We are now a week removed from the first election results and, of course, still counting ballots in Washington State while the rest of the country has largely moved on. And though we are still waiting for the final tallies, that hasn’t stopped Shift from spending the last few days gleaning a few things from the numbers, such as the “decimation” of the Democrat Party at all levels of government under Barack Obama’s “reign of error” in the White House.
Today’s lesson from the election builds upon an item we published the day after the election, when Shift wrote “for the second straight election, Jay Inslee lost the election in the 38 counties outside of King. However, according to the first-night numbers, Jay won King County by 258,853, offsetting Bill Bryant’s advantage in the other 38 counties.”
Those numbers have become even more clear in the last week, as Inslee now trails by over 60,000 votes outside of King County, and when the precinct data is available it will likely turn out that Inslee actually lost everywhere outside of the City of Seattle (again).
However, what is really apparent in looking at the our “green” governor’s results are his lack of coattails. It appears he was literally unable to lift any other candidate to victory because of the narrow nature of his effort.
Consider that on Halloween, a week before the election, Inslee sent an email to his supporters taking credit for the work of others and declaring that “I’m committed to protecting what we’ve accomplished so far. But I need strong Democrats by my side in the legislature”. He also blamed legislative Republicans for his own failures, saying “at every turn, Washington Republicans have tried to slow down and derail our achievements, even at the expense of their own constituents.”
Despite his pleas, Inslee was unable to move the legislative numbers. As of today, the House remains at a 50-48 Democrat advantage – with one Republican (Rep. Teri Hickel) still within striking distance to win and force a tie. And, in the Senate the Majority Coalition Caucus has an -25-24 advantage and late-breaking numbers hint at the GOP picking up the 5th District seat which would return the margin to its pre-election 26-23 level.
In other words, Inslee will have failed to help lift Democrat legislative candidates, especially outside King County. The only legislative changes in the state’s other 38 counties are Republicans picking up a House seat in Southwest Washington, and picking up a House district that crosses the Pierce-King County line.
This despite liberal interest groups spending millions to attack GOP candidates in Pierce, Mason, Snohomish, Island and Clark counties. They – and the governor – have nothing to show for that.
Additionally, Pierce County replaced a Democrat County Executive with Republican Bruce Dammeier, who gave up a State Senate seat to run.
But that kind of dismal result is what happens when you have a hyper-partisan in the governor’s office. Especially one who pays little attention to matters outside of Seattle and outside the narrow issues that his special interest donors in the environmental and labor community tell him to focus on.
And for that, the rest of the state can be thankful.
Biff says
Thanks King County (and especially Seattle) liberals for giving us a 4 year continuation of the generation of failure (D)
tensor says
Yeah, low unemployment, a booming economy, paying the lion’s share of the state’s tax receipts — it’s just one failure after another from us here in King County. Why voters statewide would go for that must be a real mystery to you.
Biff says
Voters didn’t go for Greenie (D) statewide. Voters statewide rejected Greenie (D). Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to overcome King County liberal’s 356,701 margin of votes the (D) after that guy’s name.
http://results.vote.wa.gov/results/current/king/
http://results.vote.wa.gov/results/current/Governor.html
Deny reality all you want, but the numbers are facts. King County liberals re-elected Greenie. And yes, huh, huh, King County is entirely in Washington, huh, huh, huh.
tensor says
Had you taken your own advice and read the page at the link you provided, you would have seen that Inslee received votes all over the state, just as I wrote. Even in tiny Adams County, where less than 5,000 votes were recorded, he received over 1,500 of them. That’s why he won — he received a majority of votes statewide.
Or, to put it in terms you seem to favor, if the rest of the state had voted for Bryant in the same way King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties had voted for Inslee, Bryant would have won in a landslide. That did not happen, because the small majorities he won in counties with small populations couldn’t overcome the large majorities he received from the voters who pay most of our state’s taxes.
