It’s rare for a member of Congress to serve an uncontested four-year term. Usually they go into their district’s trenches every two years to battle for re-election, gripping hands, kissing babies and begging for donations.
Not so for Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
Of all the seven congressional districts in Washington, only the 5th has one candidate — McMorris Rodgers. Of the 34 candidates running in these seven districts, she has more money sitting in the bank than all but three of them and, with that, laid the groundwork for a fierce campaign. She’s a member of the minority party and devoted to the relatively powerless GOP in D.C.
So where’s her Democratic challenger?
“I’m not sure somebody affiliated with the Democrats is going to take her on,” says Mark Mays, McMorris Rodgers’ challenger in 2008. Six months from Election Day and not one Democrat has even hinted at interest in the race. “It’s getting a little late in the day,” Mays says.
From the chair of the Spokane County party to the chair of the state party, top Democrats are saying the same thing: no candidate has emerged and it’s too late to ramp a serious challenge to the congresswoman.
Democratic state Sen. Chris Marr, whose name comes up every election cycle as a potential challenger to McMorris Rodgers, says “every star is aligned against the ability of the Democrats to recruit somebody good” to take her on.
“It’s probably not a great year for Democrats, especially in a Republican district,” Marr says.
Facing re-election himself this year, Marr is speaking from personal knowledge. When he was first elected in 2006, he took a seat that had been held by Republicans since 1940. Now he’s up for re-election against a potentially strong challenger, Michael Baumgartner.
Nationally, the pundits tell us 2010 is shaping up to be a year of Republican gains in D.C. The struggling economy and potential for a conservative backlash against Obama’s successes have led to many predictions of a GOP sweep similar to what happened in 1994, when Newt Gingrich and the “Republican Revolution” gave the GOP control of the House for the first time in 40 years.
On the west side of the state, Congressman Brian Baird’s retirement has left Democrats struggling to keep control of the Portland suburb. And Democrat Suzan DelBene, a former Microsoft executive, has mounted a well-funded challenge to three-term GOP incumbent Dave Reichert. These money races have drained resources from Eastern Washington.
“It’s very difficult to ask a candidate to walk off the plank,” Marr says.
“I heartily encourage any progressive to run against Cathy,” says Don Barbieri, who faced McMorris Rodgers in 2004, raised $1.6 million and lost by 20 percentage points. “Whether a person is ultimately successful or not, putting forward the values that progressives talk about and having that national debate in the 5th District is really healthy.”
The debate could just be about conservative values. McMorris’ only challenger is Randall Yearout of the rightwing Constitution Party. And according to the Washington Post, McMorris Rodgers votes Republican 96.7 percent of the time. (The average Republican votes with the party 88.2 percent of the time.) She is considered a “far-right Republican” by GovTrack.us, an independent, nonpartisan Website that determines ideological labels according to sponsorship of legislation.
Which could be why she’s swept each of the last three elections — by as much as 30 points.
“In Eastern Washington … for somebody to win, you have to hit on all cylinders,” says Sharon Smith, vice chair of the state Democratic Party. “It’s really hard to run against somebody that’s won so handily in the past.”
Part of Smith’s job, and her duty as a Spokane resident, is to cajole people into entering the race. In the past six months, Smith says she’s worked with a couple of potential candidates — whom she wouldn’t name — to no avail. But she’s still hopeful.
“I’m hoping that somebody will at least step forward and speak the other side of the issue,” Smith says.
If not, there’s always 2012.
“I have more people this year than any previous year saying, ‘I’m building for 2012,’” Smith says, pointing to the year when President Obama is back on the ballot. And if he or she decides early enough, the candidate might have a chance to do the impossible in the 5th, as George Nethercutt did when he unseated Tom Foley, then Speak of the House, in 1994.
“Tom Foley said winning an election is 90 percent luck, 10 percent skill,” Smith says.
My name is David Elton. I have to take issue with Mark Mays, who, by the way, is my former therapist, so he might not be able to comment according to HIPPA (a joke).
-
I am considering a run for congress against Congresswoman McMorris-Rodgers. I am involved in a court case against Betsy Cowles and Joe Shogan right now. That takes up a few minutes a day, but also thousand of dollars. Now that Betsy and Joe have dropped their incessant pressure on Steve Tucker (dropped charges), I am open to a run for congress. The filing fee and PDC documents are a few days away, but I thought I would announce it here where it might get notice. From my favorite paper in Spokane. You know, the one paper not dedicated to manipulation of media in accordance with FCC rules.
-
My run for congress is not so much against Cathy, it is against the rife corruption in Spokane. However, it is also Cathy and her inability to influence Jim McDevitt and Steve Tucker and betsy Cowles. Spokane is a corrupt town on the lines if Chicago. Cathy McMorris has not answered these questions yet. While Cathy McMorris stands behind John Boehner at press conferences.....does that make us proud ? Tom Foley was speaker of the house...but he sued us. You and me. The taxpayers. In my opinion, Cathy McMorris does the same thing as Tom Foley. She joins the system and becomes a robotic Republican. Well, I am a Republican, but I take marching orders from no man or woman...only the voters. Cathy McMorris marches to the tune of Sarah Palin and other non-thinking GOP clones. I am more in line with Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. A more moderate and open minded approach to leadership.
