Spokane7
65°
August 18, 2011 in City
Verner’s winning margin unrivaled for sitting mayor
Only 1,000 ballots left to be counted
About 8,500 votes were counted Wednesday for Tuesday’s primary. Only about 1,000 are left.
Wednesday’s count solidified the results in a few races that weren’t called Tuesday night.
Spokane Proposition 2 (clearing up language in the City Charter about the salaries of elected officials)
Yes: 15,696
No: 15,019
Medical Lake City Council Position 5
Howard N. Jorgenson 298
Kent Reitmeier 165
Donald B. Kennedy 135
Deer Park School Board Position 1
Jeff Whittle 543
Paul Lewis 243
Joshua Gilstrap 187
• For more maps of Spokane election results, go to www.spokesman.com/blogs/spincontrol
Click on thumbnail to view full-size map.In Spokane, where voters routinely chew up and spit out their chief elected officials after one term, Mayor Mary Verner’s primary win Tuesday was rare. But to finish with nearly twice as many votes as her closest opponent, David Condon, is unprecedented.
It’s a story best told by numbers.
Verner has more than 59 percent of the votes in the mayoral primary after Wednesday afternoon’s vote count. Condon, a former congressional aide, has 33 percent and the other three challengers split about 8 percent.
Verner has more votes than all four challengers combined in all but 13 of the city’s 123 precincts. She has 100 or more votes than all four combined in 18 of those precincts.
Spokane hasn’t re-elected a sitting mayor since before Expo ’74, when David Rodgers won a second term. Rodgers and his predecessor, Neal Fosseen, the city’s first mayor after voters adopted a council-manager form of government, both won second terms.
But neither won their primaries when seeking re-election. Both finished second to challengers and had to wage vigorous campaigns to hold on to office.
Rodgers got about 35 percent of the primary vote to businessman Wayne Guthrie’s 52 percent in the 1973 primary.
Now 87, the former mayor said Wednesday he’s inclined to support Condon, who used to work for his daughter-in-law, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. It’s possible to close a wide gap between the two elections, he said, but “it’s a pretty tough thing to do. It can happen. I just don’t know any reason why it should or shouldn’t.”
Most mayors who sought re-election since Rodgers didn’t finish on top in their primaries. A couple – Sheri Barnard in 1993 and John Powers in 2003 – didn’t make it to the general. Two who were narrowly on top in close primary races – Jack Geraghty in 1997 and Dennis Hession in 2007 – eventually lost to challengers.
For Hession, that challenger was Verner, who was less than 1 percentage point behind him in the primary four years ago. Another council member, Al French, was just a few points behind her.
Condon opened his campaign a few months ago by declaring Verner was no David Rodgers. On election night, he tried to put the best face on his showing and invoked another mayor from Spokane’s past, comparing his run to Jim West’s 2003 bid for mayor.
“Just a few years ago, when Jim West ran against the incumbent, he got 31 percent (of the vote) and went on to win,” he said.
Although he was correct on his percentage, he seemed to be missing or glossing over a key point: West was on top of the 2003 field with that 31 percent. Powers, the incumbent, was in third place, with 20 percent.
Staff writer Chelsea Bannach contributed to this report.
MAC faces angry crowd 
pakman on August 18 at 5:32 a.m.
At a time when people are losing faith in the political process it’s good to see that Spokane voters have expressed strong support for their mayor. Mary Verner’s hard work, dedication to the community and effort to find solutions to difficult problems has paid off for Spokane and it’s good to see her recognized for that.
jimvw2 on August 18 at 6:31 a.m.
In the 50 yaers that I’ve lived in Spokane, Mary Vernor is by far the most competent, level-headed, and politically independent leader we’ve ever had. I see no reason to change mayors just because Do Nothing Cathy’s local office manager wants a political career. Perhaps he could run for Congress, where we clearly need a change.
westerly on August 18 at 8:09 a.m.
Verner is ok, its her staff..police chief, finance officer that has to be changed.
rosehips on August 18 at 8:19 a.m.
Keep up the momentum Mary. You rock! Don’t let anyone sabotage the great support you have received from the citizens of Spokane.
Trust me, they’ll try.
DickAdams on August 18 at 9:39 a.m.
Why nobody has brought out the fact that Rodgers lobbied for his city pension single handedly to change city pension rules. I found it hard to believe the SR looked the other way on the rules change allowing Rodgers to reach back in time and qualify and now receives a city pension check. Heck its only money. Yea, but its the taxpayers hard earned cash, right? Rodgers it seems to me is painted as one of the so called good guys but not when it comes to self serving stuff like beating the door down at the city retirement office..
Dazzeetrader11 on August 18 at 11:01 a.m.
Westerly…her staff, police chief and her financial officer..? they are a direct reflection of HER. She hired them and she keeps them on her staff. Given that only 21% of the eligible voters actually voted, all this means is that the voters are lazy or don’t care much..
Minorities usually do win elections but this Verner etc “victory” is quite freakish. Remember…21% X 60% is 12%!! She was pushed through by only 12% of the votes who could have voted.!! Talk about a lazy electorate!
SO the landslide trumpeted by the SR is really more like a few pebbles put together. But it’s quite true….if the electorate doesn’t “elect” or the voters don’t “vote”, Spokane deserves the continued mess it’s got. Seems like the culture is changing.
There is a whole list of things Verner has done and none good. Most bad for the CIty. A whole list of things! Doesn’t seem to matter. Makes me shake my head.
Also, Clark loves the mayor…. Bias from the SR is overhwelming this time. The REAL story is the tiny minority who voted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPBfhv8ZR1Y
But…what’s new.
Shadedmuse on August 18 at 4:35 p.m.
The Police Chief is doing a great job, do you not like her because she is a woman? I find your comments sexist
Mary Verner has put a postive face on Spokane since Vicki Mcneil over 20 years ago since she was elected in 1986 when she was the first woman mayor of Spokane, Leading the way for Mary Verner to be the third Mayor of Spokane, the second two term mayor.
Condons loss is more like a referendem on Cathy Mcmorris and her do nothing work attitude.
Dazzeetrader11 on August 18 at 8:24 p.m.
Shaded…ur lack of brain is showing. NOBODY came to vote!
That’s the problem. Verner is under fire for HUGE upcoming water fee increates, bad spending and the coverup in the Otto Zehm murder….
When Verner captures onloy 12% of the electorate it says the voters didn’t vote much and that she’s far from a success.
Ron_the_Cop on August 18 at 10:08 p.m.
Dazzeetrader11,
I’ve replied to Shadedmuse regarding her rosy view of the world e.g., Mayor Verner and Chief Kirkpatrick that have condoned and or tolerated a police cover up of the death of Otto Zehm’s death. I agree the voters were out of town or otherwise occupied. It will be a different story in November when the voters get wind of this cover up.
The Blog God’s for one reason or another don’t want the word to get out because I guess I’m a spammer and drift off topic:-)
Ok it’s their nickle, their blog but if you’re interested in my reply you can find it here.
http://tinyurl.com/3kv56ry
Det. Ron Wright (Retired - 35 years Riverside PD, CA)
Principal, Ron Wright Investigations LLC
Ron_the_Cop on August 19 at 10:27 a.m.
Those just reading here should read the previous thread for this article:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/aug/17/verner-sends-signal-with-landslide-win/
Also Shawn Vestal has an excellent column today re things Zehm related to Mayor Verner’s leadership while at the helm:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/aug/19/many-things-jim-nicks-didnt-do-in-zehm-case/