How many really old, really liberal Congressmen do you wish you could get rid of?
- Nancy Pelosi, (D-CA), age 70 — 24 years in the House.
- Barney Frank (D-MA), 70 — 30 years.
- Henry Waxman (D-CA), 71 — 36 years.
- Edolphus Towns (D-NY), 76 –28 years.
- Pete Stark (D-CA), 79 — 38 years.
- Charlie Rangel (D-NY), 80 — 40 years.
- John Conyers (D-MI), 81 — 46 years.
- John Dingell, Jr. (D-MI), 84 — 56 years.
Dingell is a special case, because he’s held his seat for 55 years, and that seat was previously held by his father, John Dingell, Sr. for 22 years.
On the other hand, we did get rid of these:
- David Obey (D-WI), age 72 — 42 years in the House. Retired.
- Ike Skelton (D-MO), age 66 –34 years. Lost re-election bid.
- John Spratt (D-SC), age 68 — 28 years. Lost re-election bid.
Dino Rossi has appeared in this space before, but I don’t think it’s likely that he will again. So, let me just say, “God be with you, Dino, you gave it a good run.”
Rossi has now run three state-wide races in the past six years and lost each one. He conceded the 2010 Senatorial race this evening when Patty Murray’s lead stretched out to 38,000 votes. (I still hold out hope that he can come back — there are over 600,000 ballots left to count.)
Rossi’s 2008 rematch against Christine Gregoire for the Governor’s Mansion was a disappointment — he lost by 194,000 votes — but, in retrospect, not surprising. Republicans were in bad odor, and Democrats swept to power across the country. But it was the heartbreaking 2004 race that has sealed Rossi into the Republican memory of Washington State. Rossi’s lead after the initial count was 261 votes. That lead dwindled to a mere 42 votes after a machine recount, and ended at a 129-vote deficit by the time the third count was completed. The ensuing lawsuit failed to change the outcome, and Christine Gregoire is governor to this day.
I think Dino Rossi could have been a great Governor, and possibly a great Senator. His chance for either now seems to have passed, which is a pity. His race in 2004 was a heroic showing for a Republican in a very Democrat state.
Thanks, Dino.
I was distracted from work all day by the election. Though Snohomish County has long since gone to all-mail voting, I still prefer the voting the old-fashioned way. Amy and I headed to the polls just after noon. The poll workers seemed surprised at the number of people who were there to vote, not just to drop off ballots.
My votes today:
- YES on I-1053: requires a two-thirds vote of the legislature, or a majority vote plus voter approval, to increase taxes.
- YES on I-1082: allows private insurers to provide workers compensation insurance.
- NO on I-1098: establishes a state income tax
- YES on I-1100: closes state-run liquor stores; allows private parties to sell, distribute, and import spirits.
- YES on I-1105: closes state-run liquor stores; allows private parties to sell or distribute spirits.
- YES on I-1107: ends sales tax on candy, some bottled waters and carbonated beverages.
- NO on R-52: authorizing and funding bonds for energy-efficient school retrofits.
- NO on SJR 8225: a constitutional amendment allowing the state to reduce reported interest owed by amounts of federal payments to offset the interest.
- YES on ESHJR 4220: a constitutional amendment to deny bail to people charged with offenses punishable by life in prison on evidence of a propensity for violence.
- DINO ROSSI for US Senate
- JAMES WATKINS for US House, WA 1st Congressional District
- DENNIS RICHTER for WA House, 1st Legislative District, Posn. 1
- HEIDI MUNSON for WA House, 1st Legislative District, Posn. 2
- MARK ROE, Snohomish County Prosecutor
- RICHARD SANDERS, WA Supreme Court Justice, Posn. 6
There were a number of judge positions in which a single candidate was running unopposed. I generally don’t vote for people who are unopposed.
I think this pretty much constitutes the Republican party-line vote. The Prosecutor race was two Democrats, but Roe had endorsements from prominent Republicans like Joe Marine (Mayor of Mukilteo) and John Koster (Snohomish Co. Council and maybe the next Congressman from the 3rd District). Supreme Court Justices are nonpartisan, but Sanders was endorsed by the state Republican and Libertarian parties.
