The effort to topple Sen. Jean Berkey from power has begun.
Those trying to oust the moderate Democrat left their calling card hanging on thousands of doors in Everett last week — including Berkey’s.
They almost certainly will mail out new literature this week to coincide with the arrival of ballots for the Aug. 17 primary. And who knows how many after that.
Republican operatives aren’t behind the hit pieces; there’s not even a candidate claiming the Republican Party in this race.
This is the work of a coalition of labor, environmental and progressive groups that wants to bring down the 71-year-old Berkey from her seat in the 38th District and elevate its torchbearer, also a Democrat, 31-year-old Nick Harper.
They’re calling themselves Stand Up For Citizens. This independent political committee, which can raise and spend as it pleases, produced several thousand door hangers with $4,000 from the Washington Machinists Council.
Harper’s fingerprints won’t be found on this product — and whatever else Stand Up For Citizens produces — though it may be hard not to think otherwise.
On the front are pictures of him with a campaign sign in hand and chatting with residents — a shot that looks identical to a photo on one of his campaign fliers.
Flip this door hanger over and there is a nice shot of Berkey next to a not-so-nice headline — “Big Business Berkey” — and a litany of bad things they say she’s done.
Why pick on Berkey, a former union shop steward who has voted with Big Labor 87 percent of the time since entering the Legislature in 2001? And she’s toed the party line on many of the most difficult matters, including voting for higher taxes this year.
For the political left, she’s a moderate who’s increasingly veered farther right than they can tolerate. They’re willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars in an attempt to replace her with someone more in their image.
Her votes this year for furloughs and state budget cuts, which led to layoffs of state workers and leaner human service programs, are stuck in their craw. She also didn’t support the Machinists-backed proposal to provide larger unemployment benefit checks to a greater number of laborers.
They contend she’s quietly used her power as chairwoman of the Financial Institutions, Housing and Insurance Committee to weaken consumer protection efforts and soften the blow of new regulations on banks, insurance companies and payday lenders.
Fuse, a statewide network of 100,000 people from all walks of the political left, is taking the lead on taking her down.
In June, in a letter sent to members to raise funds for the pro-Harper effort, they called Berkey a “consistent obstacle to progress” and “a tired, conservative, and out-of-touch incumbent.”
Berkey is simply ticked off by what she insists is a deliberate attempt to mislead voters by distorting her work.
“They are going to run a nasty campaign,” she said, vowing voters will soon hear from her. Probably this week.
“We’ll let them see my record of accomplishment contrasted with the accomplishment of my opponents,” she said.
Berkey is not the only Senate Democrat in Snohomish County targeted by these progressives this election. Many also are aiding left-wing Democrat Lillian Kaufer in her challenge of Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens.
A separate committee has been formed to wage an independent campaign and will almost certainly make its presence felt this week. But it appears not as much money will be spent on Kaufer’s behalf.
It’s partly because Kaufer’s bid is a longer shot than Harper’s. She’s up against the incumbent, a Republican former state lawmaker and a fresh Republican face. Harper needs only hurdle the unknown Rod Rieger from a nonexistent “conservative” party to advance.
She’s dropped a few pegs on the priority funding list because Harper’s campaign is motoring along much better than hers. Harper, in less time, has raised more money and amassed more visible community support than Kaufer.
Berkey is sure she’ll face a steady onslaught, maybe one rivaling her 2001 campaign for the state House, when she fended off 26 hit pieces.
“We are in full battle mode and have been since early June. I can outwork those whippersnappers,” she said.
Political reporter Jerry Cornfield’s blog, The Petri Dish, is at www.heraldnet.com. Contact him at 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
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