Sommers Weathers Primary Storm

Its Sommers Again After Democrat Storm

P. Scott Cummins © 2004 The UrbaneR


No wonder our Helen Sommers just wants to spend a little time in the garden. In an incredible thirty two year legislative career in the State House of Representatives, she has risen to stature of such knowledge and influence, as to be considered by many (in both major parties) as the brain trust of all things public policy in this state. As a “Secret Regent” for the University of Washington, if anyone deserves abiding credit for the vision and steadfast hard work guiding the transformation of that institution and even our entire city into a world class center for high technology research, it is Helen Sommers. Who would have predicted she would have to engage in the political fight of her life in a primary election? And that such venom and anger would be heaped upon her by members of her own party.

It is fascinating to compare her fortunes with that of her ‘opposite number’ in the State Senate. That would be former Magnolia resident and Republican nominee for Governor Dino Rossi. During the last legislative session, these two had to deal with each other and write a state budget – or else our state was going to slip into the same morass that befell California. In other words, they could get things done in a spirit of compromise, or else risk the same scenario that led to recall of the California Governor. Sommers decided to work hard, make some painful compromises, and lead this state to a no tax increase budget - giving her party a huge win going into the election season. And Rossi did the same. He had to corral Republican Party hardliners, make them choke on a plate of hard, cold compromise – and hand a budget ‘win’ to the Democrat Governor of his state. But that was only the beginning of the story.

What happened to these two politicians in the wake of those events could not be any starker in contrast. Rossi went on to praise by his party for ‘hands across the aisle’ outreach in the manner of a true statesman. While Sommers touched off a civil war within her own party – and came within a hairsbreadth of losing her seat in the Legislature to a well-funded challenger from the ‘protester wing’ of the Democrat Party.

Helen Sommers is a leader, and brilliant in matters of public policy. And she is a leader in a party which is far more liberal than the days when Senator Henry ‘Scoop’ Jackson was on Meet The Press almost every Sunday, or before - when John F. Kennedy was dealing with the exigent realities of a very real Cold War. That was then, and this is now, to be sure. But it does not lessen the shock and dismay at the attempted political sororicide on the streets (and television screens) of the 36th District.

But now the issue has been decided. The van loads of mainstream Democrat legislators from throughout our state have gone home. The doorbell does not ring every night during dinner. Sommers can enjoy life again. And for Sommers, the flowers never looked more beautiful or smelled as sweet as we head into this autumn.

But the discontent remains among the Left Wing progressive groups which, while not ditching protest, have picked up organizational activism - and have begun to create coalitions of convenience as well. The challenger, Alice Woldt, has not only been chairperson of the King County Democrats, but active in groups protesting the war on terror (including anti Afghan war on humanitarian grounds, and heading the organization which financed Jim McDermott’s infamous trip to Baghdad). War vocabulary seems to be everywhere these days, and so naturally the media has focused on watching this political civil war break out into wider conflict. Speculation is rampant about ‘payback’ against the union which largely financed the attack ads run against Sommers. But frankly, if I know anything about Helen Sommers’ character, payback is not on her agenda. And she can no doubt wryly smile to herself when recalling wartime leader Winston Churchill’s famous words on all matters military and political:
‘Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.’

Unfortunately for the Democrat mainstream, a winter of discontent looms on the horizon. A respected leader very nearly fell prey to fierce internecine attack. And even worse, Republicans crossed over to vote for her! In the weeks leading up to the race, several emergent Seattle blogs (online news web logs) took time out from coverage of Dan Rather and ‘Memogate’ to opine on our 36th District. ‘Crossover’ was the retort, and no less a hard-hitting Republican Blogger than Stefan Sharkansky of Shark Blog came right out and said it: “Be sure to vote in the State House of Representatives race for Helen Sommers and not for Alice Woldt.” Did it have an affect? It is impossible to tell: greater than ten thousand more Democrats voted in this primary than typical years. But when the votes were counted, the incumbent Sommers won, but by just over 1,000 votes. What do you see when looking at her Republican challenger this year when compared to a young (and inexperienced) Angela Brink, from Oregon no less, in the 2002 primary? This year’s Republican challenger, the respected and very personable Floyd Loomis, polled just over 1,000 fewer votes. Again, there is no way to tell. But it is a strange coincidence, those numbers. The most telling question of this entire episode can be directed to the mainstream - the many comfortable Magnolia ‘Business Democrats’ from the ‘Scoop Jackson Wing’ who for so many years languished under the misapprehension that merely holding off the Republicans would uphold their core political values – are you considering dusting off that ‘party activist’ hat? Or is your era over in Seattle?

(P. Scott Cummins, The Urbane R, wants to know what’s on your mind, and contrary to all appearances is just looking for good political conversation in Magnolia. He can be reached at issues@pscottcummins.com )