Defeated Republican Backs Democrat Against Nethercutt ‘Character Trumps Agenda Every Time,’ Says Clear

Three days after losing the Republican primary for Congress, Richard Clear threw his support behind Democratic nominee Tom Keefe.

The two admitted they disagree on many issues.

But they agree on one point, which is the desire to keep incumbent GOP Rep. George Nethercutt from serving a fourth term.

“We both agree it’s time for a change in Congress,” Keefe said at a news conference at his headquarters to announce Clear’s endorsement.

The response from the Nethercutt campaign was swift.

“This endorsement makes no sense,” said campaign manager Jim Dornan, noting that Clear ran in the primary as more conservative than Nethercutt while Keefe is more liberal. “I think Republican voters are going to be disappointed that (Clear) endorsed Keefe.”

Keefe and Clear disagree on abortion, tax policy, changes to Social Security and foreign trade.

They even disagree on term limits, an issue that is causing Nethercutt no end of trouble because he once pledged to serve only three terms. Clear signed a pledge to serve no more than five terms; Keefe doesn’t support term limits at all.

Keefe and Clear agree that the federal dams on the Snake River should not come down - but so does Nethercutt.

Mainly, they agree that Nethercutt was wrong to go back on his 1994 term limits pledge, and both contend it’s a sign that the incumbent can’t be trusted.

“Character trumps agenda every time, in my opinion,” Clear said.

Each said he learned to like and respect the other at numerous campaign appearances around Eastern Washington’s 5th District.

Clear billed himself in the primary campaign as “a conservative Republican who represents the best in all of us.” But Friday he said he had run “as close to a totally independent campaign as you can find,” with no support from the local or state GOP.

“We’re not talking about parties today, we’re talking about two guys - two men - no more, no less,” Clear said.

At one point they even seemed to agree on the man that Nethercutt beat in 1994, House Speaker Tom Foley. Keefe said he wanted to run a campaign that met what he termed the “Foley standard”- free from personal attacks so he would feel good about voting for himself.

Clear - who excoriated Foley on his talk show in 1994, as he openly supported Nethercutt - had praise for the former speaker Friday.

“Tom Foley served this district well for years as a Democrat in a bipartisan manner,” he said.

With the endorsement, Keefe hopes to pick up many of Clear’s supporters, who made up some 20 percent of the primary voters.

But those voters are an undetermined mix of Democrats, Republicans and independents, all of whom could vote in the state’s blanket primary system. How they will divide is anyone’s guess.

Greg Holmes, the Libertarian candidate, made a pitch this week for Clear’s supporters. The Spangle town councilman said his views of smaller government and lower taxes are more in line with Clear’s conservative stands.

Nethercutt picked up 45 percent of the primary vote. If Clear’s votes split evenly between the incumbent and Keefe, that would be enough to give Nethercutt the win, Dornan said.