It seems we haven't mentioned the less than surprising announcement of the worst kept secret in local politics: County Councilman Larry Phillips is running for King County Exec.
Will the greatest casualty of obvious, job-related burnout in recent memory, Ron Sims, stay to face Phillips? Josh Feit continues to hear Sims won't and is indeed headed to DC. We'll have to wait on that either way, though I've heard through one source that such a move is highly probable.
In any case, a Phillips v. Sims race doesn't sound all that interesting. A possible, as yet unnamed candidate has some real potential as an opponent and could invigorate the race.
Waiting...
Posted by Eric Earling at January 28, 2009 08:36 AM | Email ThisThe real shaker-upper would be Dino Rossi, though he might have no interest in the race.
If I had to guess, given the non-partisan nature of the seat now, we're going to wind up with a race between Ferguson and Phillips after Sims goes to DC and the Republican is knocked out in the primary(assuming its not Rossi).
Posted by: Giffy on January 28, 2009 10:31 AMI think the Republicans should run someone outside the box, possibly a small/medium sized town Mayor in KC. None of the councilmen are compelling other then ones that have bigger things in mind.
Posted by: cliff on January 28, 2009 10:40 AM"Did Larry Phillips' TV ad get it backwards? Let's hope so"
King County Councilman Larry Phillips, who won re-election Tuesday, had no opponent this year but nonetheless bought pre-election TV ads containing a presumably unintentional but faintly ominous-sounding message.
"I'll make King County's priorities your priorities," he vows in the ad.
Might he have meant it the other way around? Most voters might have preferred to hear: "I'll make your priorities King County's priorities."
Posted by Neil Modie Neil Modieat November 8, 2007 12:38 p.m.
Category: Seattle politics
In order to better understand Larry one need look no further than Phillip's campaign manager Tim Hatley.
Hately, is a former campaign manager for Sims.http://www.seattleweekly.com/2004-05-05/news/a-campaign-gets-ugly.php
He has been a county staffer for both Sims and Phillips over the years and is well known to all council staff. He has the run of the council chambers meeting with anyone and everyone he wishes.
Hatley's "meal ticket" from companies like, Cascade Water Alliance, Pacific Racing, Bran Bar LLC and Seattle Steam, has resulted in millions of tax payer dollars being spent on "special interest" The companies he represents have benefited from enough money to put a sizeable dent in the current budget shortfall.
Of note is that Hatley once a strong supporter of Sims has snubbed his former boss to defect to the competition. Could it be that Sims will not run and instead will take that job with Obama that county staff is denying. Hatley has the inside "scoop" on what is really happening due to his association with both candidates. Despite current rhetoric, Sims and Phillips are one. My thinking is that Sims will leave this summer, after his kids are out of school, for the predisposed Obama position just in time to endorse Phillips and continue the rein of power they both have enjoyed for close to 20 years. Bad for tax payers and rate payers, good for special interests!
Either way a vote for Phillips means a vote for the status quo. A status quo that will see a larger debt in 2010 than 2009 and continuing well into 2011 which both are responsible for creating.
The county's wasteful spending is so well ingrained into the norm, that not even the county auditor can affect change. When discrepancies do turn up puppet appointees in key director and staff positions around the county squelch the findings.
Case in point is the Brightwater Treatment facility in Woodinville, a $2 Billion project supported by both Sims and Phillips. This boondoggle has seen hundreds of millions of dollars directed to special interests. The auditor noted contractual discrepancies in a 2006 report, discounted by the responsible director and Sims staff. The auditor was later shown the door.
Obama talks about transparency of government. Transparency is more than needed at King County and neither Sims nor Phillips is the right choice going forward to make this happen.
It is time for a change and we need some one who will look at all public good not just those of paid lobbyists. We need some one who is intelligent, savvy, and has no self seeking agendas. None of these attributes are embodied in Sims or Phillips!
Sadly the Republican Party does not have a strong enough candidate to unseat either and an independent could never win over the majority vote especially under our current party system. This despite changes in current voting rules which allow for choices within parties.
sims is a punk. he's got to go. phillips won't be much better, but at least he won't be sims. i hear from Rs around that they counldn't find a candidate to beat sims. well, if sims is gone, will we find a candidate to race phillips? oh dear gawd, please.
Posted by: fluffy on January 28, 2009 07:06 PMsims is a punk. he's got to go. phillips won't be much better, but at least he won't be sims. i hear from Rs around that they counldn't find a candidate to beat sims. well, if sims is gone, will we find a candidate to race phillips? oh dear gawd, please.
Posted by: fluffy on January 28, 2009 07:07 PMDunn would be an interesting candidate but I think he has his eyes on a bigger prize in 2012.
I think Darcy Burner should throw her hat in the ring...that would shake things up!
Posted by: john on January 28, 2009 08:56 PMThe former. Hasn't made a firm decision yet.
Posted by: Eric Earling on January 28, 2009 10:06 PMPS if it is David I that you are thinking off, would it not depend on whether he gets the Elections position?
Or have you both tossed in the towel for Huff despite her lies, unqualified registration, etc.
Like in KC that makes a difference.
Kathy Lambert running for exec? Her council seat is expiring, so if she ran for exec, she couldn't retain her council seat. She surely recognizes the infinitesimal probability of her winning the exec race, and she is savvy enough to understand the foolishness of giving up a six-figure income (that requires just one day of work per week) for a pipe dream. Besides, even if Lambert did jump in, she violates Eric's presupposition that the unnamed candidate "has some real potential as an opponent and could invigorate the race."
Reagan Dunn for exec? He too has to run for reelection to keep his council seat. His real prize is the 8th CD, so he won't risk everything now for a long-shot chance at exec. He'll stay put at his cushy six-figure job until Dave Reichert gets burnt out on campaigning, or the Democrat who beats Reichert is running his/her first reelection campaign.
Dino Rossi for exec? The man pulled in 35% in King County. I think he'll be content spending the next 20 years making million dollar real estate deals without lifting a finger.
David Irons for exec? No, he tried it before and came away with less than 40%. If he loses the E.D. race, he'll be happy enough to return to whatever it is he does that earns him enough money to throw $100k at a special election.
No, the unnamed candidate isn't named Kathy, Reagan, Dino, or David Irons. If Eric's thinking of whom I thinking of, then he does possess some real potential, and he could invigorate the race. He could run as a legitimate nonpartisan, not having to explain why he's nonpartisan now, but was a Republican for three elections before now. His business acumen would be well regarded if the current economic torpor extends into the summer and fall. And if his fundraising isn't matching Sims or Ferguson levels, the amount of self-funding he could bring to the table would make whatever personal wealth Dino Rossi or David Irons possesses look like it was held in Zimbabwean currency.
Posted by: SlipperyPete on January 29, 2009 11:54 AM