Gov. Gary Locke thinks so highly of state Rep. David Simpson that he endorsed him in his bid to return to Olympia.
The governor likes him so much that this week he also endorsed his primary election opponent, Mike Sells.
Why?
Because the governor got PUNK’D. Ashton Kutcher couldn’t have been caught more by surprise.
Once Locke realized what had happened, he plotted the most logical course of corrective action. For the state’s top Democrat, that meant running to a neutral corner to watch the two Democrats battle to serve Everett and Marysville from the coveted 38th District House seat.
“This is a strange political season,” Simpson said. “It’s his decision to do what he felt he wanted to do. I had nothing to do with his decision.”
The governor might disagree.
In mid-July, Simpson approached Locke at a public event in Everett, and, earnest candidate that he is, cordially solicited the big guy’s backing.
Simpson didn’t mention Sells. Locke, for whatever reason, didn’t ask if there was an opponent. There’s no way he would have waded into an internal fracas so quickly.
Simpson told me the governor had to know about the race, so why bring it up? “We talked about the possibility of an opponent. As an elected official, he knows about the ins and outs of politics,” Simpson said.
On July 15, Simpson celebrated the endorsement. He declared to the world that the governor had broken with past tradition of remaining neutral in contested party primaries to back him.
Sells, after reading of the endorsement in The Herald, called the governor’s political advisers. Some of Sells’ supporters – including very vocal labor leaders – phoned Locke. His reply, at least the printable part, was that he didn’t know anything about it.
“He said he wasn’t even aware that I was running,” Sells said.
Locke knows Sells. He appointed him to the Central Washington University Board of Trustees and has dealt with him as secretary-treasurer of the Snohomish County Labor Council.
Days passed as the governor pondered a response. No matter how badly he might have wanted to revoke his endorsement of Simpson, he couldn’t. Remaining silent wasn’t an option, either, if he hoped to quell the continuous blaze of phone calls from Sells’ compadres.
The pragmatic Locke settled on a dual endorsement, allowing both candidates to use his name and face to boost their campaigns.
That’s good news for Simpson. Locke is still his biggest catch. It should help pry loose a few more donations and pick up a few more votes.
But time is getting short. Sells is raising more money and garnering more endorsements. If no Republican enters the race – and none had as of Friday – the winner on Sept. 14 will be heading to Olympia.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield’s column on politics runs every Sunday. He can be heard at 7 a.m. Monday on the “Morning Show” on KSER (90.7 FM). He can be reached at 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
Jerry Cornfield
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