“He’s way too liberal to win the general election.”
“You’ll lose without big money from special interests.”
“The Republican voters are more energized and out-voting Democrats.”
“He waves his arms around too much when he talks.”
I’m not talking about Bernie Sanders.
I heard all of these un-electability comments — and far more — in 1992 when I worked on Mike Lowry’s campaign for governor.
Many pundits and party insiders predicted that as a Seattle-area liberal, former Congressman Lowry was too left of the mainstream to be elected statewide, especially since the three major Republican Party primary candidates — Congressman Sid Morrison, State Attorney General Ken Eikenberry and state Sen. Dan McDonald – earned 57 percent of the primary vote, nearly a 20-point lead over the 38 percent cast for Democrats Lowry and State Speaker of the House Joe King.
Like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz’s takeover of the GOP, conservatives Eikenberry and McDonald trounced moderate Morrison in the primary, and like the recoil from Trump and Cruz’s rhetoric, GOP candidate Eikenberry’s extreme positions pushed tens of thousands of moderate republicans — including Morrison and former Gov. Dan Evans — to support Lowry.
Like Sen. Sanders’ campaign, small individual contributions were the backbone of Lowry’s campaign because he placed a strict monetary cap on donations from any source, including the labor unions and other progressive groups that supported and endorsed him.
Lowry beat Eikenberry, 52 percent to 48 percent in the general election.
The pundit class was wrong then and they’re wrong now.
Democrats — especially super delegates — take note. As our nominee, Bernie Sanders will win the general election.
Clarence Moriwaki
Deputy Communications Director, People for Mike Lowry, 1992 campaign
Delegate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Winslow 304
Bainbridge Island
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