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News & ArtsThursday, June 23, 2011
2012 Congressman Jay Inslee, the Likely Democratic Candidate for Governor, Comes Out for Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage
Posted by Eli Sanders on Thu, Jun 23, 2011 at 6:15 AM
- Jay Inslee supports gay marriage.
I spent a lot of time parsing Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna's position on gay marriage last week (basically, McKenna ends up in the same place as Michelle Bachmann on the issue). So I figured this week would be a good time to check in on where Congressman Jay Inslee, the likely Democratic candidate for governor, stands.
I'm sure people will correct me if I'm wrong here, but as far as I can find, while Inslee has a strong record of voting to protect gay rights in Congress he's actually never made a clear, unambiguous statement in support of same-sex marriage.
Until now.
Inslee political director Joby Shimomura tells me:
Jay supports making same sex marriage legal. After 38 years of marriage, he believes that no politician or government should deny his fellow citizens what he and Trudi have, which is a rewarding, stable, committed relationship. He also believes that legalizing same-sex marriage would not infringe on the ability of churches to maintain their own practices.
That's a pretty gutsy move for a candidate about to jump into a statewide race. It also has the potential to result in a huge shift for Washington State: Inslee would be our first governor to support legalizing same-sex marriage.
Pay attention gays, gay rights advocates, and liberals of all stripes: Jay Inslee will need to win big in King County in order to win the governor's race. To win big in King County he'll need to strongly contrast himself with McKenna, so that he can pull King County voters who currently think of McKenna as a reasonable, likable moderate. (Seriously: McKenna got more votes in this county this state in 2008 than Barack Obama.) With this statement in support of same-sex marriage, Inslee just gave the bluest parts of King County a big point of contrast between himself and McKenna—and a big reason to get excited about Inslee's still-unofficial candidacy.
2
Sounds great, but will hurt him against McKenna. Remember most of the state is like Idaho or worse.
3
When I was despairing the lot of Jay Inslee, I thought to myself "running on gay marriage is one of the few things he can do to stop the McKenna juggernaut," and then this happens. Obvious thing is obvious! It's a great political move because it differentiates Inslee (whose signature issue has been bright green environmentalism, which is to Washington what being for corn is in Iowa, and isn't exactly a winner with unemployment hovering around 9%), and makes it significantly harder for McKenna to walk the tight rope between the moderate liberals in Western Washington and the Tea Party activists whose energy and organization he's going to need to tap to take the governorship. Between now and Nov. 2012, support for gay marriage is only going to grow, which means McKenna ends up either too conservative for WA, or he does an about face and becomes the "me too!" flip-flopper candidate without a base.
Inslee is known for being a bit of a gambler in contrast to the methodical McKenna (it's kind of a funhouse mirror version of the 2008 Pres. campaign), but this really is a smart play that's going to be paying dividends for the rest of the campaign. If I were Inslee, I'd be pestering McKenna for a debate on this issue from now until election day.
Oh, and @Cato: There's an old saying WA politics that gets truer every year: You can see all the votes you need to win the state from the Space Needle.
Inslee is known for being a bit of a gambler in contrast to the methodical McKenna (it's kind of a funhouse mirror version of the 2008 Pres. campaign), but this really is a smart play that's going to be paying dividends for the rest of the campaign. If I were Inslee, I'd be pestering McKenna for a debate on this issue from now until election day.
Oh, and @Cato: There's an old saying WA politics that gets truer every year: You can see all the votes you need to win the state from the Space Needle.
5
Contrasting himself from McKenna is no heavy lift. There's going to be a boatload of cash coming into the state from the right wing Daddy Warbucks, so be prepared to back up Inslee with some generous giving. Bring it on.
6
@4 They aren't entering a vacuum, and it's hard to vote against gay marriage when your neighbor, your friend at the gym, the guy that bags your groceries is gay and out. Also, demographic trends don't lie: liberal areas are still getting more liberal, conservative areas more conservative. Maybe we'll see a new alignment (perhaps based on the effects of global warming on coastal cities?), but not before either Inslee or McKenna are long gone from the governor's mansion.
8
This isn't about voters in rural Eastern WA or Lewis County. They're voting for McKenna regardless. Winning statewide means winning in the suburbs--Bellevue, Vancouver, Lynnwood, Puyallup, etc. It'll be all about those voters.
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"You can see all the votes you need to win the state from the Space Needle."
Which explains why moderates do well in this state and why I1098 was defeated.
Which explains why moderates do well in this state and why I1098 was defeated.
10
"Bellevue, Vancouver, Lynnwood, Puyallup,"
Yes, good luck going all homo, all the time with these voters. Maybe you can get their votes with a cycling agenda?
Yes, good luck going all homo, all the time with these voters. Maybe you can get their votes with a cycling agenda?
