Why Isn't Gregoire Running on Her Record?

Why is a sitting incumbent attacking first and talking about her own accomplishments later?

 

Moreover, it seems as if Gregoire's campaign - as with the Evergreen Progress PAC attacking Rossi - is thus far rolling out the traditional Democratic playbook on "how to attack Republicans." Aside from the normal shots on health care spending (Dino Rossi hates kids!) and the environment (and their drinking water too!), the latest Gregoire ad trots out two less than high profile issues in this race: Roe v. Wade & stem cell research.

These are non sequiturs of the first order. Even if Roe were overturned, the issue would return to the primary purview of the state. Washington has already codified Roe, and does anyone think overturning that has the slightest prayer of even coming to a vote in the Legislature?

 

Meanwhile, the favored Democratic wedge issue of stem cell research is deliberately obtuse. Many a Republican opposes government funding for embryonic stem cell research - especially since a breakthrough or two may well have made that controversial technique unnecessary anyway. All that before one gets to the fact that stem cell research of any kind is not exactly a major issue facing the state of Washington.

 

Of course, Democrats tried tarring Rossi in 2004 on these same topics that have precious little to do with state government. It didn't work then. And as Republican activists discovered with John McCain in the primaries - to the collective chagrin of non-McCain supporters (including this blogger!) - built in perceptions of a candidate with the general public are difficult to change.

 

Democrats played this game before when Rossi ran a better campaign than Gregoire. They can try it again, but it will be even harder to do now that the 2004 race and its aftermath established the core view most voters have of Rossi. More importantly, at some point Gregoire will actually have stand on her own record.

 

That ought to be interesting.

UPDATE: Ironic twist. Dino Rossi just put out his first radio ad of the campaign. It's heavy on running against status quo leadership in Olympia.

At this point, the challenger is communicating a much clearer vision for the future of Washington State than is the incumbent - not to mention the fact the Democratic incumbent isn't controlling the campaign narrative.

A bizarre turn of events in a year otherwise favoring Democrats.

Cross-posted at Sound Politics.