In a conversation with a couple of different members of the local Republican Party, it was revealed that perennial candidate Lois McMahan, and fellow right-wing religious extremist Ron Boehme, are supposedly planning to run as a "team" for the two 26th District House seats up next year.
My first reaction was to laugh out loud and then ask, "This is a joke, right?" My sources all assured me it wasn't, and that the pair reportedly plan to take on Democratic incumbents Pat Lantz (if she runs for another term) and freshman Larry — you wouldn't want NASCAR fans living next door to YOU— Seaquist. Before expressing any personal opinions on this, I want to stress that phone calls to each to confirm this went unreturned, but the sources have been extremely accurate in the past.
What are they thinking?
McMahan's 2006 primary election loss to Jim Hines, who was recruited specifically by the party because they knew McMahan couldn't beat Derek Kilmer, should have proved beyond a shadow of a doubt it's time for her to hang it up and get out of the way of credible candidates with a REAL chance of winning.
Although he was well-financed, worked really hard, is pretty personable one-on-one, and is a very good public speaker, Boehme still lost big time in '06 to Seaquist — who in my view will be very vulnerable in 2008. There's just something about Boehme that doesn't ring true — at least not for me.
That aside, what's the definition of insanity? It's doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. In my view, this dynamic duo has two probable chances to win in the 26th — slim and none. They both need to accept that fact and spare some other, actually electable Republicans, totally unnecessary primary battles. The idea of this problematic pair even running, is just another in a long, ongoing series of sad examples of how the Republicans continue to choose to shoot themselves in the foot.
Are McMahan and Boehme the best the Republicans can do? I sure hope not...
Lary
ReplyDeleteYour latest comment on the 2008 election is very telling. I was at the Lincoln Day Dinner and heard nothing of the sort. But that isn’t even the point. You are one of those democrats that can’t come up with good ideas and so you attack. I have read your remark about Ron Boehme before and I think it is destructive. You evidently think it is worth repeating over and over.
So far I can only conclude you think only Democrats are worthy of praise and Republicans are to be attacked. You also imply that Republicans couldn’t posssibly win unless they are Democrats in drag.
I think you hurt yourself by thinking you know it all and insulting anyone who doesn’t agree with you. You should take a page out of Sound Politics. They know how to run a blog. Yours is small town and narrow minded. I don’t know if you count how many people read it but the comments are few and far between. That should give you a clue.
Informed Voter
You may have been there and heard nothing, but the information came from someone who was also there,and has proven themselves highly reliable as a source. Neither Boehme or McMahan have contacted me to deny it either.
ReplyDeleteIf you actually read anything I write either here or in the Business Journal, you know you're way off base in claiming I only take Republicans to task. I tweak the noses of the Democrats just as often — and just as hard. Just ask Josh Brown, or Charlotte Garrido, or Dean Logan, or Christine Gregoire — or even Phil Best for that matter.
The main difference is, the Democrats aren't diligently working at chasing away their voter base the way local Republicans — who seem to be in total denial about why they lost the courthouse and can't attract quality candidates — are. The Democrats come under scrutiny just as much as the Republicans — just for different reasons.
As far as my comments you seem to find offensive go, honesty is the best policy and that's just how I feel. I make no apology for that.
Finally, are we Sound Politics — or Horse's Ass either? Of course not. Nor are we trying to be. But thanks to all those years of attending Black Hat and Def Con — as well as the hidden hit counter a friend installed — I know who reads this and how many hits we get every day. I'm pleased with the fact our readership is steadily growing.
As far as comments go, once we stopped allowing the gutless anonymous posters, the quality of the dialog improved. I can live with that. If you can't, go read something that validates your thinking instead of challenges it.
A comment from Lois...
ReplyDeleteWhy wasn't your message on our voice mail, then? I'm the only one in the house who regularly listens to the voice mail messages. I thought I made it pretty clear that I had no intention of running for a House seat in 2008! If you don't think it's clear,
please make this change:
When I heard this morning (Thursday, April 18, 2007) that there was a blog message on your site that I needed to respond to, I was amazed. Lary, I don't know where you got the idea that I might run for anything in 2008. I can't imagine any conversation at the aforementioned dinner that would have spawned such wild speculation. I have no plans to run in 2008.
I do not ever recall your having tried to reach me by telephone, either. We have voice mail and I surely would have received the message.
In the future, please check with me before putting these wild speculations in print! Please!!!
Thank you,
Lois McMahan
I tried to call Lois on March 21, the day this was posted, and did leave a message on the voice mail that answered my call. I received no communication of any kind until this morning (April 19).
ReplyDeleteDon't know what else to say, other than I'm not in the habit of publishing anything without at least making an honest attempt for confirmation. Not doing so only raises credibility issues for me, so I'm very diligent about it. In this case four different people contacted me about this — all on the same day. All four are Republicans who have been extremely reliable — and dead-on accurate sources in the past.