Published: Friday, July 30, 2010
U.S. Senate: Akers confident he can clear primary hurdle
Paul Akers put up large campaign signs on I-5 before any other Republican candidates in the race for U.S. Senate.
He ran campaigns ads on television months before the incumbent, Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA ran her first commercial.
And in recent days he's placed full page ads in newspapers
Though polls show he's still not Murray's top challenger, Akers likes his chances as voters begin filling out mail ballots for the Aug. 17 primary.
"We're showing momentum," he said, citing a July 16 poll by Rasmussen Reports that showed him only 5 points behind Murray in a head-to-head match-up. "I'm very confident I have what it takes to win my race."
The 50-year Bellingham entrepreneur and business owner has spent nearly $500,000 on the campaign, almost all of it his own money. His chief competition at this point are two fellow Republicans, Dino Rossi and Clint Didier.
Akers, founder of FastCap, a product development company, is campaigning on a pledge of restoring fiscal responsibility to federal government. He pledges a 10 percent cut in income taxes and federal spending for at least three years while transforming the running of agencies to root out waste and inefficiency.
Akers considers Didier a principled man but lacking experience in finance and budget. They get along and held a joint town hall via telephone Thursday night.
With Rossi, he said he phoned him early in the year to learn his plans. Akers said he told Rossi that if he got in the race then, "I'll back you. If you wait, I'll fight you."
Rossi waited and now Akers doesn't hesitate to criticize him.
"I just don't think he has the experience or the ability to talk straight to the people because he's afraid of being politically irrelevant," Akers said.
People want "authenticity not posers" and will support candidates not because of their political speak but their authentic ideas, he said.
Akers is one of 14 challengers to Murray in the Aug. 17 primary. He, Didier and Rossi, are the only ones mounting a serious effort to be one of the two candidates finishing with the most votes to advance to the general election. His website is www.akersforussenate.com.
Here's information on the others taken from their information filed with the Secretary of State and their campaign websites:
Mohammad H. Said of the Centrist Party is an Ephrata physician who has made ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict peacefully a primary goal. He opposed the Iraq War and said the U.S. got involved as a "proxy" for Israel. His website is www.drsaid.net.
Goodspaceguy of Seattle, a Democrat, is making his 12th run for political office. He is an avid proponent of colonizing space, eliminating the minimum wage and increasing the "incentive for wealthy people to move to Washington." His website is www.colonizespace.blogspot.com.
Mike the Mover, of Mill Creek, is a Democrat and another familiar name to voters. He claims to have filed to run for one office or another 17 times since 1988. On his website you won't see a lot of proposals but there is one for making Eastern Washington its own state. His website at http://theoriginalmikethemover.com/us-senate-2010/index.html
Mike Latimer of Des Moines, a Republican, seeks less government and a return to good values. He writes in his statement that the nation must, "Stop the abortions, stop the homosexual agenda being pushed forward as an acceptable lifestyle, put restrictions on the pornography that is invading our lives, and give the Bible, prayer and Jesus their rightful place in our schools." His website is www.mike4senate.net.
James "Skip: Mercer of Bellevue expressed no party preference on the ballot. A University of Washington professor, according to his statement, he wants lower taxes, less regulation of private businesses, trimming the size of government and better enforcement of immigration laws. He says he will serve only one term. His website is www.mercerforsenate.com.
Schalk Leonard of Poulsbo, who also states no party preference, is a former Navy judge advocate general officer, according to his statement. "Citizens of Washington, we have a duty -- to do one good thing! Today and again tomorrow," he wrote. He does not list a website.
Bob Burr of Bellingham, is a Democrat who's helped write the platform for the state party in 2008 and 2010. He's been endorsed by the Washington State Progressive Caucus, according to his campaign website. He backs public financing of campaigns. His website is www.bobburr4senate.com.
William Edward Chovil, of Tacoma, a Republican, writes in his candidate statement: "I am pro-life, pro-liberty, pro-gun, pro-audacity, pro-Sarah Palin, and John Gault, Pro-charter schools and home schools. I am against cap and trade, against Obama Care, and against the new-world-order." He has no website.
Charles Allen, of Seattle, a Democrat, is a first-time candidate. He pledges to work to rebuild the state's manufacturing base, expand aerospace and technology industries, ensure medical care is available and accessible and provide free college tuition for Washington high school students. His website is www.charlesallen2010.com.
Will Baker, of Tacoma, of the Reform Party, is using his campaign to bring awareness of what he contends are unethical election practices by Secretary of State Sam Reed and President Barack Obama. His website is www.thetruthrocks.com.
