Comments

1
Nobody cares.

I've interviewed four people for various PACs running as a D in the 8th, and it's always harder than they think.

Carpetbagger is what Incumbent Protection Society peeps call a smart person that decides to run in a new location, given that they know the redistricting makes such a move mandatory anyway.

All the current maps for the 10 CDs look just as silly as all the other, you wouldn't know a natural boundary if it hit you upside the head.
2
I'll repeat what I said in response to Goldy's article:

1) You can't compare the 8th and the likely new 1st. The 8th had lots of rural, conservative-leaning voters. The 1st will be suburban and left-leaning, with more consistent ties to the tech industry Burner comes from. If she wins the primary, she'll almost certainly win it all.

2) She's not carpetbagging, because she's being redistricted into the 1st without moving. So no opportunism, or certainly no more than anyone else in the district clamoring for what will likely be an easy general election win once the primary is over.

That said, she has no experience winning elections or actually governing. I'll probably vote for Marko Liias, Roger Goodman, or Laura Ruderman in the primary for that reason. But I like Darcy Burner and would gladly campaign for her if she's the nominee.
3
Goddamn, reading you after reading Goldy's shit is utterly refreshing.

I wish you wrote all of the Stranger's political pieces. Goddamn, the difference is night and day.
4
See is the only read Democrat in the race the rest are all DINO's
5
Excellent regurgitation of Dave Reichert's talking points. Eli's right, politics and all that issue bullshit are just so BO-RING they're not even worth talking about. Much more fun to put on an Expert cone hat and show us rubes how a real political insider rolls. Now why can't a real, experienced dyed-in-the-wool politician like Chris Gregoire run for this seat so Eli doesn't have to sleep through 2012?
6
It is very unfortunate that Burner is going for it again. All it shows is that she cares more about herself than anything else. Having been in D.C. for the last couple years, what the hell makes her think she can represent the interests of the people of Mukilteo, Edmonds, and Lynnwood?

If she really cared about progressive values and ideas, then she would spend her time helping raise money and getting elected candidates in swing districts, not creating yet one more money suck away from good progressives. Especially when good progressives are already in the race.
7
Kucinich 2012.
8

Exactly...why doesn't she run for a city council or even staff an advisory committee (something I do here in Kent) to show public service.

I just see a cry baby who demands this thing without justification.
9
@6, and north Seattle, Shoreline, (stop me when I get to an east side town that makes her candidacy representative).
This more blue collar, union, trade, and tech (tech degree not MBA degree) heavy population. The wealthier folks that her self service might appeal to might best be described by the Republican precinct in NW Seattle, and those people idiologically will have nothing to do with her.
She will have to buy her way into the top 2, and then buy her way to the finish line.

She could have inserted any political office into that announcement. She speaks to the camera, but not to me.
Her video is missing kind of message to the 1st CD.
10
She's the left's Dino Rossi.
11
We're as tired of the old, crusty geezer as we are of Darcy Bruner.
12
Hey Eli, I'm not a big fan of Senator Hobbes but he is, in fact, a state senator and not a representative. I've noticed the Slog make this mistake a few times now.
13
@12: Oops. Thanks and fixed.
14
"Proving themselves in lower office" is code for learning how to tow the party line, and the WA Dems party line is cowardice.
15
At this point, Burner reminds me a lot of Paul Hackett in Ohio, who felt entitled to the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate because he was an Iraq war vet and who went on The Daily Show to whine that the Democratic establishment only picks "losers".

Meanwhile, the man who was supported by the establishment and got the nomination is an excellent liberal Senator.
16
I never got the excitement around her. I mean sure she seems smart and she is not without some charisma, but there is nothing all that wowing about her. Your right that her experience is a bit lacking when it comes to elected office and she has not shown great political ability.

I'm not saying I would not vote for her if I lived in the 1st, and I sure as hell would have in the 8th, but I can't say I am all that enthused with her.
17
@ 14, or, it is code for demonstrated competence in a public job.
18
I live in the 1st. I will not vote for her.
19

Thanks, Eli: It's good to get perspective from a reporter who rooted around the Eastside during Darcy's two House races, rather than waiting in Seattle for news leaks from the candidate.
20
Thanks, Eli. Your 2008 article was one of the better explanations of Burner's loss. I would add that the "Harvard degree thing" was exacerbated tremendously by Burner herself, when she was given opportunity to clarify what she said but proceeded to stick to her "I have an economics degree" position.

As I said, she's not a great candidate.
21
There's something to be said for experience and charisma. She has too little of both.
22
My wife is a life long mainstream Democrat. Her family has been involved in Shoreline politics for over 60 years and are as Democratic as they come. The first thing she said when she heard that Burner was running in our district is she cannot wait to vote against her. I am a Republican in a family full of Democrats and the only person I know of who supports Burner is my Mom who is a hard core progressive who also used to be friends with Burner at Microsoft. I hope that Burner gets the Democratic nomination because I would love to have a Republican represent me in congress.
23
I agree more with Goldy than Eli. Democrats complained when Darcy ran in the past without elected experience, but there were no challengers to her, either. Now their are challengers with elected office experience. Why should anyone be pissed off about Darcy being in the race? They've got experienced candidates to choose from. If Darcy wins the primary, she will have earned it, and proved that she can win. The Democratic candidate that emerges will win the general. Unfortunately, this is going to be about money as much as anything else, which gives the edge to Darcy, Ruderman, and DelBene, if she gets in. I've heard Goodman and Ruderman are doing well on the fundraising front, and that Liias and the others are struggling. Goodman, Liias, and Hobbs are all great candidates, but in the end, I think we'll get one of the Microsoft girls, because of money. And of the three, Darcy is the most solidly progressive.
24
You forgot to mention Rep. Roger Goodman, who has served several terms as a state legislator, was executive director of the Washington State Sentencing Commission, and is an environmental attorney. Experience counts, both in successfully getting elected and building a track record as an elected representative. Congress should not your first job in elected office.
25
Love these responses. I'm sure glad to learn that readers think a candidate's policy positions are irrelevant compared to, say, their diploma from a fancy-pants pointy-headed egghead university that'll certainly cause RESENTMENT among salt-of-the-earth working people or the fact that someone's politically engaged spouse can't stand the candidate. The fact that these are the "issues" that most concern readers explains a lot about the quality of government our state elects for itself in Olympia and DC.

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