Governor Candidates Fan Out Washington Gubernatorial Hopefuls Seek Out ‘Undecided’
There’s a right way and a wrong way for a politician to approach voters at a major sporting event.
Norm Maleng, who’s running for Tuesday’s Republican nomination for governor, clearly was doing it the right way on Saturday.
He stood outside a gate to Husky Stadium and handed out a campaign brochure that featured a copy of a newspaper endorsement on one side and the team rosters for the Huskies and Saturday’s opponent, Brigham Young, on the other side.
Republican rival Jim Waldo and Democratic candidate Gary Locke just shook hands and introduced themselves to fans, most of whom weren’t interested in talking to politicians.
“You’re just setting yourself up (for disaster) if you go inside and get announced to the fans,” Maleng said as the stoplight turned green and the next wave of purple made its way toward him.
“The trick is to stand outside the stadium and give the voters something they could use, like team rosters.”
Maleng, Waldo and Locke had plenty of competition. Washington fans had to weave their way through crowds of sign-carrying candidates and supporters to get to the stadium gates.
And that was just the beginning of it.
As Tuesday’s primary approaches, the candidates for governor fanned out across the state in hopes of reaching the thousands of voters whom polls indicate remain undecided.
Among the Republicans, Dale Foreman and Ellen Craswell were scheduled Saturday to visit the GOP booth at the Western Washington State Fair in Puyallup. Craswell also planned to attend a parade in Vancouver.
Today, Maleng was scheduled to greet Seahawks fans, Waldo planned to visit the fair in Puyallup and Foreman expected to spend the day campaigning around Wenatchee.
Craswell, a leader of the Christian conservatives, does not campaign on Sundays.
Republicans Pam Roach and Nona Brazier could not be reached.
Among Democrats, Norm Rice was scheduled Saturday to go door-to-door in Seattle and attend events in Tacoma and Chehalis, while Jay Inslee campaigned in Ellensburg and the Tri-Cities.
Locke and Rice were scheduled to attend a Teamsters meeting in Seattle today. Then Locke planned to greet Seahawks fans before heading for campaign stops in Enumclaw, Auburn and Kent.
Rice’s busy schedule for today includes going door-to-door in Spokane and Bellingham and attending a gay and lesbian picnic in Coeur d’Alene.
Inslee planned to attend a rally in Yakima, which he used to represent in Congress.
xxxx RICE IN SPOKANE, CdA Rice’s busy schedule for today includes going door-to-door in Spokane and Bellingham and attending a gay and lesbian picnic in Coeur d’Alene.