Candidate Filing Week Ends With a Surprise

The 5 O’clock deadline for candidate filing ended with the surprise announcement by 18th Legislative District Senator Joe Zarelli’s announcement that he will not seek reelection. Zarelli has been a strong conservative voice in Olympia since 1995.

Zarelli was instrumental in drawing the support of 3 moderate Democrat Senators this last session to stop a liberal Democrat unsustainable budget being passed as the bi-partisan effort enlisted the 9th Order to take control of the Senate, eventually seeing a much better budget passed.

His voice on behalf of taxpayers will be missed.

Ann Rivers, another strong conservative will be vacating her 18th District Representative seat to run to replace Zarelli against Camas Democrat Ralph Schmidt. Ann was elected to replace Jaime Herrera Beutler in the 18th in 2010, beating out numerous other candidates. She has shown herself to be a very capable lawmaker for Southwest Washington.

Filing for Rivers seat is Clark County GOP Chair Brandon Vick, who also ran against Rivers in 2010 and Battle Ground city council member Adrian Cortes.

Delegate Vote Challenge in the 18th District Rebutted

It comes as no surprise that the legal challenge launched, seeking the voiding of the delegates chosen in the 2012 Clark County GOP convention for the 18th Legislative District, amid allegations of irregularities and fraud was not well received by same, most notably the Ron Paul supporters who came out in the majority on delegates and face the danger of not being seated in the State GOP Convention to be held in Tacoma.

As I showed in the previous post, Delegate Vote Challenged, 18th District Could Lose All GOP Delegates, supporters of candidate Mitt Romney were not pleased with the convention outcome and have cried foul to the WSRP, launching the effort to void the delegates selected in the 18th Legislative District.

In a continuance of the exceptional organizational skills seen in Paul’s supporters, that was used to discover the weaknesses in the system and legally exploit them to their advantage, Washington state co-chair for the Ron Paul campaign and Clark County Delegation Chair, Katja Delavar has fired back, along with her husband, former Washougal City Council Member Michael Delavar both drafting their own rebuttals to the challenge and to be sent to the WSRP, here and here.

Delegate Vote Challenged, 18th District Could Lose All GOP Delegates

The fiasco known as the 2012 Clark County GOP Convention may be over, but the results of it are far from done. Irregularities and questionable delegate votes has prompted at least 2 Mitt Romney supporters, who were credentialed delegates from the earlier caucuses to challenge to delegate selection in the 18th Legislative District where Romney, who won the caucus straw poll, ended up with very few delegates, while Ron Paul who didn’t fare well in the caucus came out with the majority of delegates to the state convention.

Much finger pointing and blaming of each other followed the close of the convention that ended up with Clark County Republicans only being able to send 75 delegates and no alternates to the state convention in Tacoma, instead of the allotted 94 delegates and 94 alternates.

There is not much sense in rehashing the blame game here as from where I sit it appears everybody had a share in the blame.

Ron Paul supporters initially received much of the blame, seeing the previously announced “caucus strategy” unfold all across the state and given that he ended up with the bulk of selected delegates after doing poorly in the caucus straw poll.

Clark County GOP Chair Brandon Vick ended up accepting blame for the fiasco.

Just How Broken is Olympia?

Anybody who has paid any attention at all to the news in Washington State knows that Olympia just isn’t working for quite some time. Doesn’t matter what party you are in or support, all we need do is pick just about any newspaper in the state to see how dysfunctional the Washington State legislature has gotten in the past decade or so.

Partisan pundits from either major party will always point fingers at the other, absolving themselves of any blame, which is a large part of the problem. We saw it just this last session and special sessions that were supposed to overcome a $1.5 Billion budget gap, but agenda driven legislators, with the full blessing of the governor, had more important matters to tend to.

We saw it late in the close of the regular session, which prompted 3 Democrats to cross the aisle and join forces with Republicans, drawing the ire of their party leaders, to take the floor and bring a bipartisan budget deal to the floor. House Democrats rejected the bipartisan budget bill and the mess continued.

One of those Democrats, Senator Jim Kastama from the 25th Legislative District recently made a speech at the Washington Research Council board meeting Tuesday, held at the Washington Athletic Club where he pulled back the curtain and let us know just how dysfunctional our legislature has gotten.

From the transcript of that speech, supplied by Eric Smith of the Washington State Wire, we see what went on in Olympia did not make it to the news services and how Democrat Party Leaders castigated Sen. Kastama, one going so far as to tell him “he had cooked his own goose when he cast his vote this year with Republicans” and another one informed him that “the only job he’d be likely to get was as a gas-station attendant” while his “session aide tearfully begged him to change his vote.”

