The very tan Rep. Jay Inslee actually has a primary opponent: Mike the Mover, a Civil War reenactment enthusiast who drives across the country in a truck with a canon in the back and "Washington State Militia" written on the side. (Hello? Homeland Security?) Mike the Mover assured the Glee Club that he's not a right-wing gun nut, he just loves driving around the country talking to right-wing gun-nuts. Weirdly, he also seems to share a lot of right-wing gun-nut theories about the Masons and international bankers.

Thankfully, Mike's campaign isn't exactly surging, and the Stranger Election Glee Club isn't going to help Mike the Mover in the Big Mo department. That's because the Glee Club has a bona fide crush on Inslee, and he gets our endorsement. A flaming lefty, Inslee was one of just 21 House reps who voted against the "Solidarity with Israel" bill that Congress passed during Israel's May 2002 lockdown on Palestinian territory. Not that Inslee (or the Glee Club, God forbid) is anti-Semitic (Stranger Editor Dan Savage keeps a picture of Ariel Sharon on his desk). But Inslee's black-sheep vote proves that for a guy whose district includes mainstream turf like Everett and Edmonds, he's willing to buck the crowd on principle. (He didn't like the "Solidarity" bill, he says, because it left out key language on supporting Palestinian self-determination. Way to go, Jay!) More of his lefty record: anti fast-track, anti securities-industry deregulation (long before the deregulated securities industry fucked over your 401 (k)), pro gay rights, pro medical pot--you name it. Sure, all the Microsoft money going into his war chest has clouded Inslee's view on the antitrust suit (the company is his top contributor, kicking in $56,000); and sure, his vote for the thought-police PATRIOT Act is a major blemish. But Inslee is also rabidly anti-Bush (especially on environmental issues as a member of the resources committee), and that appeals to the Glee Club. Vote for Inslee twice.

Jay Inslee
Ingraham High School (Seattle, Washington), 1969路 Varsity football junior and senior year

路 Varsity basketball sophomore, junior, and senior year

路 Honor Society sophomore, junior, and senior year

Mike the Mover
Robert E. Lee High (Richmond, Virginia), 1863路 Ran unsuccessfully for student body president 34 years in a row

路 Varsity rifle-twirling team; J.V. squash

路 Voted most likely to secede