-
My campaign staff is ramping up and we might have to use the law to enforce fair media in Spokane. This means that KXLY and KREM 2 will be forced, by law, to take my money. That means comliance with FCC and state and federal laws. Spokane has been marching to the tune of the Cowles family and their mediocre newspaper. I say it is high time for a congressman who will represent Spokane...Not just the Wa DC GOP. Cathy McMorris is a young and beautiful woman with a wonderful and capable mind. However, her heart might not be right, and therefore, she must be challenged by someone who cares about the poor and the mentally ill. The Veterans who get poor care at the "VA".
-
My name is David Howard Elton. I will be running for congress soon. I hope to have your vote so we can show Eastern Washington has a voice that comes from Spokane...NOT from Washington DC.
-
David Elton, South Hill, Spokane (509-999-2569) or 971-226-3120
May 07, 2010 | Reply to this commentSave your money and time dude. Life is to damn short and time is too precious to be wasted yo. Spend it with your family, friends and people who matter in your life dude.
If you cannot get past the primary for a city council seat in 2009 against really awful new or incumbent candidates, you cannot beat incumbent McMorris-Rodgers for a seat in the US Congress yo.
Not even the cash rich DNC is wasting it’s resources against McMorris-Rodgers this go-round bro. They may be stark raving liberal with our tax dollars, but even they won’t waste money on a campaign against her this year bro. Besides, if you even had a half a chance to win dude, you needed to start your campaign last year bro…
If this is some dude thing where you need to show yourself or others your cool; donate the money instead to the Salvation Army or other worthy organization yo.
At least then, it will be used for some constructive purpose bro…
Don’t make me contact you in November and tell you I told ya so dude…
May 08, 2010
This is one of the greatest embarrassments I have living in Spokane that this horrible women represents me in congress. I have meet her and know many others who have meet her and they all say the same, she is a rude person who thinks she is far superior and better than you are (unless you are handing her money) and that she also cannot think for herself as she just does whatever the Republican party or the big money lobbyists tell her to do. I find it a damn shame that nobody can unseat this idiot horrible congresswoman who really has no right to be in congress.
May 08, 2010 | Reply to this commentI´d say you clearly disagree with Rep. McMorris-Rodgers on political grounds (perfectly all right, this is a diverse country) but you have allowed your personal political views to poison your reaction. If you felt inferior, that´s your problem. May 21, 2010
Thanks Indy,....uh, yo (-:
-
I have no illusions or delusions. Cathy McMorris will very likely stay right where she is. The world will go on. However, there are other reasons to contest her. Many and various reasons. You might recall that Tom Foley got rather comfortable as the speaker of the house. in my view, he became a very corrupt man. Leaders who become corrupt and deeply enamored of their own visage...well....I have a problem with that.
Like you, I am also a fan of Salvation Army. One of my favorite people here in Spokane is Patty Gates. She feeds the homeless and is seeking an investor for the "WCFR". The womens and childrens free restaurant on Monroe...which needs to be purchased and upgraded for the needs of families with very little in the refridgerator.
Now, that sounds like a good reason. To ask Cathy what she has done for Spokane and Eastern Washington...other than to attend various fancy dinners with John Boehner. I wonder if Cathy will spend time with her family tomorrow...or will she relegate them to the back seat yet again as her ambition swallows her whole.
One of my favorite citizens here asked me to run for Mayor against Mary Verner. That would be fun as well. I know that as long as I run, the Spokesman will have to cover the "other side" of the issues. As many know, The Cowles Media empire here has a death grip on Cathy McMorris. She has been bought and sold...or at least rented. Maybe a lease with an option to buy ?
In my own legal case against Betsy Cowles and Joe Shogan, they actually capitulated two days ago (Thursday, May 6). A so-called "Plea Deal". My thinking is that the city of Spokane needs to see Betsy Cowles defend her behavior. Joe Shogan needs his feet held to the fire by a cross examination that will actually make him realize his lies about rooftops...well....it will be karma in action.
Two of the most corrupt "Anti-Leaders" will have their day in court....and they might just lie through their teeth...again. I have offered to take a lie detector about 20 times now. They refuse. The reason is simple. They are professional LieYers, as my mother would say. mark Hodgson and bevan Maxey will have hundreds of questions for them.
The reasons to run for office are sometimes as simple as...well...my fond memories of Stanford Law School in 1986 and 1987. I was their at the age of twenty, debating americas finest young thinkers. At almost the same time Betsy Cowles was refining her skills at Yale. Politics is about debate. It is about ideas. I have a strong and fervent belief in the fact that truth matters. Cowles and Shogan are not truthful people. Therefore, they shall have their day in court.
Cathy McMorris needs an opposition. I think the bible says it..."Their must needs be oppostion in all things". Both Verner and McMorris need to be questioned by the harsh light of truth and direct questioning. The Spokesman does not provide this service when they seek a sycophantic office holder.
As of late, Thomas Clouse has doing a great job uncovering the lies of Thompson and Rocky Treppeidi. The attorney in that case.....carl Oreskovich...I wonder how he sleeps at night, knowing the ghost of OTTO ZEHM is watching and listening.
SPOKANE....justice is coming to a theater near you.
Enjoy (-:
David Howard Elton
Soon to be Candidate ....... For dog catcher ?
Have a great weekend everybody ! Tomorrow is Mothers Day. Don´t forget the flowers and phones.
DE3
May 08, 2010 | Reply to this comment