Though I watch the Kirkland 4th of July parades mostly for the usual patriotic and community reasons, I am enough of a fan of politics so that I also check out the candidates, not so much for their platforms, or their accomplishments, but for the volunteers that they bring to their campaigns.  Watching the people willing to march with a candidate tells you something about that candidate, I think.

This year, unlike 2004 and 2006, the Republican candidates in the parade had a big advantage over the Democratic candidates in enthusiasm.  They had more volunteers, and those volunteers were more enthusiastic.  My favorite group was Andy Hill's, but then he had the advantage of having daughters to cheer for him.  As they marched along, the volunteers chanted: "We say Andy, you say Hill.  Andy Hill!"  Which was fun, and a good way to help his name recognition.

Enthusiasm isn't everything in an election, of course.  This election will be, inevitably, about trimming back some of the promises that the Democratic majorities have made to the public service unions.  And whatever the members of those unions may think about those promises, we should recognize that the unions will fight hard to keep them, even if keeping them cripples our state and national economies.

Over the next few days, I plan to post pictures of some of the groups, and a little more about each of the candidates they are supporting.

As most of you know, the Eastside will be the main battlefield in this year's election.  If we hope to restore some balance to our legislature, if we hope to give Patty Murray a chance to spend more time with her family, if we hope to give Jay Inslee a chance to practice law again, we will have to do it in places like Kirkland.  What I saw yesterday makes me a little more optimistic about our chances this year.

(I didn't see Toby Nixon this year.  It 's good to see that he hasn't given up on politics entirely, since I think he was a real asset in our legislature, and from everything I know, is an all-around good guy.)