What's up with that, Peter? Seriously, it's distracting.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1192042 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1192042 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:15:21 -0800 Comment by elswinger Wht doesn't Dan run? Even if it's just for shits & giggles I bet he would get at least 20% of the vote and even could win.

]]> elswinger http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1192279 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/11/and_now_for_some_election_news#c1192279 City Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:08:47 -0800