'Moore conservative' in Snohomish?

Human Events, Oct 22, 1999 by Gizzi, John

Other than the local voters, who cares about who is elected county executive of Snohomish County in Washington State next month? Actually, there is considerable reason for national politics-watchers to pay as much attention to the race for the top job in Washington's fastest-growing county (and the 25thfastest growing county in the nation) as to any big city mayoral contest this year. (Snohomish is north of Seattle and Tacoma, with Everett the county seat)

For starters, there is the size of Snohomish, which ranks first in the state in population growth for the last two years and is now the secondmost populous county in the state. As a result of this growth, issues such as property development, tax hikes, and the size of county govemment are debated with an intensity greater than in any race for executive in recent memory.

Politically, the history of Snohomish is a rich one. This was the home base of Henry (Scoop) Jackson, who got his start as county prosecutor before World War II, and went on to serve as U.S. representative (1940-52) and then as a nationally known Democratic U.S. senator from 1952 until his death in 1983. More recently, Snohomish was the launching pad for Republican Jack Metcalf, the grand old man of Evergreen State conservatism, who got his start as a state legislator in 1960 and is now in his third and final term as U.S. representative from the 2nd District.

For a time, Metcalf's longtime top aide and campaign quarterback Lew Moore had been eyeing a bid for the Republican nomination to succeed his boss in 2000. But in a surprise move, Moore recently announced that he would not run for Congress, thereby uniting the right behind a fellow conservative GOPer, State Rep. John Koster (see "Politics '99, October 15).

But that was not the end of the Moore political saga. Mary of the activists he had worked with closely throughout the '90s in Metcalf's campaigns began a movement to run him against Democrat Robert Drewel, two-term county executive of Snohomish. Moore agreed, and won the GOP nod with ease in the September primary. Now what so recently seemed like a walkover reelection for Drewel has turned into a genuine horserace.

Drewel's present political predicament stems in large part from voter animosity toward many hackneyed liberal Democratic solutions he has offered to the problems that have accompanied his county's record growth. During Drewel's reign as county executive, property-tax levy rates have risen at nearly twice the rate of inflation, producing a 73% increase in revenue. He also proposed a $600-million hike in county taxes, but that was overwhelming rejected by voters last year. In addition, Drewel called for a local increase in the gasoline tax-again prompting a resounding "thumbs down" by county voters.

Even more devastating has been an extensive criminal probe that targeted questionable activities within Drewel's Planning Department. The probe was spawned by reports in the Seattle Times last year of extensive conflicts of interest by the then-County Planning Commission chairman, who now heads the Master Builders Association (which backs Drewel for reelection).

Against all of this, conservative Moore offers a tried-andtrue agenda: less government, no conflicts of interest, and no new taxes.

Despite a late start, Moore's candidacy has attracted scores of eager volunteers, and he has so far raised nearly $45,000 of the $60,000 supporters say is needed to dislodge Drewel. Moreover, Rep. Metcalf has vowed to do "anything and everything to help Lew Moore win this critical race."

(Lew Moore for Snohomish County Executive, Box 12310, Everett Wash. 98216; 425-252-2527) Don't Overlook Baltimore

Democrats outnumber Republicans by 5 to 1 in Los Angeles, but in 1993 the city elected its first Republican mayor in more than three decade-and reelected him by a landslide four years later. New York City Democrats hold a 6-to-1 voter registration edge over the Gotham GOP, but this didn't stop city voters in 1993 from electing their first Republican mayor in 28 years-and reelecting him by a landslide four years later. And in Jersey City, N.J., the Democratic registration edge over Republicans is 8 to 1. Nonetheless, Jersey City voters in 1993 elected their first Republican mayor in half-a-century-and reelected him by a landslide four years later.

The message today from Big City America is obvious: Voter registration means increasingly less-and local issues and political dynamics more-when it comes to deciding who is going to run things at City Hall. That's why, even in the face of a 9-to-1 Democratic registration edge in Baltimore, pundits and pols are taking a closer look at Republican mayoral hopeful David Tufaro.

The interesting race for mayor of the largest city in the Free State began last year when Democratic incumbent Kurt Schmoke, the city's first elected black mayor, announced he would not run again. Following a highly charged, insult-filled Democratic primary campaign, City Councilman Martin O'Malley (who is white) emerged the winner with a slight majority, outpacing two leading opponents (both of whom were black). Since the primary last month, third-place finisher Carl Stokes has offered a perfunctory endorsement of O'Malley, while the secondplace finisher, current City Council President Lawrence Bell, has been conspicuously silent about the fall contest.