With Probst’s Announcement, the Campaigns Get More Interesting

Now that we see 17th Legislative District Representative Tim Probst feeling he is ready to tackle and entrenched incumbent for a State Senate seat, his seat in the House will be an open seat that the Democrats surely will want to retain with another person. Should Tim lose the Senate race, which is likely, he will not be allowed to just return to his House seat.

The 17th now has a Republican Senator, Don Benton who has won the seat 4 times now and Paul Harris, also a Republican holding down position 2, running for a second term.

Republicans have Mike Appel and Julie Olson, both of whom announced their intent to run against Probst prior to his coming out on his bid against Benton.

Knowing that the Democrats will not want to lose the seat held now by Probst, it would be expected that they recruit a strong candidate to run in his place. All indications at this time is that is not what they have planned and are trying to recruit Monica Stonier, who lost to Republican Paul Harris in the 2010 elections by nearly 7 percentage points and who we last heard of, was trying to relocate her residence to qualify to try to be appointed to replace Democrat Jim Jacks, who abruptly abandoned constituents due to scandal in 2011 in the 49th Legislative District.

The Columbian endorsed her campaign in the 2010 General Election, but did not in the primary election that year citing they “were — and remain — worried about her close ties to the teachers union.” She still lost.

Liz Pike Files For 18th Legislative District Representative Run

Due to redistricting, the seat currently held by Republican Ed Orcutt in the 18th Legislative District will be vacated as Ed is moved into the 20th District. Former Camas City Council Member Liz Pike has filed with the PDC to be elected in Ed Orcutt’s place. Today, Ms. Pike released the following;

January 23, 2012

For Immediate Release
Contact Liz Pike
Tel. (360) 281-8720
Email: pikeadvertising@comcast.net

Liz Pike Announces Plans to Run for 18th District State Representative, Position 2

Liz Pike, former Camas City Council Member, has filed with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission as a candidate for State Representative, District 18.  This seat is currently held by Representative Ed Orcutt, who is now in the 20th District due to redistricting.

“I am running for State Representative because I want to help restore the public’s faith in state government.  I am disappointed to lose Representative Orcutt as our district’s State Legislator.  I have decided to run for his seat to try to maintain the strong representation and courage he has provided,” said Liz. “If we commit to the ideal of reducing burdensome regulations and onerous rules, and work to shrink the size of government by prioritizing spending, our State will, once again, become business friendly.  What we desperately need is more private sector job growth.  Our State cannot continue on its current path.”

Liz is a small business owner of Pike Advertising Agency since 1995. She is currently contracted to serve as Political Affairs Director for the political action committee of the Building Industry Association of Clark County.

Liz was raised on a dairy farm in Brush Prairie and has lived in the 18th District most of her life.  She operates a small sustainable farm in Fern Prairie raising sheep, turkeys, chickens and grows fruits, vegetables and berries.  Liz has two grown children.

The campaign website is LizPike.us.  Liz can be reached at Tel. (360) 281-8720 or by email pikeadvertising@comcast.net or on FaceBook under “Liz Pike.”

More Wa. State Lawmakers Request Salary Cuts, But…

Since word was first received that state legislators in Olympia could voluntarily reduce their wage by 3%, matching the cut they voted in for many state workers, only one Republican was included in the initial 4 that signed on, Ann Rivers of the 18th legislative district.

Much has been said to claim Democrats, who slowly sign on to the wage cut in more numbers than Republicans are who actually care about taxpayers. On the surface, that claim appears true since it appears numbers wise, Democrats still outnumber Republicans in signing on to the measure.

Besides the fact that Democrats continue to hold the majority on both houses, outnumbering elected Republicans, two points have come out showing that Democrats really don’t care more for taxpayers in these economically depressed times.

Ann Rivers Gives Republican Response to Governor Gregoire’s State of the State Address

Ann Rivers, newly elected 18th Legislative District Representatives gives the Republican response to Governor Gregoire’s 2011 State of the State Address in Olympia Washington.

Transcript

Ann Rivers Give Republican Response to Governor…, posted with vodpod

 

Governor Gregoire’s Address may be seen here

Can the Washington State GOP be Saved?

Not grabbing headlines just yet is Americans for Prosperity State Director and radio host Kirby Wilbur announcing his intent to challenge Washington State Republican Party Chairman Luke Esser for the party’s top spot in 2011.

