Locke Opens Up While Craswell Looks For Closure
Ah it’s so easy to be gracious in victory, so hard in defeat. Just ask Gary Locke and Ellen Craswell.
Locke, the Democratic governor-elect, basked in TV lights and the adoring smile of his wife, Mona, as he took the stage at the Westin hotel election night, celebrating victory.
He thanked everyone imaginable, and had kind words for Craswell, his GOP opponent.
Locke extravagantly praised her for running a good race, focused on the issues.
Odd for the same guy who one week earlier issued a stinging news release accusing Craswell of negative campaigning and outright slander.
“In the heat of an election campaign, moral convictions evidently take second place to political expedience,” Locke sniffed in his press release, which criticized Craswell for not insisting the state GOP take its anti-Locke ads off the air.
His campaign manager added, “Frankly, someone who wants to be governor should be able to think for herself and not be so easily dissuaded from the moral convictions she espouses. This is a question of ethics and leadership.”
Apparently winning glossed over those hard feelings nicely.
As for Craswell, she went into seclusion the day after the election, canceling a scheduled news conference and one-on-one media interviews, and taking no telephone calls.
Campaign press secretary Kathy Mears said Craswell’s interviews were canceled “due to lack of interest.” On Craswell’s part, that is.
After campaigning for two years and losing big, who could blame her. As Mears put it, “There’s really nothing more to say.”
Needed: Term limits for signs
As lengthy as campaigns can seem, there’s only one thing that lasts longer: campaign signs.
On the West Side, where Craswell had her most ardent following, roadsides and fields, shops, fences and car tops have been smothered with her signs.
Many of the signs are hulking 4-foot-wide jobs, made of stretch vinyl. They come with the commandment “Thou Shalt Not Steal” on the bottom.
They’re sure to last for years, or however long it takes before someone has pity on the electorate and throws them away. Probably just in time for the next election.
Ron Sims carries GOP baggage
Remember Ron Sims? The former Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate got pounded by Slade Gorton in 1994. Now Sims is angling for Gary Locke’s county executive seat.
But Sims has given himself some heavy baggage to carry in the King County race. Sims, curiously enough, cast the deciding vote that gave top GOP contributor Tom Stewart special permission to build a helipad at his Vashon Island estate.
Droves of Democratic activists have never forgiven Sims for helping out a GOP bigwig. But who knows? Maybe Stewart will dig into his bulging wallet and give Sims a little bipartisan assistance.
Sims says he wants the job of King County executive badly. Remember, this is the same guy who said he was running for the Senate because county politics had become old and he really wanted to work on national issues.
But then, the King County executive’s seat is a handy stepping stone. Just ask Locke.
Foley adds his voice
Former House Speaker Tom Foley took the stage in Seattle election night, where he joined the crowd in a partisan boo as George’s Nethercutt’s re-election to Foley’s old 5th District seat was announced.
“It’s not revenge,” Foley was quick to add. He lavishly praised Judy Olson, the challenger.
Give the guy credit, at least he was there. The state’s top Democrat, Gov. Mike Lowry, didn’t attend.
The guv spent election night in Olympia with staff members and friends. He and Locke are expected to meet soon to talk shop.
Don’t look for a lot of Lowry Cabinet holdovers.
In a news conference after his election, Locke promised new faces. Lots of them, and maybe some from the other side of the aisle.
, DataTimes MEMO: West Side Stories runs every other week.