Is Washington's 3rd CD Too Conservative For A Real Progressive? Heck, No!

If you follow our Blue America endorsements, you're probably aware of the great enthusiasm we have for Washington state Senator Craig Pridemore. Rarely do voters get such a clear record of accomplishment as Craig's with which to judge a candidate. But what about his Democratic primary opponent, Denny Heck? What does anyone actually know about him other than the power elite wants him to inherit Brian Baird's seat? Baird has endorsed him as have several big names in Democratic state politics. I'm hearing whispers that the DCCC is telling donors to stop giving to Pridemore and that sounds a lot like their normal modus operandi.

It was obvious from the beginning they would feel more comfortable with a conservative candidate with flexible ethics like Heck. But I'm thinking that when Craig started picking up serious support-- from the Majority Leader of the Senate (Lisa Brown) and the Speaker of the House (Frank Chopp) as well as the local firefighters unions, the International Longshoremen, and, last week both the Sierra Club and the Washington Federation of State Employees (AFSCME)-- the DCCC decided that they had to do more than just tell Heck to make sure to take no positions on anything controversial. So now they're trying the old Rahm Emanuel/Steny Hoyer routine of starving primary campaigns by progressives of contributions.

But it isn't just ideological. The DCCC powers, like sugar lobby queen Debbie Wasserman Schultz, bend over backwards to help elect easily corruptible shills whether it's Tim Mahoney in 2006 or Lori Edwards in 2010. And Heck meets their standards well. A blogger in Washington who knows him well sent me this column from the Seattle P-I from 1991:

Denny Heck, Gov. Booth Gardner's strongman chief of staff, got $4,550 in campaign contributions from Washington chiropractors last April after their request for $2 million got restored to the state budget.

Heck denies any connection between their request for Medicaid funds to compensate welfare clients treated by chiropractors and the money kicked in to help him pay off a 1988 campaign debt.

The Department of Social and Health Services' funding for chiropractor patients got chopped from the 1989-91 state budget. The governor's office played a key role in its restoration early last year.

"There's no question it looks funny," said Heck, who, nevertheless, claimed the budget decision was made by Budget Director Len McComb.

Yeah, real funny... a barrel of laughs. McComb admitted he had discussed the matter with Heck, who was eager to pay off a campaign debt from one of his losing runs for office and "at least 90 chiropractors chipped in $4,550 to his campaign treasury in mid-April 1990, 17 months after the election campaign." Funny... and a coincidence? If Denny Heck wants to be a corrupt wheeler dealer, isn't that what the Republican Party is for. Why does the DCCC want to saddle us with another one like this?

Unlike the pitiful turnout for primaries in most states, Washington's vote-by-mail system is likely to generate as many as a quarter million voters, quadruple the number of people who vote in House primaries around the country. People in Olympia know Heck as a bully and a ruthless wheeler dealer but in WA-03 he's just the guy who's been endorsed by the outgoing Congressman Baird. Craig's going to need all the help we can give him. Please consider contributing to his campaign through Act Blue. When the Sierra Club endorsed him last week they pointed out that Craig would be continuing his work to protect the environment.

Pridemore has advocated for smart growth as a Clark County Commissioner and as a state legislator. He fought for increased transit funding and options as well as better land use policies. He wrote one of the country’s first successful pieces of legislation to cap greenhouse gasses. Senate Bill 6001 saved Washingtonians from asthma, heart disease, cancer and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Pridemore has worked to enhance economic opportunities to incentivize clean technology development. He proves that protecting the environment and promoting jobs can happen together; his bill directed state agencies to attract green business and prepare our work force for them.

"We are deeply grateful to Senator Pridemore for his work,” said Holly Forrest, a Sierra Club activist in Vancouver. "He is a true environmental champion who not only does the right thing on environmental issues, but also leads the fight to protect our state’s clean air, clean water and special places."

Along with the endorsement, the Sierra Club will lend its strength to Pridemore's campaign. "We pledge to do all we can to help ensure Craig Pridemore is elected," concluded Holly Forrest. "Scores of Sierra Club volunteers will contact voters on his behalf and we will speak to the public as often as possible about his exemplary environmental record. We look forward to a victory party for the environment on election night and to many more years of Senator Pridemore fighting for the environment as a US Representative.”

Blue America has worked with the Sierra Club on behalf of candidates in the past. I'd take them over the DCCC any day of the week.