Update: 34th District Democrats endorse Joe Fitzgibbon

ORIGINAL 7:53 PM REPORT: We’re at the 34th District Democrats‘ meeting in Fauntleroy, where it is standing-room only as the group gets ready to hear 34th District State House Position 2 candidates Joe Fitzgibbon and Mike Heavey make their respective cases for the group’s endorsement, with the general election just eight weeks away. They were the top two vote-getters, in that order, in a primary race that also included Marcee Stone – whom the 34th DDs had endorsed – and independent “Mac” McElroy.

8:08 PM UPDATE: The 34th District Democrats’ membership first voted to endorse these positions: No on I-1053, No on I-1100, No on I-1105, No on I-1107, Yes for the Seattle Schools Levy, in a “block” vote. That is a followup to endorsements that carry over from earlier in the year. And after hearing from King County Executive Dow Constantine, they also voted to endorse Yes on King County Proposition 1 – the sales-tax increase (two cents on $10) to raise $60 million to stave off some county budget cuts (including services, he pointed out, that are available to everyone in King County, not just the unincorporated areas). “We have to protect these services if we are to have a decent community in which to live,” he implored.

8:11 PM UPDATE: They are now considering the Fitzgibbon-Heavey race. Both are here, though neither spoke to the group before the vote.

8:38 PM UPDATE: That endorsement goes to Fitzgibbon, 96 to 31. He is thanking the group for its support (iPhone photo added above – Fitzgibbon standing, 34th DDs chair Tim Nuse seated). We interviewed each candidate on video after the vote (clips added 10:59 pm):

9:14 PM UPDATE: The meeting is adjourned, after two more endorsement votes – in two municipal court races, after the first ballot didn’t result in either candidate getting a 60 percent majority per group rules, the second ballot resulted in dual endorsements, both in Edsonya Charles vs. Ed McKenna and in Karen Donohue vs. Mike Hurtado. The group also passed a resolution supporting Streets for All, on the urging of past and current City Council candidate Dorsol Plants of Highland Park – that calls for the city to allot $30 million a year to improvements such as sidewalks.

POSTSCRIPT: Other notes – 34th DDs chair Tim Nuse condemned the anti-Muslim climate that has led to Koran-burning events and the New York City mosque controversy, saying “This has got to stop” … Knowing that its legislative seats are all going to Democrats, 34th leaders urged support for D’s elsewhere in the region who are in tight races, most notably incumbent State Sen. Claudia Kauffman … The 34th State House #2 race is one of two for “open” seats on the West Seattle ballot; the other is King County Council District 8, where Councilmember Jan Drago was appointed to hold the seat this year but is not running for election – top primary votegetter State Sen. Joe McDermott, already endorsed by the group, was at tonight’s meeting, as was a representative of his opponent Diana Toledo‘s campaign; Jerry Toledo told us she wanted to be at the 34th DDs’ meeting but had been asked to be at the Discovery Park news conference about last week’s fatal shooting of a Native American carver … In addition to McDermott/County Council, the list of previously endorsed candidates/measures was presented as this: Sen. Patty Murray, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, State Rep. Sharon Nelson for State Senate, State Rep. Eileen Cody, Yes on 1098, Yes on 52, No on 1082, Charlie Wiggins for State Supreme Court, Steve Rosen for Municipal Court, William Gregory for Municipal Court, Michael Spearman for Court of Appeals.

SIDE NOTE: Just noticed this analysis of the Fitzgibbon-Heavey primary voting – with a map – done by a political consulting firm (linked by PubliCola) – in West Seattle, there was a clear east-west divide.

6 Replies to "Update: 34th District Democrats endorse Joe Fitzgibbon"

  • DP September 8, 2010 (9:08 pm)

    The 34th Dems have already endorsed I-1098, right?

    • WSB September 8, 2010 (9:12 pm)

      yes, that’s one of a long list of things they already endorsed, which we’ll either link to or list when we finalize this item later tonight – what’s here now is just what they’re currently doing at this meeting (which isn’t over yet) … TR

  • JoB September 8, 2010 (9:57 pm)

    i am stunned by the Fitzgibbon endorsement.. but pleased all the same. Good for them.

  • Diane September 8, 2010 (11:39 pm)

    thanks DP; I was going to ask why there was no mention of 1098, which I would expect most in that room to be for; also loving the new 1098 tv commercial with Bill Gates Sr

  • WorldCitizen September 9, 2010 (1:04 am)

    Wow, “no” on both of the liquor initiatives. Sad.

  • visitor September 9, 2010 (11:51 pm)

    YES! Fitzgibbon over Heavey! No contest. No question.

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