Senate candidate has lofty ambitions

The U.S. Senate race is NOT just a contest between Democrat Maria Cantwell and Republican Mike McGavick. It will be after the Sept. 19 primary, unless one of them does something unfathomably stupid.

But until then, the primaries can provide some diversions, particularly for Democrats, whose ballots will include Michael Goodspaceguy Nelson.

Yes, that’s his real middle name. The 67-year-old Seattle resident said he legally changed it; his parents didn’t hang that on him in the delivery room.

As one might expect from a candidate with that middle name, Nelson’s platform is spacey. He’s big on orbital space colonization, which is different than setting up colonies on the moon or Mars or some planet around Alpha Centauri.

He thinks that NASA funds should be redirected from such wasteful projects as the Mars missions and the deep space probes, to creating colonies orbiting the Earth.

“My concept of Earth is, Earth is a spaceship, traveling through the universe,” he said.

He has run for office seven times before this, including a run last year for King County executive (he finished third of three in the Democratic primary); governor in 2004 (lost the Libertarian primary); King County Council in 2003 (got 4,315 votes as the Libertarian); and other failures stretching back to a state House seat in 1982. He finished fourth in a four-person primary in that first race; you may have heard of the winner, Gary Locke.

His strategy this year is to campaign mainly through his blog and he expects to lose. But the $1,650 filing fee is money well spent, he said. “My advocacy of orbital space colonization is so important.”

Making the list

Summer is apparently slower, newswise, in Washington, D.C., than the Inland Northwest. That could be why the Congressional newspaper “The Hill” has a feature on the 50 Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill.

One of the 50 is familiar back here in the “real” Washington: Rep. Cathy McMorris.

The blurb notes that she’s engaged to former Navy pilot Brian Rodgers, getting married in August in San Diego with a reception later in Spokane. And he’s doing a fair amount of planning the wedding.

This is particularly notable because very few actual members of Congress made the list. Most of the “beautiful people” apparently work as aides, lobbyists or broadcasters assigned to the Hill.

Also notable is that many of the people on the list have accompanying photos that might best be described as fashion shots. The McMorris shot is her standard office photo, complete with American flag in the background.

Moving on

The Spokane area is losing a set of eyes and ears in the White House this week, as presidential spokesman Ken Lisaius is stepping down.

Lisaius, who signed on with the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2000, was a veteran of the Florida recount before being hired in the White House media office in 2001.

He was there for 9-11, and everything that has happened since. “It’s been an amazing experience,” he said.

Lisaius is a Washington State University grad, whose parents still live in Colbert. He got his political start in 1994, as a fresh-out-of-college spokesman on George Nethercutt’s congressional campaign and followed Nethercutt to Washington the next year.

Such a deal

Candidates looking for some pre-primary public exposure may find it hard to pass up this deal. Pig Out at The Park entrepreneur Bill Burke is offering any candidate booth space at the annual event for $35, which covers the cost of power. The other charges will be waived.

Burke, a former candidate himself, thought it would be good to give the candidates exposure on that week, when ballots are put in the mail to all of Spokane County’s voters. Candidates have long worked the crowds that show up to eat, but he’s thinking of putting political booths in one area of the event.

For more information, call (509) 921-5579.

Catch the candidates

With the campaign season in full swing, candidates will start turning up almost everywhere. We’ll try to keep track of places that voters can go to decide whom they should support (or oppose). This week:

Monday: Democratic congressional candidate Peter Goldmark at a renewable energies roundtable at noon, followed by a 2 p.m. press conference. Argonne Library, 4322 N. Argonne Rd.

Also Republican U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris at annual summer fundraiser/barbecue at 6:30 p.m. 4720 E. Willow Springs Rd. $35/RSVP (509) 624-1199.

Tuesday: Democratic county commissioner candidate Barb Chamberlain at a fundraising breakfast/rally at 7:30 a.m. Hamilton Studio, 1427 W. Dean. $35.

Also Spokane County District Court candidate forum at a luncheon for the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee. Percy’s Café at University City. $20 for lunch; RSVP (509) 924-4994.