An attempt by the 32nd District Democrats to pick a favorite in the race for Metro King County Council Dist. 1 seat ended up in no endorsement.
The race is an unusual byproduct of the voter-approved shrinking of the County Council from 13 districts to nine. The current First and Second districts will be melded, which pits the Democratic incumbents – Carolyn Edmonds from the current Dist. 1 and Bob Ferguson from the current Dist. 2 – against each other for the new seat.
On June 8, Democrats in the 32nd Legislative District tried to gain consensus at their monthly meeting on who to back.
“Neither Bob or Carolyn were endorsed,” said state Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Lake Forest Park, who attended the meeting. “There was a motion to endorse Bob, who had been recommended by the nominating committee, and that failed. There was a motion to endorse Carolyn, and that failed. There was a motion for dual endorsement, and that failed.
“So, there is no endorsement from the 32nd District.”
King County Democrats have scheduled the countywide nominating convention for 7 p.m., June 28, at Bellevue Community College. Precinct committee officers (PCOs) will vote on who the party should endorse.
Those nominated are expected to carry the party designation into campaign season, the first to use the state’s new top-two vote-getter primary. However, several lawsuits have been filed over the parties’ claim of exclusivity to the party label.
Edmonds called the 32nd District stalemate, “A huge win.”
Edmonds said district officials had notified Ferguson of the nominating committee’s recommendation prior to the meeting. Ferguson came to the meeting in Shoreline with materials showing the committee’s recommendation, according to several people at the meeting. “They didn’t call me,” Edmonds said.
“We have a commitee that recommended Bob,” said Lila Smith, chair of the 32nd Dist. Democrats.
Because of the timing of the meeting, the group’s bylaws require two-thirds majority to get a so-called “early endorsement.”
Ferguson said the count on his endorsement vote was 44-24 in favor, two votes shy of the number needed. Edmonds’ count was 30-39, he said. “The dual endorsement went down pretty handily,” Ferguson said.
“We ended up with the endorsement of the endorsement committee,” Ferguson said. “Obviously, I’m very encouraged. The 32nd is Carolyn’s backyard and having success like that demonstrates clear support.”
Edmonds had a different take, characterizing the votes as no endorsement by the district.
“This means the PCOs can vote their conscience at the county nominating convention,” said Edmonds, who has been a 32nd District PCO for ten years.
Smith said she believes Edmonds had the votes to win the endorsement.
“Where Carolyn lost it was in the question and answer period,” Smith said, citing Edmonds’ responses to questions about selling public property to private developers and her views on a new political action committee called Progress Shoreline.
“I saw some faces, she lost some support,” Smith said. “Carolyn had the votes going in.”
Smith refused to name the members of the elections committee that recommended Ferguson: “It’s not appropriate. They shouldn’t be named in the newspaper.”
Smith said the district conducted the early endorsement process to allow greater involvement from members other than the district PCOs.
Ferguson lives in the 46th Legislative District, where party officials decided to not have an endorsement process.
“We have asked our PCOs to contact people in their precincts,” said Betty Means of the 46th District. “We drafted a letter and they could go door to door or send it by mail and ask for feedback.
“We’ve asked our people to listen to the members.”
Means said the district’s executive board voted to not endorse candidates prior to the countywide meeting.
Neither Edmonds or Ferguson are strangers to in-party battles.
In 1998, Edmonds and fellow Democrat Rob Zuanich challenged then-incumbent Democrat state Rep. Patty Butler. After recounts, Edmonds came out on top and won the general election over Republican Will Lehr.
In 2003, Ferguson filed against longtime incumbent Democrat Council member Cynthia Sullivan. Ferguson worked hard going door to door and eked out a primary victory over too-confident Sullivan. Ferguson was unopposed in the general election.
Both Edmonds and Ferguson said they will be working hard between now and June 28.
“I’ll be doing what I do in any campaign, what I did against Cynthia Sullivan,” Ferguson said. “I’ll be going to the precinct officers. One door at a time.
“This is not rocket science, you raise money and walk the district.”
Edmonds said she is conducting a “mini-campaign,” targeting the 210 PCOs eligible to vote with doorbelling, e-mails, calls and mailings.
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