Judge: Wash. gubernatorial candidate can use 'prefers GOP' instead of 'Republican'

[sabra]

Source: USA Today/AP

A judge ruled today that Dino Rossi, a candidate for governor of Washington, can appear on the ballot as "prefers GOP" instead of "Republican," the Associated Press says.

"In Friday's ruling, King County Superior Court Judge Richard Eadie said a certain amount of confusion is inevitable with the term GOP, but nothing in state law requires Rossi to list the full name of the Republican Party," the wire service says.

Democrats had challenged Rossi's descriptor. The state says candidates are free to choose the description that appears beneath their names, as long as it uses less than 16 characters.

“Some candidates used the ‘prefers GOP’ designation, while others used ‘prefers Republican.’ The implementing rules, established and publicized well before Filing Week and the Primary, do not proscribe a narrow list of choices for a candidate, and indeed some said they preferred such parties as “Salmon Yoga” or “Progressive Democrat” or other unofficial names," Secretary of State Sam Reed says in a statement. "It was the candidates’ call, not for the government to mandate."


Read more: http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/09/judge-wash-gube.html?loc=interstitialskip

[Mrs. Overall]

1. You can run, Dino, but you can't hide.

I hope Gregoire absolutely smashes you.

[FVZA_Colonel]

4. She is ahead in the polls right now, right?

I heard it was only 2 points, but I did hear she was ahead.

[VPStoltz]

20. Gregoire has to keep the pressure on him

to admit that he is using GOP because is downright embarrassed of his party.

[LiberalFighter]

21. He isn't embarrassed of his party. Just doesn't want to lose because of them.

[Sebastian Doyle]

2. Well, in the event that there were actually people STUPID enough not to know that GOP = Republican

Then the media coverage of this hearing will take care of that once and for all. One Rossi cheating tactic shot down at least. Now if they could only get his blatant LYING ads off the air......

[Wizard777]

8. Actually It doesn't. The Grand Old Party was the Democratic Republican Party.

The NEW parties are the Democrats and Republicans.

[Pete2069]

19. People keep in touch do.. But a lot of people do not follow

The news this closely... They don't know what DNC , RNC GOP or
any of these names mean..
Do you believe that the reputes would go though this more
trouble for nothing.  
Corporations with over 60 years or practice on advertising , 
are showing Reputes how to sell themselves to the voters they
wish to target... 
Would you believe that there were any idiots in the world
which believed that there were WMD , Saddam tied to 911 or
terrorist...  Then just talk to some of the republicans which
talk their BS..

[Gap Spanner]

3. Did he just lose votes?

Last election was so close that the initial and secondary counts had Rossi as the winner. Gregoire asked for the legal third recount, the most accurate method was used and she won. Rossi tried to claim she was being unfair and had somehow stolen the election.

With a race that close, and expected to be VERY close again, does Rossi really want to leave the word 'Republican' off the ballot? How many party-line voters are there who will not look at the name, but only the party designation and think that Rossi is some kind of independent, that the republican party didn't put forth a candidate?

Some people have political tunnel-vision and Rossi may just have confused some voters. Not a smart move in a race sure to be very close.

[jfkraus]

5. That's why the Dems sued...

...to bring the issue to light and get more people to realize GOP = Republican. They knew they had no chance in court, but the media put it out there.

[Ian David]

6. Quick! We have less than 40 days to re-brand "Prefers GOP" into something obscene!

Gang-Oral Penetration?

[merwin]

11. Prefers Gross Old Panties!

Obscene enough for you? :)

[jfkraus]

12. Grumpy Old Philanderers

[UK populist]

15. Perfect

[jb5150]

17. Greedy Oil Profiteers

sounds about right......

[Wizard777]

13. Why do they need two names? Are they criminals that need an alias?

Are they psycho's with split personalities? What happens if they vote GOP and then when the person gets into office. The republican personality takes over?

[LiberalFighter]

22. Great On Pre-teens

[greyghost]

7. LOL! Here in NOVA Tom Davis is vacating his seat. The Republican

who is running for it isn't admitting he's Republican in any of his adds.

[stubtoe]

9. "Chickenshit"

I don't think he had any problem with "Republican" last election.

[Joe Chi Minh]

10. Didn't I warn posters on here that t was insane continuing to call them

the GOP. Can you magine a single Republican calling the Democratic Party, "The Grand Old Party"? That'll be the day! I think I even heard Colbert use it recently. I mean it's insane. Politics is a blood sport in the US - or hadn't you noticed. They've given you a knife to take to their gunfight, and you've accepted it.

[santamargarita]

14. No difference, you're still an asshole!

~

[Xipe Totec]

16. Prefers Gang Of Phonies? (nt)

[philosophie_en_rose]

18. Oh Dino Rossi...

same old shit every four years.

[Miss Chybil]

23. If you're going to be a Republican, BE a Republican.

Don't be a chickenshit.

[foxfeet]

24. Grinning Oily Prevaricator n/t