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@7
No, the election will be about McKenna and his support for health insurance companies and the status quo, which is squeezing the middle class. And how partisan McKenna is and his waste of tax payer $$$ in suing the Obama Administration.
No, the election will be about McKenna and his support for health insurance companies and the status quo, which is squeezing the middle class. And how partisan McKenna is and his waste of tax payer $$$ in suing the Obama Administration.
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"McKenna and his support for health insurance companies and the status quo"
Shame 80% of voters don't understand the issue. No, you'd better go homo, homo, homo rather than jobs, jobs, jobs.
Shame 80% of voters don't understand the issue. No, you'd better go homo, homo, homo rather than jobs, jobs, jobs.
13
The key to Inslee's victory is to make McKenna look like a Cantor/Boehner/McConnell Republican. This is a good first step.
14
There is a large liberal base that is sick of consenus makers like Gregoire and Locke, which is about all we've gotten from the Dems in most offices we only vote for to keep the R's out.
No D can win the governorship by being wishy washy on this issue. Marriage equality and marijuana reform are the 2 issues that could easily tilt the election the D's way, if only because these are issues that can get libs to the polls.
No D can win the governorship by being wishy washy on this issue. Marriage equality and marijuana reform are the 2 issues that could easily tilt the election the D's way, if only because these are issues that can get libs to the polls.
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"if only because these are issues that can get libs to the polls."
With 9%+, unemployment you think homos and pot heads are WA state residents two biggest priorities? What are you smoking?
I know! You can win on the cycling/war on cars agenda.
With 9%+, unemployment you think homos and pot heads are WA state residents two biggest priorities? What are you smoking?
I know! You can win on the cycling/war on cars agenda.
16
*sigh* Where do I start?
@10 Inslee has been tremendously successful winning elections in a very suburban, not-too-liberal district. But that's beside the point now that marriage equality enjoys majority support nationwide, and the attempt to repeal domestic partnership benefits in this state failed miserably.
@12 - What they do understand is McKenna blowing a huge wad of WA tax money to sue the administration. And even if they were anti-HCR, they also understand that spending their tax dollars on an expensive lawsuit isn't going to create shit for jobs. So yes, it is a disadvantage for him.
@15 - Libs in this state are pissed off at the Eyman-loving conservative mouth breathers that we've been subsidizing with our tax dollars while they cut off all attempts to fix the state's revenue problem. Don't discount our motivation to keep those idiots out of power. Coming out in favor of marriage equality is just adding another incentive for us to donate, volunteer and vote.
Keep trying buddy. You're shooting blanks so far.
@10 Inslee has been tremendously successful winning elections in a very suburban, not-too-liberal district. But that's beside the point now that marriage equality enjoys majority support nationwide, and the attempt to repeal domestic partnership benefits in this state failed miserably.
@12 - What they do understand is McKenna blowing a huge wad of WA tax money to sue the administration. And even if they were anti-HCR, they also understand that spending their tax dollars on an expensive lawsuit isn't going to create shit for jobs. So yes, it is a disadvantage for him.
@15 - Libs in this state are pissed off at the Eyman-loving conservative mouth breathers that we've been subsidizing with our tax dollars while they cut off all attempts to fix the state's revenue problem. Don't discount our motivation to keep those idiots out of power. Coming out in favor of marriage equality is just adding another incentive for us to donate, volunteer and vote.
Keep trying buddy. You're shooting blanks so far.
17
@16
" Libs in this state are pissed off at the Eyman-loving conservative mouth breathers"
You mean 2 out of every 3 voters right? 55% of King County voters? Good luck having Inslee run on a 'higher taxes, bigger state government platform, more welfare, more illegals' progressive platform.
Better stick to homos and bicycles!
Shooting blanks? Blanks would be your income tax initiative and anti-1053 efforts.
" Libs in this state are pissed off at the Eyman-loving conservative mouth breathers"
You mean 2 out of every 3 voters right? 55% of King County voters? Good luck having Inslee run on a 'higher taxes, bigger state government platform, more welfare, more illegals' progressive platform.
Better stick to homos and bicycles!
Shooting blanks? Blanks would be your income tax initiative and anti-1053 efforts.
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@poster-of-all-the-negative-comments Wait, you mean that bull income tax thing which clearly was going to be about squeezing more money out of the little man in the years to come, and give the rich even more tax breaks like conservatives always do? That I 1098? The one that every single liberal person I know voted against, and that the conservatives I have the displeasure of dealing with wanted to pass?
I'm not sure what Washington you are looking at, but I am happy to know that most of the western side is solidly liberal. We voted to pass rights for domestic partners a few years ago, so why would we not vote for a candidate who actually comes out for gay marriage?
I'm not sure what Washington you are looking at, but I am happy to know that most of the western side is solidly liberal. We voted to pass rights for domestic partners a few years ago, so why would we not vote for a candidate who actually comes out for gay marriage?
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