Campaign events are starting to happen on a near-nightly basis, and it’s already getting tough to keep up with all of them. Just yesterday, in addition to Jan Drago’s mayoral announcement at the Seattle Art Museum, Position 4 candidate Sally Bagshaw, running for the seat Drago is vacating, had her kickoff at FareStart restaurant downtown; simultaneously, Jessie Israel, running against Position 6 incumbent Nick Licata, had her own event at Spitfire Grill in Belltown. (Although this evening seems to provide a reprieve—candidates, let me know if I’m wrong—tomorrow the events start right back up again, with two kickoffs: Position 4 candidate David Bloom at the Swedish Cultural Center, and Position 8 candidate Jordan Royer at Slim’s Last Chance Chili Shack in Georgetown, both at 5:30.
I missed Bagshaw’s kickoff last night (I’m told that KC Prosecutor Dan Satterberg’s band, The Approximations, played) but I did make it to Israel’s—a sparsely attended event that was apparently overshadowed by Bagshaw’s rockin’ party down the street. (A small crowd, including freshman state representatives Scott White (D-46) and Reuven Carlyle (D-36), eventually poured into the back room of the Spitfire at the end of Israel’s event.) In some ways, the party reminded me of the 2007 kickoff for Jean Godden opponent Lauren Briel, who lost to Godden and Joe Szwaja in that year’s primary: About 25 enthusiastic people in their 20s and 30s; a young female candidate challenging an (in this case entrenched) incumbent; a promise of new vision and a new perspective for a council perceived as stagnant and unable to take on the mayor.
Israel’s pitch against Licata—”What has he done on the council?” she demanded repeatedly yesterday—is interesting (in the past, candidates have been reluctant to take Licata on directly), but I’m not sure it’s going to prove compelling in a city where people love love love Licata, even when they disagree with him. Licata is the council’s quixotic voice on renters’ rights, developer giveaways, the Sonics, and police accountability, among many other issues. He may be known as the guy who holds up the losing end of 8-1 votes, but I think there are still many, many people out there who want that minority position to be represented, even when they don’t agree with it. Election results back this up. In his last two elections—when voters also approved City Attorney Tom Carr and relatively conservative council members Jan Drago and Richard McIver—Licata won by 78% and 77%, respectively. Those have got to be daunting numbers for any opponent to contemplate.
In other news from the main room of Spitfire (which is, after all, a sports bar), the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard scored ten points in overtime to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in last night’s playoff game—even LeBron James, whose attempted 3-pointer fell short with 3.2 seconds to go, couldn’t turn the 116-114 game around. The Magic goes into Game 5 with a 3-1 lead over the Cavs. According to history, teams with a 3-1 lead are 182-8 in playoff series dating back to 1947.
Jordan Royer’s event is tonight: Wednesday, May 27th at Slim’s Chili Shack from 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm (5606 1st Ave S).
She’d double her voter draw if she switched to another race.
Besides, Nick packed a big donor party just yesterday – very crowded.
David Ginsberg’s kickoff is tomorrow (Thursday) at Youngstown Art Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW, at 6:30 PM. David is challenging Richard Conlin in Position 6.
I love Nick. Just like you said–Love love love.
You can find Nick’s lengthy and impressive list of accomplishments at this link http://nicklicata2009.com/issues.php#hou…
Here’s a few highlights:
-Continued pursuit of changes to the tax abatement program to require more lower-income housing in exchange for property tax subsidies. More Info at the Seattle Times here http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/lo…
-Sponsored and led the Council in passing legislation that created caseload standards for public defenders representing low income defendants. More Info at The Stranger here http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/on-th…
-Proposed $10 million for implementation of Seattle Bicycle Master Plan.
-Supported neighborhood plans by proposing legislation to require developers to fulfill affordable housing obligations to the city in exchange for code exemptions that met neighborhood goals for new housing in Interbay. More Info at The Stranger here http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/inte…
-Discovered overall travel times would not improve for the $200 million Mercer Street Project; voted against Project after project costs doubled
Once again, many more accomplishments can be found at this link http://nicklicata2009.com/issues.php#hou…
Andrew
and if you want more from before 2006, they are here:
http://www.nicklicata2009.com/issues2.ph…
and some examples:
1. Doubled the number of days notice a landlord must give tenants before large rent increases and increased relocation assistance to displaced renters
2. Created what is now model legislation nationally limiting the ability of city employees – including police – to check immigration status.
3. Co-sponsored legislation extending family and medical leave, along with other benefits, to legally married same-sex couples.
4. Maintained 3 separate commissions against proposal to consolidate the Human Rights Commission, the Seattle Women’s Commission, and the Seattle Commission for Sexual Minorities
6. Led repeal of the poster ban.
and that’s only the civil rights section of the accomplishments.
Nick is it – and – almost a vanishing breed.
Retain him. Oh, he is not well connected to the cabal of over priced attorneys downtown and their masters, big business.
And he didn’t take right wing money in a previous career. Silly Nick.
Second thought, RETAIN HIM. And send him 20.00, yeah that is my political giving budget this year … suffer money tycoons newly arrived to politics.
how anyone (or their political consultants) can suggest with a straight face that Nick hasn’t gotten a lot accomplished bewilders me completely.
Don’t dismiss Jessie so quickly.
Nick’s done his part while on the Council, but he’s been there for 12 years and he hasn’t done much that means alot to me. He consistently opposes initiatives, but he doesn’t often come up with better alternatives. His transit record is a joke and I think it’s time for a change. Israel has great ideas and she’s committed to getting things done on Council, instead of getting mired down in the Seattle process. I think her background and her ambition will enable her to follow through on that promise.