Narrow, Surprising Victory in Seattle Mayor’s Race

[TomCADem]

Source: NY Times

SEATTLE — A former Sierra Club leader who rode his bicycle to campaign events and relied heavily on volunteer support claimed a narrow and surprising victory on Monday in the race for mayor of this environmentally friendly city.

“You cared, you believed, and we’ve got a lot more work to do,” Mike McGinn told supporters after the city’s mail-in election showed him winning 51 percent of the vote, by a margin of 4,939 votes out of about 190,000 cast in the mayor’s race.

He was met by the same chant he heard on the campaign trail: “We like Mike!”

* * *

Mr. McGinn, who was outspent more than 3 to 1 and did not receive endorsements from major political and business leaders, defeated Joe Mallahan, a vice president with T-Mobile who contributed more than $200,000 to his own campaign.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/us/10seattle.html

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This does not fit into the corporate media narrative that conservatives are going to dominate elections from here on out, so don't expect to read any further mentions of this story.

[w4rma]

1. Success!!! (nt)

[liberalmuse]

2. YESSSSSS!

I've been waiting for this.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. Imagine if this sort of thing started happening a lot.

Imagine if we actually kicked the kleptocracy out of office.

I imagine it would not go down gently.

[24601]

19. One of the most effective reforms would be to limit contributions to

those who actually could vote in the election.

[girl gone mad]

4. I hope this becomes a national trend.

If we can't get the money out of politics, then it's time to get rid of the corporatists.

[WestSeattle2]

5. It will be interesting to see how this gentleman fares against

the city council and labor unions.

[w4rma]

9. I doubt he'll be working against the labor unions considering his background. (nt)

[John Q. Citizen]

6. That's a good thing!

[onehandle]

7. He's a Democrat. Good news for us. nt

[regnaD kciN]

16. Uh, this is Seattle, guys. All three major candidates were Democrats.

Out here, you don't stand a chance if you're a Republican. Even right-wing candidates for Seattle public office register as Democrats.

[freeplessinseattle]

18. but he seems like a real Dem. unlike mr. cell ceo

am surprised though how many are fooled, and how many were taken in by Hutchinson's BS about being non-partisan at the beginning when it seemed so obvious she reeked of Repub.

[gateley]

8. Woo HOO!

I don't live in the city any more so I couldn't vote for mayor -- I'm SO happy it turned out this way. Thanks!!

[msongs]

10. lol is this a referendum on T Mobile as well? nt

[mrs_p]

11. yeah!!!

great news. i love my hometown!

[Cha]

12. Yay! This is the best news!

Thanks, Tom!

[Iwillnevergiveup]

13. Good on Seattle! n/t

[rpannier]

14. Maybe he'll choose to run against one of the corporatist Senators from WA state

[regnaD kciN]

15. Knowing Seattle, the following is a silly comment...

This does not fit into the corporate media narrative that conservatives are going to dominate elections from here on out, so don't expect to read any further mentions of this story.

Since Seattle is one of the most left-wing cities in the U.S., this is about as surprising as a same-sex marriage initiative passing in a local election in the Castro.

The big surprise in this election was incumbent mayor Nickels running third in the primary and failing to qualify for the runoff. Nickels did a lot of good things as mayor, but his personal style was so imperial and arrogant (he seemed to act as if the mayor's office was one of the Bushies' "unitary executives"), he finally managed to turn off people who otherwise would have supported him on his positions.

We'll see if McGinn learns from that lesson. Although he had previously expressed opposition to a tunnel to replace the crumbling harbor-side Alaskan Way Viaduct, after the City Council approved, he vowed to follow the law and work to implement it. (As a matter of fact, his change-of-mind on that issue, expressed in the last few weeks of the campaign, might have been what put him over the top.) If, once he takes office, he starts throwing up roadblocks to the tunnel, we may be in for Nickels Part II, and a similar outcome four years from now.

[mimitabby]

27. i agree with you

i was ambivalent about the two candidates until McGinn changed his stance on the Viaduct issue and then cast my vote for him. Neither candidate is inspirational, by any means.

[AtheistCrusader]

28. Nickels was an idiot.

When you ask your state Attorney General 'can I do this' and the AG replies 'no that's illegal' and you decide to do it anway, you're an idiot.

Good riddance to a liability. Now to change the guns/parks policy before the state racks up multi-million dollar lawsuits we can't afford.

[WestSeattle2]

32. McGinn is a one-termer. n/t

[paulsby]

17. nobody would claim that

conservatives are going to dominate elections in SEATTLE.
that's absurd.

[Robb]

20. This was my thought as well.

The winner sounds quite likely, actually. Good for him.

[paulsby]

25. he's terrible on the 2nd amendment

i heard him debating on that. no respect for the constitution or rule of law.

generally speaking, that's irrelevant in a mayor in WA, since our state pre-emption law, as well as our state constitution means they are powerless in that regard.

however, our current mayor used an "executive order" to try to get around the law, which will of course get thrown out if it is ever enforced.

so, i guess i like him. iow, the subject i disagree with him on, he has no power to change.

[SpiralHawk]

21. "corporate media narrative" - that says it all

The blow-dry corporate media knee benders have their own skewed Republicon vision of reality, and will not let facts get in the way...

[Le Taz Hot]

22. To all those Party Faithful who says this absolutely

positively cannot be done without major political party support:

From the article:

"Mr. McGinn, who was outspent more than 3 to 1 and did not receive endorsements from major political and business leaders, defeated Joe Mallahan, a vice president with T-Mobile who contributed more than $200,000 to his own campaign."

THIS is how it's done! American grassroots at it's finest!

[The Stranger]

23. We're taking it back, one office at a time.

The Earth is calling.

[WriteDown]

24. Now let's work on reversing the gentrification!!!!! nt

[DebbieCDC]

26. Been waiting for this news for a week

Unfortunately i live just over the line and can't vote in City of Seattle races any more but I was pulling for McGinn all the way!!

[barb162]

29. cool

[ooglymoogly]

30. sorry wrong place

[ooglymoogly]

31. The cyclone of reality is picking off pugs one by one

Do you suppose this is what is meant by "the rapture"

[KamaAina]

33. If only it didn't rain so damn much up there...

that pretty much makes it off-limits for me.

In all other respects, it sounds like a wonderful city.

[shellgame26]

34. Excellent news!!!

It seems more and more people are waking up to the reality that mainstream "news" is bullshit and making their own wise, informed decisions.