So, no big surprises, except (holy cow) Steve Klein getting destroyed in Yelm. Even though he spent apparently $50,000 on the race, he was beaten 4-1 by Ron Harding (I should note that us TCYD's endorsed
Anyway, I didn't assume that Klein would win, but I thought that his spending so much, even going to the point of burning campaign movie DVDs as handouts, would get him above 45 percent. I really assumed it would be a tight race. As far as I can tell, maybe spending $50,000 in Yelm isn't the best idea. Maybe that was the thing that really hurt him, that he thought he could buy the seat.
Although even in Olympia being out-spent by your opponent isn't the kiss of death, especially if you have some sort of incumbency (Harding was already on city council). Two years ago, Laura Ware was outspent 3-1 by Sandra Miller and still won a decisive victory. Ware won because she had the big issue of the day on her side (she opposed the convention center) and she raised enough to get her message out there.
5 comments:
No, Emmett - Laura Ware won because she had a crack-pot campaign team, which Sandra Miller lacked. Ha!
Ahem... Yes, crack-pot they were. But, somehow she still won :)
What happened????
What happened???
Buying an election???
Hello??? You MUST be kidding?
This town has never spent a dime on a campaign for Mayor to bring forth issues to its people previously because it has always had an unopposed city council member run for mayor. So how would you or anyone have any basis for comparison in terms of $$$ spent!
My spending was about bringing forth new ideas to this community supported by locals who put up their money to support me to bring about such changes. More people showed up to vote for mayor than had in years and in my campaign handouts/mailers/DVD, they got truth and choice. To date, Harding has NEVER laid out his vision for this community or stated how/what he'd do for this town's citizens --never holding any town hall forum yet to connect in any leadership form with his people--the ones who supposedly elected him.
To correct your assertion, I was the one endorsed by TCYD because I showed up, not Mr. Harding. Mr. Harding declined a debate sponsored by the local newspaper. I was the one endorsed by The Olympian for my vision, ideas, enthusiasm and giving people a voice in a local government that excludes its public -- exclusion in which Mr. Harding voted and endorsed in 2005!
I failed to connect with the local voter in changing their minds that change from the old shoe home-grown boy would be of benefit.
No, I underestimated the pastors here preaching fear the last three Sundays of the camapaign to their parishoners that voting for me was a vote for the anti-Christ. This town's people just were not convinced to change by me in 2005--would rather stand pat about the issues than doing anything to change from the status quo. Fear ruled in this case and I did not overcome that.
Four years from now, this town's people will look back at out-of-control growth and wonder what happened.
It will only then be known as the "Car-Strangled-Spanner" connecting Rainier & Roy and my 2005 ideas will resound here.
I still have my heart for the people of Yelm and have been speaking publicly about the unrealistic numbers in the 2006 Budget, traffic, growth and other issues. They can count on me to be a champion for them whenever I get involved!
Steve Klein
1/14/06
Yup, made a mistake on the YD endorsement. Had no idea how I made that mistake, but I've fixed it.
Good point on raising the importance of dialogue and getting out the vote, but you got everyone out there against you. I'm still convinced you overplayed your hand.
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