1. Mayor Nickels is back on the campaign trail. For R-71. (A "Yes" vote on R-71 expands domestic partnership rights.)

Nickels is hosting a pro-R-71 fundraiser this Wednesday at the Tower Room at the top of Columbia Tower. He's co-hosting the event with gay Seattle City Council Members Sally Clark and Tom Rasmussen—and Rasmussen's aide, also gay, Brian Hawksford and his partner.

2. Political consultant Christian Sinderman—who, we recently noted, was talking with Joe Mallahan's mayoral campaign—also talked with the Sierra Club last week about how the environmental group's communication plan (to its membership) could best promote: King County Executive candidate Dow Constantine, city council candiate Mike O'Brien, and—Mallahan's opponent Mike McGinn.

3. Part of the city's $930 million commitment to the $4.2 billion waterfront tunnel originally included $135 million for a 1st Ave. Trolley.

However, the trolley project has been downgraded to a study in the latest city legislation.

(The city council's transportation committee is set to approve a Memorandum of Agreement between the city and the state authorizing the deep bored tunnel to replace the Viaduct on Tuesday.)

4. Spotted at Fox TV personality Glenn Back's Saturday night Safeco appearance: Dino Rossi. In the VIP section.



5. Washington Senator Maria Cantwell (in town this weekend) hosted a fundraiser for Port Commission candidate Max Vekich, the former state house legislator who's running as labor's candidate against establishment favorite Tom Albro.

The fundraiser was at state Democratic majority leader Rep. Lynn Kessler's (D-24, Grays Harbor, Clallum and Jefferson Counties) condo in West Seattle.

There were about 30 people on hand and the event brought in $2,000 plus.

Morning Fizz hears Cantwell took the opportunity to talk about the health care bill, saying the public option "was possible," but it would be "helpful if [Democratic activists] kicked up the volume."