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Posts published in “Day: November 2, 2011”

Big and hard to call

The still-emerging Democratic primary in Washington's 1st district looks like ever-more of a hot race.

The latest indicator is the entry today of Darcy Burner, who ran two losing but strong - very well organized and financed - campaigns for the U.S. House in the current 8th district. Anticipating her home turf will be in the new Washington 1st, she's throwing in.

But she's by no means the only strong Democrat in the field. There's
Laura Ruderman, a former legislator and former statewide candidate, and highly capable as well. (Last finance reports - Receipts: $182,675. Disbursed: $33,881.)

There's Roger Goodman, an incumbent legislator. (Receipts: $162,127. Disbursed: $102,220.) And two more incumbent legislators: Steve Hobbs (Receipts: $53,674. Disbursed: $4,672) and Marko Liias (Receipts: $48,887. Disbursed: $23,463), all three successful vote-getters.

And Darshan Rauniyar, who notes that of the candidates as of the last reporting period, he raised the most from individual contributors (Receipts: $110,982. Disbursed: $11,044).

Given Burner's powerful fundraising track record, none of this is to suggest that she's going to run uphill - she may not have to. But this does look like a highly competitive contest.

UPDATE A commentary from the liberal Daily Kos site, of the Burner entry: "she's setting herself up for a very difficult primary where there are already four big names, and where her entry seems likely to only further dissipate the liberal vote shared with state Reps. Marko Liias and Roger Goodman, increasing the odds that sorta-moderate ex-Rep. Laura Ruderman or moderate-to-the-point-of-being-major-pain-in-the-ass state Sen. Steve Hobbs gets through."

Carlson: Where are the leaders?

carlson
Chris Carlson
Carlson Chronicles

In talking with newspaper editors about running excerpts of the book of reminiscences of my years working with and for Governor Cecil D. Andrus, I often encountered the question “where are today’s Cecil Andruses?” Or “why can’t we produce leaders like Cecil Andrus, or Dan Evans or Mark Hatfield any more?”

In other words, “where have all the leaders gone?”

Cecil Andrus reflects leadership to the core of his being. While there are many definitions of leadership, and Andrus would fulfill most, it is one of those things you just know when you see it. As long as people have known Andrus they will tell you he has always possessed the quality that says “I’m leading; I know where I’m going. Follow or get out of the way!”

As Andrus Center President Marc Johnson points out in his fine introduction to the book Cecil Andrus: Idaho’s Greatest Governor, Idaho’s only four times elected governor and the state’s first ever cabinet officer would have emerged as the leader in any situation life might have placed him. He possesses the talent and ability to run any size organization, public or private, including the presidency of the United States.

There’s a reason why no less a talent than President William Jefferson Clinton, while still reeling from the early challenges he was fumbling and rumors were circulating that he might face a primary challenge, sent an operative to Idaho to check out speculation that Cecil Andrus might be recruited to mount that challenge.

The book takes a swing at trying to shed light on how Andrus emerged from an ordinary background and became such an extraordinarily successful public official. Through anecdotes and stories it sheds light on his leadership style and the political rules he followed, often encapsulated in witty colloquial phrases. (more…)