What exactly is Peterson’s ‘constituency’?

I would welcome clarification from Edmonds City Councilman Steve Bernheim to explain his comment in support of his opposition to the candidacy of Strom Peterson to fill the Edmonds City Council position vacated by Deanna Dawson. Per The Enterprise of Jan.21, 2009, Mr. Bernheim “said his own ‘duty to the electoral majority’ outweighed his own ‘duty to (Peterson’s) narrow constituency’” (“Third time a charm for appointee Peterson”). The Snohomish County public records show that in the Nov. 6, 2007 City Council elections, Mr. Peterson got 6,700 votes (49.3 percent); Mr. Orvis, 6,831 votes (50.4 percent), winning by a mere 131 votes. In that same election, Mr. Bernheim obtained 6,846 votes, only 146 more than Mr. Peterson. As one of those 6,700 voters who supported Mr. Peterson for a reasons far beyond that which he brings to the council because he is a successful small businessman, I would like to know how these election results illustrate a “narrow constituency.”

Bob Rinehart

Edmonds,/b>