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Welcome to Backyard Blog, our group online journal for this election season. We've asked a broad array of people with deep ties to the region to share their views on politics during the 2004 campaign.
Send your comments to bbcomments@seattletimes.com. |
October 27, 2004
| Act nationally but think locally, too |
| Posted by Carl Gipson at 10:16 PM |
Local races are often overlooked during Presidential re-election years; that’s the way it goes. But I feel very strongly about two statewide elections this year and we Backyard Bloggers have yet to focus on two important races: the gubernatorial race and the race for attorney general.
They say all politics are local politics and, while that’s changed dramatically in the past few years, it’s a truism I find more relevant everyday. Why? Because at the end of the day we don’t care so much about national policies that do not directly affect us.
We only care about finding or keeping our current job, making sure our children are safe, fed and educated, and trying to make our way through this horrendous traffic.
Say what you will about presidential politics, but there are very few of us directly affected on a daily basis in our homes, jobs or personal lives because of what goes on in the Oval Office.
My point is this: people in Olympia often have much more influence on how our daily lives are affected than people in Washington, D.C. I feel very strongly that the new governor and attorney general will shape public policy in this state will either help us recover economically and socially or drive us further down into this economic quagmire we’ve been stuck in for several years.
The Puget Sound region, in particular, has been in a funky malaise for quite some time when it comes to solving the poor state of our transportation and economic infrastructure.
We seem to be waiting around for someone to tell us to do something. We lack decisive leaders who put their necks on the line and gamble for the good of our region. I believe, for the first time in many years, that both Republican candidates for the governorship and attorney general position in this state consist of these leadership qualities.
Don’t dismiss these statewide races as an afterthought. They are important too and will affect your life, business and school easily as much or more so than the candidates running for President.
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| Aloha votes |
| Posted by Matthew Ranger at 09:43 AM |
Well kids, you will never guess what state is now in play. I'll give you a hint: It is not normally considered a battleground state, it's a few thousand miles away from the rest of the states, and it's surrounded by a small geographical feature called the Pacific Ocean. Those of you who aren't still guessing know that I'm talking about Hawaii. Those of you who are, well, you know now, so we can move on.
Hawaii is historically a Democratic leaning state, having only gone to a Republican twice in its history. Up until about a week ago, that trend looked to be continuing, as Kerry had a comfortable lead. This all changed when Ward Research published a poll giving Bush a 0.7 percent lead. Two days later a poll from SMS Research confirmed the gain, giving Bush a one percent advantage. SMS had Kerry ahead by seven points two months before.
Whatever the reason for the shift, it presents an interesting question. Could a candidate actually get away with campaigning in a tropical paradise?
Conventional wisdom would say no, but further scrutiny reveals some definite advantages. Hawaii has four electoral votes. This is equal to the amount wielded by New Hampshire, where the candidates have invested a great deal of time and money.
A four vote state represents an eight point swing if it goes the other way, so a candidate ignores it at his own peril. One must also consider that the four votes would be relatively easy to pick up, as one visit could probably secure the allegiance of people who, quite rightly, feel largely ignored by the mainland.
When you add in the fact that large numbers of core constituencies populate the state (military and military retirees for Bush and native Hawaiians for Kerry), you could make a strong case for a visit.
In the end, I don't think that we'll see either candidate go to Hawaii, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them drop some cash there. In the closing days of the campaign, opportunity abounds and little can be taken for granted.
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October 2004
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