Lynnwood’s Warren Hanson is running for office again.
This time, the 73-year-old longshoreman is a Democrat challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Patty Murray in Tuesday’s primary.
Two years ago, Hanson ran as a Republican against U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash. He was a Republican in 2000, when he took on Democrat Maria Cantwell for the U.S. Senate, and in 1998 when he faced Murray for the first time.
For three decades, in most even years, Hanson has run for something. And he’s always lost.
“It’ll be very difficult for me to win Tuesday. Maybe I’ll sneak in,” he said.
Yet, this perennial candidate is too hooked on politics to fret over defeats. He seizes on each bid as another chance to dispense his theorems on government and those who govern.
“I hope we can fix this country. It’s getting worse,” he said.
Hanson is not alone in vying for the Senate seat.
Chuck Jackson of Snohomish is a Republican whose chief foe in the primary is U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt. Six years ago, he ran against Murray, too, as a Democrat. Two years ago, he was the Libertarian challenger to state Rep. Al O’Brien, D-Mountlake Terrace.
Tuesday’s primary should end his campaign, but not his political pursuits.
“I suffer no illusions,” said Jackson, 44, a chief engineer with Washington State Ferries. “It’s gonna take an act of God. I don’t have any multimillion-dollar campaign backing me up. All I can hope is that people learn about some of my ideas.”
Two men, two views
Hanson, who has three grown daughters, is a native of Bellingham. As a child growing up in the early 1930s, he would pick up gunnysacks of trash from his neighbors and take them to the dump, earning a nickel a sack. He is a Navy veteran, a deep sea diver and a nonstop talker.
Illegal immigration must be stopped, term limits must be imposed and federal spending must be curbed, he said.
Hanson entered the race against Murray because “I heard she was vulnerable. She says she puts Washington first. I say put America first, then the state.”
Jackson, who has lived in Snohomish for 15 years, is married and has two children.
“Nobody seems to be addressing the financial problems that it looks like this country is headed for,” he said. “The government must no longer spend more money than it takes in.”
Jackson would change how trade treaties are approved by Congress. He said too often the deals cede power from the United States to foreign panels.
“What we’re giving away is incredible,” he said, citing the North America Free Trade Agreement and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade as examples of the United States being forced to abide by rules imposed by foreign entities.
Jackson figures lawmakers didn’t read the fine print in those deals before acting. He wants the text of any proposed treaty to be read in its entirety on the floor of the House of Representatives and Senate before approval can be given.
He also wants to take on “special interests” by banning riders to proposed laws. Such amendments, Jackson said, are typically used by lawmakers to satisfy political supporters. “The special-interest sycophants at the trough will be squealing when cut off,” he said.
Collecting votes
Neither candidate is spending much money beyond the cost of filing.
They do not have campaign organizations, though Jackson does operate two Web sites (www.jacksonforsenate.us and www.scaryreality.com). There have been no forums at which they could sit next to and debate the favorite in their respective races.
Nonetheless, each will collect votes from throughout the state.
Six years ago, Hanson collected 22,411 votes, fourth among 13 candidates. Jackson garnered the fewest in that race, 2,234, while Murray led the way with 479,009.
“I don’t expect to win,” Hanson said. “A good vote will be a good impetus for the next time.”
Who then will he support?
“As it stands right now, I wouldn’t vote for either” Murray or Nethercutt, he said.
And Jackson’s choice should he lose?
“I haven’t given it a whole lot of thought,” he said. “I’m planning on winning.”
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