Here's to some hot Olympia on Olympia action

As Olympia (in one sense) seeks to lead Olympia (in the sense I prefer).

A kind, knowledgeable correspondent this afternoon reminded me that with Jeannine Roe in the mix, two people off the list of staff at the state senate Democratic caucus.

I wonder why this year there are more folks from the metonymic Olympia coming down the hill to run for the real Olympia's city council. The only thing I can figure is that running for local office is something that runs in the blood of the senate Dem caucus. Or not.

Chief of staff Rich Nafziger resigned from the Olympia school board when he took his job at the caucus, citing conflict-of-interest. Nafziger said at the time (via 5/17 blog):

Nafziger, who was elected to the board in 2003 and re-elected in an uncontested race in November, said Thursday that his position on the board conflicts with his job as chief of staff of the Washington Senate Democratic Caucus.

...

Nafziger said he hoped to find a way to avoid the potential conflicts and stay on the board, but "I wouldn't be able to do either (job) well," he said.

...

Education will be a hot topic in the upcoming legislative session, and attorneys with the caucus and the Senate Ethics Committee said there would have been a perceived conflict of interest between Nafziger's new job and his elected position, he said.

"My job is to give senators information on education policy," he said.

Sermonti seems to have sidestepped this issue as a communications staffer. Because, you know, what the Olympia city council does, seemed to be a hot topic during session:

And while Sermonti is ready to wade into the heady world of Olympia city politics, he said he checked first with Senate counsel to make sure it was not breaching any regulations.

It’s not, in part because he does not draft any legislation as communications staff, he said. “Those are two very distinct aspects of my life and I do not mix them.”

Roe is listed as an executive assistant (to Nafziger or just the entire caucus staff?) with a focus on "Pages, Gubernatorial Appointments." So, not really sure if she has more impact on legislation than Sermonti, but she seems to have waited until after session to launch her campaign.