In a November 9th notice sent to the Everett Herald Wilbur said,

“We did make some gains last Tuesday, but not as many as we should have, given that the voters rejected the income tax and candy tax so overwhelmingly and reinstated 960 as well by a large margin. I have gotten a lot of support and encouragement from within the party and have a vision for the state party and I think the skills and talent to bring it about.” 

A careful review of the general election results this year and comparison to other regions shows that the Republican Party is due for a major shake-up in Washington State and also at several county level parties’.

GOP Wins Some, Loses Some

Nationwide, last night’s election shows that Americans wholesale reject the Obama leftist agenda as Republicans regained control of the House of Representatives and made significant gains in the U.S. Senate.

Locally in Washington State, similar results are shown statewide as the Democrats have lost their lop-sided majority in the House and the state Senate is within reach of the Republicans, depending on a few still too close to call races.

Locally in Clark County, results weren’t as impressive, although some decent gains were made.

Vote Jobs

Less than 4 days are left to mark and turn in your ballots. I like to carry mine down to the drop box and others will drop them in the mail. If by mail, be sure to have them at the Post Office early enough to make sure they are postmarked before the Tuesday 8 PM deadline.

Tim Likeness, our elections manager says, “The biggest issue we tend to have is that we have so many that get postmarked the day after” going on to add that about 600 ballots were received with a postmark too late to be counted in the recent primary election.

We have a lot of candidates running in this mid-term election and several initiatives to sort out, all of which are just as important as getting our ballots in on time. We have heard all of the Democrat vs. Republican rhetoric and barbs thrown back and forth and now must decide who and what we want.

Hard core Democrats, like their Republican counterparts will undoubtedly vote party line as usual and as usual, the actual selection will be left in the hands of Independents, the center of our population that adheres to neither party down the line.

Our country is in deep trouble with a lingering recession and no viable solutions on the table just yet. Unemployment remains higher than it has been in several decades with benefits running out and so few actual jobs being offered.

Former Teen Legislative Candidate Accused of Drug Crimes

From Friday’s Columbian, not only surprising, but disappointing as well.

Anthony Bittner, an 18-year-old running for the 18th Legislative District, got busted for numerous allegations including operating a drug house, manufacturing marijuana and keeping forgery instruments.

Bittner made his first appearance in court this morning on suspicion of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, manufacturing marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, using a building for drugs, forgery and unlawful possession of payment instruments.

Clark County Superior Court Judge Roger Bennett allowed Bittner release under his parents’ supervision. His next court appearance is Sept. 29.

More at the above link and to follow in Saturday’s Columbian.

See also Clark County Politics, who first broke the story.

Debbie Peterson, Citizens Promoting Accountability/Clarity.

Debbie Peterson, a former candidate for the 49th Legislative District, has started a Political Action Committee designed to help supporters learn how to best help their chosen candidate.

She has scheduled a meeting on Tuesday, September 14 at Clark GOP Headquarters, located at the SW Corner of the intersection of 78th St and Hazel Dell Ave. The meeting will run between 7 PM and 8 PM.

Debbie says,

“I am holding this proactive – shovel ready workshop to get our guys elected. DUE TO PAC RULES, CANDIDATES OR THEIR CAMPAIGN MANAGERS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND.”

It takes more than just a campaign sign in your yard to promote a good candidate. Debbie is extending the effort to draw supporters together and brainstorm how best to elect conservative candidates and ensure we save this country and begin wresting it from grasp of the liberal elites that have plunged more into debt than we have ever seen in our history.

Debbie also says,

“Friends, This can’t be church, where 10% of the folks do 90% of the work. We will lose our elections! We need 100% of the folks doing 10% of the work. YEAH for us! All of our guys have just won! Please attend – it will be the best hour you spend, this week!”

Short notice, but please plan on attending and let’s get some good representation for the people of Washington State.

When You’re Holding a Hammer (Everything Looks Like a Nail)

Pretty much sums it all up.

Showing once again how it was okay to criticize Bush but not Obama, the co-author of this song claims he was fired from his job as an Assistant High School Football Coach over it.

Football Coach Fired for Anti-Obama Song?

Let the Head Butts Begin

Now that the dust has settled from the primaries, we will next be faced with deciding who to vote for to actually send to office. We now have to decide if we really want change, or in some cases, hold our noses and vote, hoping for the best.

