[Full Disclosure: I'm supporting David Stalheim for County Executive.]
There is stiff competition for both the County Executive race and the Bellingham Mayor's race.
FUSE, which stakes a firm claim to being Washington State's largest progressive organization, has endorsed one candidate in each race.
FUSE has endorsed Dan Pike for Bellingham Mayor and David Stalheim for County Executive. (Link HERE.)
Dan Pike beat Kelli Linville for that endorsement. Kelli has a "no pledge" policy that has historically cost her many endorsements, so the loss of a single endorsement doesn't appear to phase her, or her campaign much. I am unaware of any public statement that Ms. Linville has made on the FUSE endorsement.
David Stalheim beat Tom Anderson for that endorsement. Mr. Anderson, who has less experience than Ms. Linville in running for office, appears to be somewhat phased by the loss of this single endorsement. Mr Anderson has made some public statements about the FUSE decision indeed.
And apparently, this has caused something of a rift within Transition Whatcom.
This is relevant because Tom Anderson is a member of the Transition Whatcom Operating Group.
Whatcom Transistion blogger David MacCleod is critical of the organization FUSE for its decision to endorse David Stalheim... Link HERE.
This "Scoop on Coal" email is published in part with David MacLeod's blog post including the following text...
Damn. That's harsh.
Tom Anderson's response to the e-mail is quite spirited.
There is one thing that strikes me as peculiar about this.
I was unable to find any other site where this e-mail is mentioned (okay, I Googled it, and was unable to find any other site where it was mentioned... which is likely what anyone else would do to stumble upon such info.) If Transition Whatcom hadn't mentioned the e-mail, there is a very good chance no one would know about it at all. A public retraction of an e-mail that wasn't actually made public itself is a bit awkward, to say the least.
Whatcom Transistion blogger J.C. Walker Jr., has a different take on this situation... Link HERE.
It bears emphasis that Mr. Walker is not a supporter of David Stalheim (at least as far as I know), but did say this...
A full throated endorsement... that ain't.
But this does call into focus the two ostensibly progressive candidates going into the Primary.
Since the ballots have dropped, and mine landed in the mail today... I will take some time to contrast and compare the two candidates in a timely manner... before I vote for David Stalheim.
I'll post that tomorrow.
There is stiff competition for both the County Executive race and the Bellingham Mayor's race.
FUSE, which stakes a firm claim to being Washington State's largest progressive organization, has endorsed one candidate in each race.
FUSE has endorsed Dan Pike for Bellingham Mayor and David Stalheim for County Executive. (Link HERE.)
Dan Pike beat Kelli Linville for that endorsement. Kelli has a "no pledge" policy that has historically cost her many endorsements, so the loss of a single endorsement doesn't appear to phase her, or her campaign much. I am unaware of any public statement that Ms. Linville has made on the FUSE endorsement.
David Stalheim beat Tom Anderson for that endorsement. Mr. Anderson, who has less experience than Ms. Linville in running for office, appears to be somewhat phased by the loss of this single endorsement. Mr Anderson has made some public statements about the FUSE decision indeed.
And apparently, this has caused something of a rift within Transition Whatcom.
This is relevant because Tom Anderson is a member of the Transition Whatcom Operating Group.
Whatcom Transistion blogger David MacCleod is critical of the organization FUSE for its decision to endorse David Stalheim... Link HERE.
It was... quite shocking and sad to see how Tom Anderson was misrepresented in the recent email on the Whatcom County Executive race and "The Scoop on Coal." The success and reputation of Fuse Washington will rest on your ability to accurately evaluate issues and candidates in relation to their progressive values, beliefs, and principles. I believe you really need to rethink this one, and a public retraction is in order.
This "Scoop on Coal" email is published in part with David MacLeod's blog post including the following text...
"...Tom Anderson is an engineer and the former general manager of Whatcom County Public Utilities District #1. Anderson has stated that he supports building a shipping terminal and believes facilities can be built that are environmentally low impact. Despite his environmental activism, Anderson is not running a credible campaign for County Executive. "
Damn. That's harsh.
Tom Anderson's response to the e-mail is quite spirited.
To have you express the opinion that “ Anderson is not running a credible campaign for County Executive ” borders on slander and is certainly political mud slinging that I find both unfortunate and to decreases the value of your organization.
I expect an apology and a published retraction.
There is one thing that strikes me as peculiar about this.
I was unable to find any other site where this e-mail is mentioned (okay, I Googled it, and was unable to find any other site where it was mentioned... which is likely what anyone else would do to stumble upon such info.) If Transition Whatcom hadn't mentioned the e-mail, there is a very good chance no one would know about it at all. A public retraction of an e-mail that wasn't actually made public itself is a bit awkward, to say the least.
Whatcom Transistion blogger J.C. Walker Jr., has a different take on this situation... Link HERE.
Albeit the darling of the TW site, Tom [Anderson] is not positioned to win. ( not even third place ) Transition Whatcom is supposed to be about Climate Change and Peak Oil, not nepotism nor ignoring the political realities at hand.
It bears emphasis that Mr. Walker is not a supporter of David Stalheim (at least as far as I know), but did say this...
If you are against the Peabody/SSA coal train project, David Stalheim may be someone you will want to consider for the position of Whatcom County Executive.
A full throated endorsement... that ain't.
But this does call into focus the two ostensibly progressive candidates going into the Primary.
Since the ballots have dropped, and mine landed in the mail today... I will take some time to contrast and compare the two candidates in a timely manner... before I vote for David Stalheim.
I'll post that tomorrow.
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