Nothing More to Be Gained from Election Fight?

Virginia Henderson had another predictably liberal editorial in today’s Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

It’s time to move on. The 2004 Washington governor’s race was a sloppy, ugly affair. No one is arguing that. But what good could possibly come from dragging the validity of Gov. Chris Gregoire’s election victory through the state Supreme Court — no less than four times.

Gregoire was named the state’s new governor after squeaking by with a 129 vote lead after three statewide ballot counts were completed

I wonder if Ms. Henderson would have the same reaction if a Democratic candidate for governor of Idaho lost by 129 votes because a few hundred, mostly Republican ballots “miraculously” showed up in Ada County after the election had already been certified?

At least Democrats Cecil Andrus and John Evans called the Governor’s Mansion in Boise home from 1971-1994. It’s been twenty years and counting of Democratic domination in Olympia.

However, the state of Washington has nothing to gain from these cases filed directly after the election. Gregoire’s term is well under way, and the next gubernatorial election will incorporate an electoral process eons beyond what it had just four years previous.

There is no way to accurately dissect what went wrong to the degree that Rossi would bump Gregoire out of office. There is, however, a clear certainty. The Dino vs. Gregoire contest was a close race. Declaring either candidate the winner would have made half the state happy and the other half feeling an injustice was meted out.

It’s past time for the state to unify and heal itself to the degree it can.

“Half feeling an injustice was meted out?” That statement doesn’t stand scrutiny. A May 15-17, 2005 Strategic Vision poll, after many of the election facts had come out, asked voters:

Regardless of who you voted for in November's gubernatorial election, who do you believe actually won the gubernatorial election, Democrat Christine Gregoire or Republican Dino Rossi?

Christine Gregoire 37%
Dino Rossi 57%
Undecided 6%

The most recent Strategic Vision poll showed that Governor pro tem Gregoire’s approval ratings (37%) are down in the basement with President Bush’s. In a projected 2008 rematch, Rossi beats Gregoire by nearly 20 points (54% to 35%).

As for Ms. Henderson’s triumphant proclamations that “Washington’s electoral process is undergoing an intensive cleansing and purging and “the electoral process will be eons beyond what it was”, on Dec. 2-4, 2005, Strategic Vision asked voters:

Are you confident that Washington has overcome the problems that hindered the 2004 Election and that there will be no problems with the 2006 Election?

Yes 15%
No 70%
Undecided 15%

What good could possibly come of questioning the validity of Queen Christine’s election? Washington has nothing to gain? Baloney. How about restoring voter confidence in a severely broken electoral system for one? But Democrats are content to sweep 2004 under the rug and walk away from the scene of the crime. How does that bumper sticker go: “No Justice, No Peace!” There will be no “moving on”, “healing” or “unification” without a full accounting.

At least Fraudoire knows which side her bread is buttered on:

Gov. Christine Gregoire polished her credentials with organized labor on Saturday with an appearance before a boisterous annual meeting of local Teamsters leaders.

With Teamsters national President James Hoffa Jr. looking on, Gregoire thanked the 300 or so Teamsters shop stewards assembled at the Washington Convention and Trade Center for helping her win the 2004 election.

"I know, my friends, I would not be here without you," she said.

Gregoire has already helped defeat I-912 to ensure plenty of sweet highway contracts, presided over the firing of state workers who refused to pay dues and promised that the “Wal-Mart bill” will be passed next year. I shudder to imagine what other payoffs to the goons lay ahead.