It was a burgeoning sex scandal that persuaded former Washington state Governor Mike Lowry not to run for a second term four years ago (a race he probably would've won), so we're surprised to see Mike back on the ballot. To refresh your memories: A state patrol fingerprint technician complained that then-Governor Lowry rubbed up against her in a sexual way while she was fingerprinting him for a security clearance. Then Lowry's deputy press secretary, Susanne Albright, complained about a pattern of sexual misconduct by Lowry, ranging from inappropriate remarks to fondling. Lowry denied any wrongdoing, and asserted that his innocent efforts to be friendly--greeting female staffers with "atta-boy" hugs, pats, and kisses--were misunderstood. An investigation into the accusations by Seattle attorney Mary Alice Theiler uncovered complaints from two women who had worked for Lowry when he was in the U.S. Congress. Lowry paid Albright close to $100,000 in exchange for an agreement not to sue, and he pledged to stop hugging and kissing his employees, but Lowry never publicly admitted that he had a problem, nor did he apologize to the women he terrorized. (Terrorized may seem like a strong word, but... have you ever seen Mike Lowry?)

Lowry's history of sexual harassment so troubled the Stranger Election Death Squad that we were unable to endorse Mike, a progressive Dem whose politics we approve of. Sadly, the enviro-approved Dem we endorsed in the primary--Olympia legislator Georgia Gardner--didn't make it to the general election. So we've decided to nominate... Bill Clinton as a write-in candidate. Like Mike, Clinton also has a history of "greeting" female staffers with hugs and kisses. But unlike Mike, Bill Clinton has acknowledged that he has a problem, apologized to the nation, and sought Jesse Jackson's spiritual counsel. If we're going to have a retired chief executive with a history of sexual misconduct, we want the best.