Norma D. Gruber, a Republican, submitted no information for the pamphlet.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com
He ran campaigns ads on television months before the incumbent, Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA ran her first commercial.
And in recent days he's placed full page ads in newspapers
Though polls show he's still not Murray's top challenger, Akers likes his chances as voters begin filling out mail ballots for the Aug. 17 primary.
"We're showing momentum," he said, citing a July 16 poll by Rasmussen Reports that showed him only 5 points behind Murray in a head-to-head match-up. "I'm very confident I have what it takes to win my race."
The 50-year Bellingham entrepreneur and business owner has spent nearly $500,000 on the campaign, almost all of it his own money. His chief competition at this point are two fellow Republicans, Dino Rossi and Clint Didier.
Akers, founder of FastCap, a product development company, is campaigning on a pledge of restoring fiscal responsibility to federal government. He pledges a 10 percent cut in income taxes and federal spending for at least three years while transforming the running of agencies to root out waste and inefficiency.
Akers considers Didier a principled man but lacking experience in finance and budget. They get along and held a joint town hall via telephone Thursday night.
With Rossi, he said he phoned him early in the year to learn his plans. Akers said he told Rossi that if he got in the race then, "I'll back you. If you wait, I'll fight you."
Rossi waited and now Akers doesn't hesitate to criticize him.
"I just don't think he has the experience or the ability to talk straight to the people because he's afraid of being politically irrelevant," Akers said.
People want "authenticity not posers" and will support candidates not because of their political speak but their authentic ideas, he said.
Akers is one of 14 challengers to Murray in the Aug. 17 primary. He, Didier and Rossi, are the only ones mounting a serious effort to be one of the two candidates finishing with the most votes to advance to the general election. His website is www.akersforussenate.com.
Here's information on the others taken from their information filed with the Secretary of State and their campaign websites:
Mohammad H. Said of the Centrist Party is an Ephrata physician who has made ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict peacefully a primary goal. He opposed the Iraq War and said the U.S. got involved as a "proxy" for Israel. His website is www.drsaid.net.
Goodspaceguy of Seattle, a Democrat, is making his 12th run for political office. He is an avid proponent of colonizing space, eliminating the minimum wage and increasing the "incentive for wealthy people to move to Washington." His website is www.colonizespace.blogspot.com.
Mike the Mover, of Mill Creek, is a Democrat and another familiar name to voters. He claims to have filed to run for one office or another 17 times since 1988. On his website you won't see a lot of proposals but there is one for making Eastern Washington its own state. His website at http://theoriginalmikethemover.com/us-senate-2010/index.html
Mike Latimer of Des Moines, a Republican, seeks less government and a return to good values. He writes in his statement that the nation must, "Stop the abortions, stop the homosexual agenda being pushed forward as an acceptable lifestyle, put restrictions on the pornography that is invading our lives, and give the Bible, prayer and Jesus their rightful place in our schools." His website is www.mike4senate.net.
James "Skip: Mercer of Bellevue expressed no party preference on the ballot. A University of Washington professor, according to his statement, he wants lower taxes, less regulation of private businesses, trimming the size of government and better enforcement of immigration laws. He says he will serve only one term. His website is www.mercerforsenate.com.
Schalk Leonard of Poulsbo, who also states no party preference, is a former Navy judge advocate general officer, according to his statement. "Citizens of Washington, we have a duty -- to do one good thing! Today and again tomorrow," he wrote. He does not list a website.
Bob Burr of Bellingham, is a Democrat who's helped write the platform for the state party in 2008 and 2010. He's been endorsed by the Washington State Progressive Caucus, according to his campaign website. He backs public financing of campaigns. His website is www.bobburr4senate.com.
William Edward Chovil, of Tacoma, a Republican, writes in his candidate statement: "I am pro-life, pro-liberty, pro-gun, pro-audacity, pro-Sarah Palin, and John Gault, Pro-charter schools and home schools. I am against cap and trade, against Obama Care, and against the new-world-order." He has no website.
Charles Allen, of Seattle, a Democrat, is a first-time candidate. He pledges to work to rebuild the state's manufacturing base, expand aerospace and technology industries, ensure medical care is available and accessible and provide free college tuition for Washington high school students. His website is www.charlesallen2010.com.
Will Baker, of Tacoma, of the Reform Party, is using his campaign to bring awareness of what he contends are unethical election practices by Secretary of State Sam Reed and President Barack Obama. His website is www.thetruthrocks.com.
Norma D. Gruber, a Republican, submitted no information for the pamphlet.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com
Comments
(
