"If you speak the truth, have one foot in the stirrup"(Curiously this quote is claimed by a variety of cultures, including Romania, Ireland, Arabic, Turkish, and Armenian - all making the first page of a Google Search, plus also John Wayne!)
Brian Sonntag, the Washington State elected Auditor, fiscally responsible Democrat, and open government advocate has previously announced he will announce his decision to run for Governor by July 4th, this weekend. Already running and evidently anointed by their respective parties are Democratic Congressman Jay Inslee and Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna.
Inslee's liberal party insider support makes Brian Sonntag's potential candidacy, to some degree, a de facto third party effort, no doubt a factor in that decision he is now finalizing. The importance of this decision, at this time, could not be undervalued - America is on the brink of a double dip depression that will challenge the future of not just Washington State, but the Country as a whole. Washington has the opportunity to lead this Country in responding this crisis at the risk of 'reinventing' the FAILED power dynamics that have brought us to where we are now.
Curiously though Sonntag's background is more similar to McKenna's and between the two of them they have done the highest profile work at building a rational, inclusive, if unrepresented, middle ground in Washington politics - along with retiring Secretary of State Sam Reed who brought Washington the 'Top Two' primary system - something every State should consider adopting.
In the 2008 election Sonntag received more votes statewide than any other candidate, while McKenna garnered a very respectable third - overall a great bellwether for the potential of non-partisan, fiscally responsible public politics should we ever get past the two flavors of divisive cash entitlement players we currently suffer.
Though McKenna didn't get as many votes as Sonntag, his 2008 race was also more contested and has a larger public profile - as well as the baggage of a rather divisive Republican party that goes quietly rabid at anything that smells of rational bi-partisanship - perhaps most tellingly in a recent mathematically unsound political attack on public employee benefits.
There is also the question as to which candidate has done a better job at delivering on their promises in their respective current offices. Though the Attorney General has more power it is clearly the Sonntag wins on this one - most notably for his successful effort to establish 'Performance Audits' in Washington State which go beyond historically rather lax public accounting standards and actually evaluate, rigorously, the accountability of an agency to its stated mission. McKenna, on the other hand, has done little in this crucial regard - most notably tolerating criminal corruption within his chosen profession including his former Republican colleagues at King County and Gregoire legacy Attorney's in their own office.
It is this distinction that makes me favor Sonntag over McKenna (Gregoire's de facto nomination of Inslee makes him unacceptable to me, but that's a personal story), along with my lefty roots, and dissatisfaction with recent Republican Dino Rossi's runs for Governor - his handling of bi-partisan 'Dinocrat' outreach being nothing more than a disgusting and insulting model for what Republican money did to the once rational reformist 'Tea Party'.
McKenna is not without merit or great potential, but his most recent arc has not been towards justice, but rather towards that of a typical, once honest, politician. Sonntag, remaining as auditor, could do much to help keep him on track and balancing that fairly sure thing against the possibility to do more as Governor should be a central point in Sonntag's decision. A decision I will respect, whichever way he chooses.
What is essential in this election is that Washington State builds a rational middle that is tolerant of diversity while having zero tolerance for those that would abuse the public in the advancement of any corporate goal, right or left wing.
And the biggest challenge, regardless of whether it is Sonntag or Mckenna as our next governor is getting rid of the divisive hate mongers that have manipulated both parties with a very effective divide and conquer strategy.
It is to this goal, regardless of who is running, to which I dedicate myself completely.
