Morning Fizz
Amity Hardly Reigns
1. Sen. Maria Cantwell's campaign manager Chris Gregorich is leaving the Cantwell campaign to head up state Sen. Derek Kilmer's (D-26, Gig Harbor) campaign to fill the seat of retiring US Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA, 6).
Gregorich is staying at the Cantwell campaign for another week, he says, as she lines up a new manager. Though with the news that Seattle Port Commissioner Bill Bryant is not jumping in to challenge Cantwell—leaving only freshman state Sen. Michael Baumgartner (R-6, Spokane) and former Sen. Patty Murray also-ran Art Coday in the race against Cantwell—the Cantwell camp can probably take its time.
In an email this morning, Gregorich said:
It was a difficult decision to leave the Cantwell campaign, but it was made easier due to the strength of Senator Cantwell's campaign. Derek has been a great friend since we worked together on his first campaign for the State Senate in 2006 and after hearing Rep Dicks' announcement, I wanted to do what I could to ensure that Derek retains the 6th seat for Democrats.
2. At yesterday morning's meeting of the state Liquor Control Board at city hall in downtown Seattle, the public got a first chance to testify on a request by the city of Seattle to allow local governments to petition the liquor board for extended liquor service hours at bars. The request is the first step toward, potentially, extending Seattle's bar hours after 2 am, and the testimony was... well, exact what you'd expect it to be.
Bar owners and nightlife advocates loved the idea.
Music promoter and bar owner Dave Meinert compared the debate over later closing hours to the debate, a decade ago, over the Teen Dance Ordinance---a law that effectively prohibited all-ages shows in Seattle. Eventually, the city council overturned the ordinance, rejecting arguments that allowing kids at shows would lead to pedophilia and underage drinking.
"I'd encourage you to not listen to fearmongering and to listen to data. Good government is run by data, not fear," Meinert said. "The opponents have no solution to the 2 am pushout," he added, referring to the nightly outpouring of patrons when bars close at 2:00 am.
Neighborhood and anti-drunk-driving activists, meanwhile, were against allowing cities to petition to change the rules.
"I have heard nothing said that convinces me that there's going to be more enforcement," said Belltown resident David Levinson. "People get in their cars and they drive drunk at 2:00. Now they'll drive drunk at 3:00, at 4:00, at 5:00" instead.
3. Small business owner Bobby Virk, who had been running for state senator in south Seattle's 11th District (longtime 11th District state Sen. Margarita Prentice is retiring), announced in a press release yesterday that he's running for the house instead, and endorsed his former rival for the senate seat, state house Rep. Bob Hasegawa (D-11, S. Seattle). Virk is switching to run for Hasegawa's open seat. Hasegawa, in turn, endorsed Virk.
"The 11th Legislative District will have a more unified ballot this election with the announcement today," a joint statement from the campaigns said.
But amity hardly reigns in the 11th now.
State Rep. Zack Hudgins (D-11, S. Seattle, Renton, Tukwila), Hasegawa's seatmate, announced that he's no longer running for Secretary of State, which means the pack of candidates running for his once-open seat—Renton high school teacher Steve Bergquist, 11th Executive Board member James Flynn, and Sally Bagshaw aide Holly Krejci—now have a longtime incumbent in their way.
Some of them could switch to Hasegawa's open seat. However, Seattle Port Commissioner Rob Holland is already running for that spot. Another candidate, Stephanie Bowman is undeclared.
As for the Secretary of State race that Hudgins' is leaving behind? It now features three Democrats: State Sen. Jim Kastama (D-25, Puyallup), who recently broke party ranks to vote with the senate Republicans on their recent budget coup; former state senator and Gov. Gregoire environmental policy aide Kathleen Drew; and former Seattle mayor Greg Nickels. And one Republican, Thurston County Auditor Kim Wyman.
4. In more musical chairs: One potential contender for the 36th District state house seat being vacated by Ballard Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson, Jeff Manson, confirmed with PubliCola yesterday that he isn't running.
Other rumored and confirmed candidates include: John Burbank, head of the progressive Economic Opportunity Institute where he was the prime author of 1098, the high-earners' income tax (he was also the father of the infamous “latte tax”); Progressive Majority’s Washington State director, Noel Frame; Brett Phillips, son of King County Council member Larry Phillips and the director of sustainability at Unico Properties; Mike O’Brien aide Sahar Fathi; and Phinney Ridge nonprofit fund-raiser Nick Cail announced yesterday he was seeking the position.
5. Sad Fizz: Yesterday, former state Democratic Party chair Charles Rolland died of a heart attack. Rolland was an education reform activist and a power broker in the Democratic Party. Recently, he co-chaired the committee that selected Police Chief John Diaz. Rolland and also got caught up in Seattle Public Schools' recent investigation of questionable contracts with minority vendors.
Rolland was 61.
