Christine Gregoire's campaign for governor picked up endorsements
from police and firefighter groups Tuesday, offering the first
solid evidence that the Democratic attorney general might
be the front-runner to replace the retiring Gov. Gary Locke
in the 2004 election.
It's still early in the election cycle, and not all potential
candidates have announced. But three influential public safety
groups announced early endorsements of Gregoire -- favoring
her over Democrats Phil Talmadge, the former Supreme Court
justice, and King County Executive Ron Sims, as well as anyone
who might enter the race.
Among Republicans, Federico Cruz of Tacoma has announced,
but he lacks the formal support of the state Republican Party
leadership, which is looking for another candidate to support.
Democratic Congressman Jay Inslee also is considering a bid
for governor, but like other Democrats rumored to be interested,
he hasn't stepped forward.
The endorsing groups -- including the Washington Council
of Police and Sheriffs, the Washington State Council of Fire
Fighters and the national Fraternal Order of Police -- all
said Gregoire's record on public safety is strong and tipped
the balance for their executive boards.
"We are here to stand beside her as she has stood beside
us," said Mike Amos, a 33-year Yakima police veteran and president
of WACOPS, which with the firefighter group has 11,000 members.
He and others wore large "Cops for Chris" buttons while announcing
the endorsements.
This opens the door for Gregoire to tap an army of grass-roots
activists known for their vigor in waging yard sign and doorbelling
campaigns, said Kelly Fox, an Olympia firefighter and president
of the firefighters council.
Gregoire responded to the endorsements by saying that public
safety is a top priority of her campaign.
Sims and Talmadge say they expect to pick up labor endorsements
that rival Gregoire's.
"We're picking up the locals," said Sims, who reported receiving
the support of the King County Sheriff's Guild and who expects
to pick up support from other local fire and police groups
that might offer him help on the campaign trail.
"It's very interesting they made those endorsements without
hearing from anybody else," said Talmadge, who also noted
that it was the executive boards for WACOPS and the firefighter
group that made the endorsements.
"I think there is going to be some controversy, especially
with respect to their local affiliates," Talmadge said.
Talmadge predicted Gregoire will have problems with state-employee
unions because she has gone on record as saying it's a bad
time for tax increases -- even as she's advocated more spending
on education and pay.
Even so, with roughly $200,000 raised in just 30 days of
her fledgling campaign, Gregoire said the endorsements are
an early sign she's off and running exceedingly well.
"One thing I've learned in the last 30 days about being the
alleged front-runner is, everyone looks to see if it's real.
And I think today the statement by the firefighters and the
law enforcement community in the state of Washington is that
we're real," Gregoire said. "We're in it for the long haul,
and we're going to win."
But a more telling point will come Sept. 10, when candidate
campaign reports must be filed with the Public Disclosure
Commission showing how much each has raised and from whom,
Gregoire said.
The endorsements follow an out-of-state vote of confidence
for Gregoire by EMILY's List, a group that helps fund and
support female political candidates who are Democrats and
support abortion rights.
Many labor groups, whose endorsements are considered a political
prize because they can bring cash as well as grass-roots support,
are expected to begin taking sides in the Democratic primary
in the coming months.
One significant part of Tuesday's endorsements was WACOPS
decision to get behind Gregoire no matter who else gets into
the race -- even if Republican King County Sheriff Dave Reichert
joins the race, said Bill Hanson, executive director for WACOPS.
Mellman Poll:
Gregoire Enjoys a 30-Point Lead Over Sims
10/19/04 A response (from Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett)
to an email sent by Richard Sanders to WACOPS President...Click
Here
10/14/04 Richard Sanders' email response to a WACOPS September
Newsletter article...Click Here
Immediate Release: Attorney General candidate Rob McKenna
today said attack ads against Christine Gregoire "lack integrity
and are false"... October 15, 2004...Click
Here
Letter from Rob McKenna to Bill Hanson... October 13, 2004...Click
Here
The 2004 legislative session started Monday, January
12, 2004.
The top issues facing the legislature this year are:
Replacing the state’s blanket primary election system
with something constitutional. Federal courts say Washington’s
open-choice system, which lets voters pick candidates from
any party without identify their party leanings, is unconstitutional.
Curing the liability insurance problems that afflict everyone
from the Roof Doctor to the obstetrician who will deliver
your family’s next baby.
Resolving questions in the budget to ensure that adequate
money is appropriated to prisons and schools and Medicaid
programs.
Approving the home care workers’ contract, which lawmakers
rejected a year ago despite the voter-approved Initiative
775 to create collective bargaining for the mostly self-employed
workers.
WACOPS is tracking a number of bills
this session! The most important ones are:
SHB 2645 Indecent exposure O'Brien
SHB 2985 Health insurance Cody
SB 6357 Street racing Johnson
HB 2418 - LEOFF 2
HB 2419 - LEOFF 2
HB 2316 - Privacy HB 2392 - Domestic Violence
HB 2416 - LEOFF 1
HB 2471 - License Plates SB 6148 - License Plates
HB 2472 - Surviving Spouse
HB 2473 - Firearms in the Court House
HB 2327 - Retiree Health Insurance -
Access to Street Racing (no bill number yet)
Police Liability (no bill number yet)
HB 2500 - Sales Tax
HB 2501 - Sales Tax
The following bills are on our tracking list:
Bill Title Sponsor
HB 3183 State patrol wages Conway
HB 3114 Disability boards Sommers
HB 2316 Public disclosure/officers Carrell
HB 2322 Law enfrcmnt prehire process McDonald
HB 2327 Individual health insurance Cody
HB 2328 Sex & kidnapping offenders Dickerson
HB 2374 Sheriffs' standards Nixon
HB 2375 Sheriffs' investigations Nixon
HB 2379 Peace officer training Armstrong
HB 2392 Domestic violence/law enfrcm Lantz
HB 2416 LEOFFRS sixty percent cap Simpson, G.
HB 2418 LEOFFRS disabled members Cooper
HB 2419 LEOFFRS/ killed in action Simpson, G.
HB 2471 Law enforcement license plate Lovick
HB 2472 Fallen emergency responders Lovick
HB 2473 Weapons in courthouse bldgs Clibborn
HB 2500 Streamlined sales & use tax McIntire
HB 2501 Streamlined sales & use tax Hunter
HB 2534 State patrol death benefits Fromhold
HB 2595 Violent video/computer games Dickerson
HB 2664 State patrol wage bargaining Conway
HB 2716 Eluding a police officer Simpson, D.
HB 2770 Collective bargaining Conway
HB 2791 Firearms & domestic violence Kagi
HB 2813 Establishing the recording of custodial interrogations
pilot project
HB 2848 Authorizing tribal law enforcement officers to enforce
the laws of State of Wa
HB 2914 Removing the sixty percent cap on retirement allowances
SB 6111 Domestic violence policies Benton
SB 6136 Electronic tracking devices McCaslin
SB 6148 Law enforcement license plate Haugen
SB 6150 Collective bargaining Doumit
SB 6161 Requiring law enforcement agencies to adopt policies
concerning domestic violence
SB 6278 LEOFFRS/ killed in action Parlette
SB 6279 LEOFFRS disabled members Murray
HB 2645 Indecent exposure O'Brien
HB 2985 Health insurance Cody
SB 6355 Disability boards Winsley
2SSB 5412 Identity theft (Brandland)
SB 6350 State patrol wage bargaining Prentice
To access any of the above bills 1) go to www.leg.wa.gov 2) Bill Search 3) Enter Bill Number 4) Bill Search button.
Memorial
Services for the Seattle Police Officers' Guild President
Ken Saucier have been scheduled and are open to the public.