For me personally, this past campaign has been a real eye opener causing me to decide to distance my self from the GOP, but retaining my conservative leaning. I left the Democrat Party long ago over similar corruption and dirty dealings and just because they feign conservatism is no reason to support such dirty dealings as I saw coming from board members of the Clark County GOP and other county Republican Parties in Southwest Washington.

Be it their over eagerness or elation in the Democrats polling so poorly nationwide, whoever decided to go ahead with the TV ad released the day after the election screwed up badly, handing the opposing party an FEC complaint on a silver platter.

The ad itself isn’t what is bad, but the obvious coordination between the GOP and American’s for Prosperity, a section 501(c)(3) organization that can only engage in limited lobbying and is prohibited from any political campaign intervention is glaring.

From the use of people that have openly supported or endorsed the establishment candidate that gained the nomination, some of whom actually engaged in the dirty tactics against a fellow Republican that has resulted in my distancing myself from the GOP, to Ryan Hart actually calling around to enlist “volunteers” to appear in it and telling me that Kirby Wilbur of AFP was producing the ad, the FEC complaint filed against them by the Democrats is their chickens coming home to roost.

Not a smart move by any means. Even if they are exonerated, it will be long after the November General election. Whether or not it has any bearing come November 2 remains to be seen.

While the establishment candidate sits around waiting on handlers to provide ideas to express, Democrat Denny Heck has released an ad attacking, not his opponent, but Wall Street and some of the problems actually facing the country. I can’t honestly say I agree with his ideas, but at least he is expressing some and not waiting on handlers to give him some.

The dough boy seems to have slipped back towards obscurity after making all of his noise and helping slander and vilify the only decent conservative candidate we have seen run for Washington States 3rd Congressional District in several years.

He never did come clean on that “Marine Service” he always boasted of, but I am now in possession of the public portion of his Military record and still have some questions to ask him about it, should he come slithering out from behind the rock he crawled behind.

Moving on to the 18th Legislative District, Ann Rivers and Dennis Kampe will be facing each other in November. After all of the belly aching over David Castillo not immediately getting behind the chosen establishment candidate in the 3rd CD race, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised at the silence coming from those same party insiders at GOP sleaze ball and muckraker, Jon Russell not endorsing Rivers.

In spite of Ann’s receiving some nice endorsements from State Attorney General Rob McKenna and others, including her NRA endorsement, rumor has it that Jon Russell is holding out for a specific thing before endorsing her, even though he tried and failed to start rumors against her or create a link to her and fellow blogger Kelly Hinton to harm her chances of winning.

My advice to Ann Rivers is to give that slime ball the middle finger.

Many eyebrows are raised currently over Vancouver City Manager, Pat McDonnell’s sudden decision to resign and obtain a job with SEH, a corporation his decisions have benefited more than once financially.

I have not seen any word from current city council member Bart Hansen, running for reelection on this seeming conflict of interest, but his opponent has made his view clear to voters on any potential replacement for McDonnell. In an email, John Jenkins said,

“I’d loose no sleep in appointing Eric Holmes to fill the top slot.

Having said that I hope the Vancouver City Council will not perform a national search for a city manager and here are a few reasons why:

A search will only cost money. We don’t have an abundance of that right at the moment.

A search will only cause resentment in the staff here who thought they were qualified.

A search will only produce an individual who has to play catch-up on every issue.

A search will only produce an individual who will bring ideas to the city of Vancouver who knows nothing about Vancouver and its problems past or current.

And, don’t fill the assistant city manager’s position. It would be bad form to the rest of the cities employees.

You have it from me what I’d do if I was in the seat today.”

Will Hansen release any such comments? Or, will we have to wait to see his views as the replacement process unfolds, if he is still on the council?

The Columbian seems to have already picked the Democrat for endorsement in the 17th Legislative District position 2 as they ran an article “exposing” Republican Paul Harris’s failure to register his vehicle in Washington State. In spite of over 100 comments left at the article, many just a bit too anti, I seriously doubt this will amount to any significance in the November election against his opponent, Monica Stonier, who the Columbian doesn’t seem interested in looking into her background.

With the vote count in the primary, Harris received nearly 3,000 more votes than both of the Democrats combined. He owned up to his mistake and paid the necessary fine. Now, move on to something of significance, if you can.

We still have 2 months before the general and with some high stakes seats open this time, we can expect to see some amusing shenanigans in many of the races.

As an Independent Conservative now, I have my popcorn at the ready and lawn chair set up to watch it all unfold.

It will be interesting to see who actually earns our votes versus who sits back and just expects it.

Candidates, to your corners and at the sound of the bell (or checkbooks opening), come out swinging.