(I’m glad to see you finally did recognize the basic reality of Washington state’s geography, even if your ingrained habit of lashing out at people who know more than you do had to intrude.)
Biff says
“Even in tiny Adams County, where less than 5,000 votes were recorded, he received over 1,500 of them”
Which means he lost Adams County, and the majority of the other counties, by a wide margin, only winning the statewide total because of King County liberals. Kinda like what I said in the first place, and that you confirmed in your comment. What a moron.
tensor says
…only winning the statewide total because of King County liberals.
Wrong. He won because the voters of King, Pierce, Snohomish, and some other Puget Sound counties — you know, the folks who pay more than 60% of our state’s taxes — chose him by a large majority, AND voters in the rest of the state agreed with us in sufficient numbers to give him an easy victory. Both were required for his cake-walk over the best our state’s Republicans had to offer. Again.
Biff says
Explain why his statewide margin of victory was 284,174 and his King County margin was 356,701. Outside of King County, he lost by 72,527 votes. King County liberals foisted this imbecile on us for a 4 year continuation of the Generation of Failure, you just can’t seem to admit it. Which is not uncommon for comrade “I’m not a Democrat”.
tensor says
Outside of King County, he lost by 72,527 votes.
That’s another way of saying Governor Inslee came close to winning re-election without King County’s voters. When we citizens who were most familiar with Bryant’s performance in office voted heavily against him, his slim lead elsewhere simply couldn’t make any difference.
If you want to talk about how exceptional King County’s citizens are, you can start with how we supply over 40% of the state’s tax revenues, and receive just 65 cents in state government services for every dollar we send, which results in us sending $2.4 billion dollars to the counties which reliably vote Republican. What, exactly, makes us so economically productive? Why do Republican voters need such heavy subsidies from us?
So long as they keep taking our money, they have to accept our votes as well. Cry about that all you like.
Chan Bailey says
We need an electoral college system for Washington state.
tensor says
“We need an electoral college system for Washington state.”
Hey, Biff, it looks like Chan is a Democrat:
“Lessons learned from the election: When Democrats lose, let’s change the rules”
You know what to do, Biff!
Chan Bailey says
Once again Tensor – you don’t know me and can’t speak for me. However, I am tired of Seattle liberals running the whole state – it needs fixin’. The electoral college was our national founders way to avoid to this type of mob-rule. I think it might be good for the state, too. I know you have a smart reply – but don’t waste your valuable time. I’d rather wait and see what Biff might have to say, if he cares to jump in.
tensor says
You agree with Biff, and therefore you can never, never ever ever never ever, be a “Democrat” to him. His Party bosses have decreed to him it is doubleplus impossible, and so doubleplus impossible it shall always be to him. End of story.
And, to correct your painful misunderstanding of American history, the Electoral College was created to ensure the wealthiest amongst us would always pick our President. That is what happens here, when King County, provider of so much government welfare to the conservative counties of Washington State, determines our governorship*. So you already have the system you claim to want.
*This isn’t actually true, but Shift claims it is, which makes it undeniable, unassailable, unimpeachable Truth to you and Biff.
Chan Bailey says
Wait………………you are not Biff. It’s his turn. Just like a liberal. Going on a long rant instead of waiting your turn. You have now had your second time to speak.
Dr D says
With Inslee, we expect more of the same old crap , bad traffic, poor performance, etc
Kevin says
It seems to me that Washington State is beginning to resemble “The Hunger Games,” where “The Capital” is Seattle…
Fred Chittenden says
IMHO, the real ‘message’ of this election is how ST levered it’s huge majority in urban areas to stick outlying areas with more balanced profiles with huge tax bills for stuff that mostly will be built in the heavy urban areas…
It’s sort of the reverse of how the electoral college works to protect minority populations from majority bullying. ST has implemented a bullying process that allows them to ‘bully’ outlying areas to pay more than their fair share for their big city stuff… Plus this carries into the future as a means to perpetually subsidize seats in overpriced transit vehicles…
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