A Hardball Strategy for taking on Dave Reichert

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

By Joel Connelly

In politics as in war, the surprise preemptive strike carries great weight: The latest target is the gubernatorial campaign of ex-U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert.

The Bob Ferguson campaign and Washington State Democrats are churning out releases and ads seeking to define the affable former King County Sheriff as a MAGA mouthpiece. They have tracked Reichert appearances before conservative Republican audiences and harvested quotes likely to turn off progressive voters in Puget Sound population centers.

The strategy tracks with President Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, which spent a summer defining GOP challenger Mitt Romney. The 2022 Patty Murray reelection, which was on TV in early summer with spots depicting GOP challenger Tiffany Smiley as a right-to-lifer who would back nationwide restrictions of abortion rights.

With Reichert, the rollout is a late winter speech to Douglas County Republicans. “I love Donald Trump’s policies,” he told them. “I worked with Trump for two years when I was in Congress. I met with him in the Oval Office. His nickname for me was ‘Sheeiff’ and we have a good relationship. I think he and I can work together.”

https://www.postalley.org/2024/06/08/a-hardball-strategy-for-taking-on-dave-reichert/

[SeattleVet]

1. Ah, yes...good old "I only vote the way they tell me to", Rubber Stamp Reichert

Saying the quiet part out loud in explaining why he was voting against the party line (but only when his vote wouldn't make a difference in the outcome, but would make him look good in his district and make him appear to be somewhat moderate and rational).

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...Speaking before a gathering of self-proclaimed moderate Republicans, Reichert curiously attempts to explain away his own voting record, by recounting a rambling anecdote about a conservative voter who complained about his alleged moderation:

Now, I said, “You know what sir, that would be a huge mistake, and here’s why.’ (I wanted to explain to this person how things work back in Washington, D.C., and why certain votes have to be taken.)

Sometimes the leadership comes to me and says, “Dave, we want you to vote a certain way.’ Now, they know I can do that over here, that I have to do that over here. In other districts, that’s not a problem, but here I have to be able to be very flexible in where I place my votes. Because the big picture here is, keep this seat, keep the majority, keep the country moving forward with Republican ideals, especially on the budget, on protecting our troops, on protecting this country. Right? Being responsible with taxpayer dollars. All of those things. That’s the big picture. Not the vote I place on ANWAR that you may not agree with, or the vote that I place on protecting salmon.”
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As one Republican elected official who was in the audience that day incredulously told me:

“Of course we understand that strategy… but you don’t come right out and say it in public!”

And on camera, no less. See what I mean when I say that even Reichert’s fellow Republicans think he’s an idiot?
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See http://horsesass.org/reichert-house-leaders-tell-me-how-to-vote/ for more on the slimy backstory on this, from as far back as 2006.

[The Roux Comes First]

2. My Letter to the Times Demanding Followup on Reichert's "Law and Order" Stance Has Not Been Published

I wanted insight on his position on the actions and prosecution of Donald's Jan 6, 2021 insurrectionist-thugs as well as his feelings about the 34 felony convictions. Talk to us, Reichert, we are all ears!

[plimsoll]

3. He's been pretty quiet about "catching the Green River Killer" at least.

Maybe because lots of people pointed out that he would be more honest if he said "not catching the Green River Killer." It's not the length of time per se, it's that Gary Ridgeway effectively turned himself in. KingCo Sheriff looked at Ridgeway and decided it wasn't him. If Ridgeway had just kept his mouth shut he'd still be out there. So, caught him? For alternative definitions of caught.

[FuzzyRabbit]

4. Here is an old article explaining how Reihert failed to catch the Green River killer.

https://www.thestranger.com/blogs/2010/10/12/5127209/mythbusters-dave-reichert-did-not-catch-the-green-river-killer

[plimsoll]

5. We'll need that when his fanboys bring that up.

You know they're going too. It's all the more likely because it's (ahem) bullshit.

One of the things it leaves out is that Ridgeway was pulled over for another offense, and that intrepid sheriff took the DNA sample in because Ridgeway thought that was what he was questioned about and essentially turned himself in.

But let's not forget Brave Sheriff Dave getting all Clint Eastwood with a cuffed Ridgeway in an interrogation room. The mans all swagger.