Video: 34th District Democrats endorse Ed Murray for mayor

(State Sen. Ed Murray, right, speaking with four local political leaders at his side)
We’re at the 34th District Democrats‘ biggest meeting of the year – 139 voting members here, making endorsements for the year’s big races, starting with Seattle Mayor.

SEATTLE MAYOR: Five of the nine candidates were nominated to be in the running for the endorsement. They spoke in this order: St. Sen. Ed Murray, Peter Steinbrueck, Mayor Mike McGinn, Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Kate Martin. (Video added:)

The first two drew no speakers in opposition; a 34th member identifying himself as a longshoreman spoke against McGinn because of his arena support, and McGinn defended the plan – “There (will be) union jobs building it, and union jobs working there’ – which otherwise had not been mentioned. A woman who spoke against Harrell accused him of not coming to neighborhoods except when he’s campaigning. Speaking in rebuttal, Councilmember Harrell apologized for disappointing her, after a defender countered the allegation. No one spoke against Martin. Now, we’re waiting for the vote and results.

8:01 pm update: Murray 1st, McGinn 2nd after the first ballot. So there’s a 2nd ballot. To get a solo endorsement, one will have to win 60% of the next vote.

8:22 pm update: On the second ballot, Sen. Murray gets 70 percent, Mayor McGinn 30 percent. Sole endorsement for Murray, a former West Seattleite.

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL: First up, position 2, with incumbent Richard Conlin taking the floor first. “I really want to do some great things for West Seattle, great things for the region,” he says, having arrived moments earlier – another LD has an endorsement meeting tonight on the other side of the city, it seems. Challenger Brian Carver follows. … Mike O’Brien speaks but his challenger Albert Shen doesn’t get here in time to … 8:20 pm update: Conlin is endorsed. … 8:32 pm update: O’Brien is endorsed.

BLOCK ENDORSEMENT: In a block “yes” vote toward the start of the meeting, the 34th endorsed a slate including Seattle Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw and Nick Licata, City Attorney Pete Holmes, the King County Parks levy, County Sheriff John Urquhart, Port Commission members John Creighton and Courtney Gregoire (see the full block slate here).

MEETING ADJOURNED … just before 9 pm. We have video from the mayoral candidates’ speeches and are processing it now. The primary election, by the way, is August 6th. And before the 2009 primary, datapoint, the 34th gave a dual endorsement in the mayor’s race to McGinn and then-incumbent Greg Nickels.

jiggers June 12, 2013 (8:33 pm)

I’ll vote for anyone who’s not going to spend/waste money on building bike lanes or streetcars.

Kyle June 12, 2013 (9:01 pm)

Amen, jiggers.

Ex-Westwood Resident June 12, 2013 (9:11 pm)

Why doesn’t it surprise me that the 34th District Democrats would overwhelmingly endorse one that has no regards for the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.

anonymous June 12, 2013 (9:24 pm)

And I’ll vote for anyone who can hire people to hand out political flyers only to houses that don’t have “no soliciting” signs up. Yes, not selling a product but chances are we don’t want you selling us your candidate either….jeeeeez

pupsarebest June 12, 2013 (9:53 pm)

Oh, yes, Democrats and Ed Murray are definitely anti-Constitution and Bill of Rights…it’s well-documented fact.
Egads and little fishes!

Upset WS driver June 12, 2013 (10:14 pm)

I find it hilarious that the 34th Democrats endorsed a mayoral candidate who was instrumental in pushing for the demise of the Viaduct… Get ready to sit in gridlock, 2 lanes of traffic West Seattleites !!! No way into West Seattle, No way out!

Norma June 12, 2013 (11:23 pm)

The Nisqually Earthquake was the real demise of the Viaduct. And, gridlock would be eased a bit if we could find the funds to rebuild a first class citywide bus system like we used to have.

Ex-Westwood Resident June 12, 2013 (11:29 pm)

Hey “pupsarebest”
Ask him about his co-sponsoring a bill in Olympia his year, and in the past that BLATENTLY violated the Fourth Amendment and the Second Amendment.
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In the bill, if passed, would have allowed County Sheriffs to “inspect” home no less than annually, to ensure that the owner was storing their firearms correctly. NO SEACH WARRANT REQUIRED.
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In his defense he said that he didn’t read the bill when he sponsored it.
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You might have to dig for the original bill, but it’s there. Also look at the bill in 2005-06 and 2003-2004 (iirc) that had the SAME wording.
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ALL politicians when they are sworn in take an oath the “DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES…”
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Other WS residents of the 34th District might want to look at those bills and see where our Reps and Sen stand of the Bill of Rights, because he ISN’T the only one who supported that bill that would have allowed a search of home WITHOUT a WARRANT.

East Coast Cynic June 13, 2013 (5:29 am)

Norma, if the first class bus system includes right of way passageways, then I support it. If this bus system doesn’t have right of way, then it will be the same old gridlock.

By the way, what did Murray promise the 34th for transportation if he is elected?

pupsarebest June 13, 2013 (6:09 am)

Thank you for the explanation, EWR– to tell you the truth, my belief is the Patriot Act stripped us of all our rights years ago.
Search warrants/probable cause/etc., all mere quaint notions.

anonyme June 13, 2013 (6:33 am)

I don’t like ANYONE telling me how to vote, including a political party. There are many voters who will accept this endorsement without doing any further investigation on their own. IMO, this interferes with the process in a negative way.

I’m voting for Steinbrueck.

phil dirt June 13, 2013 (8:00 am)

Just when I thought West Seattle couldn’t get any dumber, WS ends up supporting Ed, I hate the US Constitution, Murray. I wonder, is he any relation to Patty?

Peter June 13, 2013 (8:24 am)

I really gotta learn how to talk into the microphone.

wscommuter June 13, 2013 (9:58 am)

sigh … the FoxNews folks are showing up here …

Norma June 13, 2013 (12:02 pm)

I’m going to apply the “thumper principle” and simply say that I”m looking for a change for the better.

Mat June 13, 2013 (12:27 pm)

Was does it say about me that I kind of want to vote for Ed just because of Phil’s snarky comment?

I think it says I need to stop reading blog comments.

West Seattle Hipster June 13, 2013 (12:29 pm)

I am open to vote for anyone but McGinn or Steinbrueck.

Dave June 13, 2013 (1:03 pm)

I’ll use Ex-Westwood resident’s all-caps rants as my barometer, Ed gets my vote!

Ex-Westwood Resident June 13, 2013 (1:57 pm)

How nice that all it takes is an all caps emphasis on a Fourth Amendment right to get you to vote for someone who has no regards for that right.
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13 words capped for emphasis and you get your panties in a wad.
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Somehow it doesn’t surprise me that some (and IMO most of) West Seattle would support a person like that