Seattle Times: "Primary rivals say they're different".
Lame headline, but good article about the Democratic primary contest in the new 1st County Council District (Northeast Seattle, Shoreline, Kenmore, Bothell):
Bob Ferguson is again positioning himself as an independent-minded outsider in his race against his council colleague, Carolyn Edmonds.The winner of the Ferguson/Edmonds contest will face Republican Steve Pyeatt in the general. Given the district's voting history, whoever wins the Democrat primary is almost certain to carry the seat.Edmonds, who is completing her first four-year term, doesn't entirely dispute that characterization. But she interprets its significance differently, saying she's the more effective legislator because she's a team player who builds partnerships.
Ferguson and Edmonds are both liberal Democrats with similar positions on most issues. But Ferguson has an independent streak, and he's more open-minded about working with Republicans on occasional issues than Edmonds is. For this, Edmonds accuses him in the article of "not being a team player", which to me says she's proud of being Ron Sims' rubber-stamp --
Ferguson has brought greater scrutiny on the Elections office, while Edmonds has only defended it. Ferguson engages with the public. He reserves Friday mornings to have coffee with constituents. I've had coffee with him a couple of times and had some really good conversations. Edmonds, on the other hand, prefers to confine herself to a bubble of like-minded "team-players" and is actually proud of the fact that she refuses to talk to people she disagrees with.
Edmonds has been endorsed by nearly every Democrat machine politician in the region. Ferguson outpolls Edmonds among regular people from both parties.
This is a clear choice between go-along machine politician Edmonds and Bob Ferguson, who I believe is a person of decency and integrity who genuinely tries his best to represent his constituents. Ferguson's campaign website is: electbobferguson.com
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at August 30, 2005 11:57 AM | Email ThisMy campaign ran the numbers on the voting history of the NEW 1st Councilmatic District and we have seen that there are no trends to indicate they will rubber stamp a democrat. They have shown a very independent nature in voting and while doorbelling the district I am finding a lot of people who are unhappy with the Council and willing to support a change.
Having been born and raised in Shoreline I know the area well and have found a lot of people who want Fircrest saved (something both Bob and Carol do not want) and see me as someone who really cares about the people and not just pandering to keep their job.
Posted by: Steven Pyeatt on August 31, 2005 12:44 PMBob touts himself as the person who can bring both sides of the aisle together. This can not be further from the truth. Bob has the Council Democrats so upset at him that they eliminated his district to get rid of him. On many issues they do not even consult him before moving ahead. I have his voting record and on the few times he does cross over to vote with the other side he seldom does so when his vote would change the outcome of a key issue.
Recently he has been putting on a bit of a show trying to portray himself to be conservative in order to get the Republican vote. This is too little too late and is just causing him to burn the bridge with the party even more.
Rather than being a bridge across the aisle he is finding himself to be more of a lone wolf.
There is a reason the entire Republican side of the Council has endorsed me, it is because they know that Bob isn't the solution.
My election to the council will do several things. Most important it will change the balance of power on the council. It will remove Larry Phillips from chairing the council and Larry Gossett from chairing the budget committee. With Bob not only will these stay the same they will gain more power.
You want to see David Irons be able to be effective and not just a line of last resort? Change the balance of power on the council and watch us turn this thing around!!!
The definition of insanity is repeating the same action and expecting a different result. It is insanity to think that sending 9 incumbents back to the Council would result in ANY change.
Posted by: Steven Pyeatt on August 31, 2005 12:57 PM