In the southwestern corner of Seattle tonight, over 200 liberals stuffed into a brick-walled, stuffy auditorium to hash out candidate endorsements for the 34th District Democrats. The group’s decisions could carry more citywide gravity than the district’s small turf in West Seattle would suggest. Already this year, three district Democratic organizations didn't endorse two incumbents who live in the 34th—Mayor Greg Nickels and City Attorney Tom Carr. The King County Democrats also snubbed Nickels and Carr (giving no endorsement to any mayoral candidate, and handing Carr’s opponent, Pete Holmes, an unbroken string of sole endorsements from Democratic groups). An endorsement from the 34th for Carr would suggest he’s not loathed by everyone, and Nickels desperately needed to win his home district to prove he has a base.

But Nickels may have tried to stack votes in his favor. A buzz among attendees suggested some last-minute maneuvering: On the cutoff day for new members to join the group (and be eligible to vote tonight), about 20 new members signed up. “I think [the new members] were largely supporters of the mayor,” said Jeff Upthegrove, the group’s membership director. “Many I recognized as members of his staff and others self-identified as city employees.”

Outside the Hall at Fauntleroy, dozens of candidate signs flanked the entrance and Nickels signs covered most of the front windows. Inside, the onslaught didn't relent; Joe Mallahan's crew had covered the walls in his green and black signs for mayor and even posted two in each bathroom. Speakers gave two-minute pleas in favor and against candidates to a packed hall, and white-haired men in slacks and sneakers drank Corona from the bar and listened. “This is the fullest I’ve seen the room,” said say 34th District Democrats Chair Tim Nuse. He said 209 voting members were present. “That is huge.” After much speechifying, ballot counting, recounting, and more Corona—the meeting ran from 7 p.m. until midnight—Nuse announced the endorsements as the vote counters released the tallies. The first were fairly tame:

Unanimous endorsement: Against Tim Eyman’s latest turd, I-1033, Rob Holland for Port Position 3, and Max Vekich for Port Position 4

City Council Position 8: Dual endorsement of David Miller and Robert Rosencrantz

City Council Position 6: Dual Endorsmenet for Jessie Israel and Nick Licata

City Council Position 4: Dual endorsement Dorsol Plants and Sally Bagshaw

City Council Position 2: Dual endorsement of David Ginsberg and Richard Conlin

But in a surprise move, City Council Member Tom Rasmussen spoke in favor of Carr, noting Carr's advocacy for victims of domestic violence and violent crimes. I’m sorry but WHAT? Any city attorney is going to fight for victims of violent crime. The question in this race is how the city attorney manages low-level offenses so they have more time forthose violent crimes. Challenger Holmes, who got an endorsement today form Peter Steinbrueck, has vowed to reform Carr's skewed priorities. Carr increased the rate of pot prosecutions after voters made it the lowest law-enforcement priority (pot prosecutions dropped but only because the SPD arrested fewer people). Rasmussen sat on the city council’s Marijuana Policy Review Panel with Carr, who repeatedly lost his cool. Rasmussen—shortly after giving his endorsement to Carr—said to me that Carr’s behavior on the panel was “shocking,” “inappropriate,” and “very rude.” He added that Carr charging defendants in bar stings with one-year jail terms was a “bad decision.”

But with Rasmussen's support and a home-field advantage, Carr won the 34th District Democrat's sole endorsement, with 68 percent of the vote—just barely over the two-thirds needed to get the endorsement.

Nickels came close to winning the sole endorsement, but the vote shook out with only 64 percent for Nickels and Mike McGinn winning 35 percent. A third vote resulted in a dual endorsement for Nickels and McGinn.

Overall, a mostly unremarkable night for council candidates, none of whom got a sole endorsement (but it's notable that Israel got a dual endorsement with Licata, a 12-year incumbent). But it was a good night for Carr and Nickels. McGinn also came out in fine shape—taking home half the endorsement on Nickels’s home turf. But Rasmussen, a generally good guy, ended up looking like an ass.