When I wrote last week that Washington’s first top-two primary election had been successful, I noted that the primary had given us Republican vs. Democrat elections for all eight partisan statewide offices and all nine seats in Congress.
Then, someone pointed out that gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi and 1st District congressional candidate Larry Ishmael both listed themselves as “G.O.P.”
Still, the Republican name still works. Candidates who escaped the Republican name didn’t seem to gain anything.
A statewide example is Curtis Fackler, a Republican activist who ran for insurance commissioner with “no party preference.” Fackler lost in the primary to incumbent Democrat Mike Kreidler and unknown Republican John Adams.
In the 32nd Legislative District, Alex Rion listed his party preference as “G.O.P.” because, he said, most people in the district won’t listen to a Republican. Yet, he got only 25 percent of the primary vote in a district that usually votes 35 percent Republican.
One of my examples of the strength of the top-two system was in northwest Seattle, where we’ll have a general-election runoff between two strong Democrats rather than one between the stronger Democrat and a token Republican.
My figures were slightly off. Recent figures still show the Republican with 15 percent but a growing spread between the two Democrats to 45-40 from 43-42.
Critics of the top-two system say that it distorts the purpose of a primary, which, they say, should be to let Democrats pick Democratic candidates and Republicans pick Republican candidates. That’s true in most states, but Washington voters have decided to try something different. I say that it works. Those who don’t like it should give it a few years.
We’ll get a chance to see in November if Oregon joins the experiment. Oregon, which unlike other Northwest states has party registration, will vote on a top-two initiative.
Primary: Minor candidates picked wrong spots
Fifteen minor-party and independent candidates ran for Congress or statewide office in the August primary. Each paid about $1,500 to run although he or she had little chance to qualify for the general election. Why didn’t some of these candidates spend less than a third of that to run for one of the unopposed positions for the Legislature?
Primary: King County voters sent a message
King County voters have passed an initiative to put a charter amendment on the November ballot that would make all county offices non-partisan.
To many, it’s a way to make county elections more competitive and to make county decision making more collaborative.
But it also may be a shot against the major political parties, parties which threaten to continue to fight against the type of political system the people selected.
Primary: Two write-ins made it
Two legislative districts in Eastern and Central Washington saw registered write-in candidates qualify for the general election ballot against candidates who were otherwise unopposed.
Evan Smith is the Enterprise Forum editor. Send comments to entopinion@heraldnet.com.
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