Posted last night and updated this morning.
- Bill Shrier: "People say Joe is too young. I think a great legislature needs people with gray hair, people with no hair, and young people."
But there is bitterness. The accusations at last night's meeting, where a packed house had come to pick a favorite, ran thick that Fitzgibbon's supporters pressured members to ignore the group's endorsement of Marcee Stone in the primary, and distribute literature for Fitzgibbon instead. Insubordination! Some were angry that a Fitzgibbon backer said the chair, Tim Nuse, had to "put down the crack pipe." Some feared that members would leave the room and never return (which actually happened last year in a fight between council candidates). Meanwhile, rumors swirled that Stone, who had the group's support in the primary but came in dead last, was quietly shepherding her supporters to Heavey (a rumor she flatly denied at the meeting). In addition, a buzz crossed the room about Heavey's uncle, Ed Heavey, who had sent an email to the Italian government pleading in defense of Amanda Knox.
Folks were waiting for the powder keg to blow.
A few speakers came to the mic with their testimonials: A former Stone supporter argued for Heavey (reinforcing the rumor that Stone, indeed, was pushing her supporters that direction), and said, "I just adore Ed Heavey." Then Walt Creekmore, who later said he didn't want to "talk to a newspaper," told the crowd that Heavey was bad news: Heavey took $800 from the Stand for Children PAC (.pdf), a group he said is "blowing holes in teachers' contracts, busting unions." Creekmore concluded, getting dirty, "If you believe in progressive values, you don't take money form those sorts of people. This is a question of whose side you're on."
Both young men were pacing and glad-handing awkwardly—Fitzgibbon appeared to be literally twitching with nerves and short of breath when he spoke—while blue paper ballots were being tallied by counters. All of this was being overseen by official observers. "There are a lot of new faces here, and a lot of faces you only see every once in a while," said Dosol Plants, a member of the 34th Dems who ran for City Council last year.
The crowd, as it turned out, was on Fitzgibbon's side. The vote came down 96-31. Nobody stormed out.
"This means a great deal do me," said Fitzgibbon, catching his breath finally.
Heavey tried to brush it off. "I knew from day one that if I focused on what I needed to do, I would have a shot," he said. In the last seven weeks of the race, he said, "I won't do anything differently."
The endorsement could make a difference in the race; in the primary last month, Fitzgibbon led Heavey by only 500 votes. Even more so than other district Dem groups in Seattle, the 34th's members are known for distributing literature for the candidates they endorses, canvassing, and being a virtual extension of the campaigns. That is, if the group can glue its fractures back together before November 2.
