Some Gop Women Endorse Lowry -- Dissenters Cite Rival's Stand On Choice As Key Factor
Unconvinced the Republican nominee for governor passes the abortion litmus test, several Republican women - including the president of the King County Republican Club - have thrown their support behind Democrat Mike Lowry.
"As a Republican, it is extremely difficult for me to endorse a Democrat," said Kay Trepanier, the GOP club chair and former King County coordinator for Republican gubernatorial candidate Sid Morrison.
"But trust transcends party politics. On the issue of choice, I trust Mike Lowry. I do not trust Ken Eikenberry. When it comes to choice, I absolutely think Mike Lowry tells the truth and Ken Eikenberry doesn't."
The abortion issue has been a volatile one in the governor's race. Morrison, a pro-choice candidate, attacked Eikenberry's commitment to choice in television and radio ads.
Eikenberry branded those as lies, pointing out that he'd received the top rating from Planned Parenthood on its pro-choice test.
Jeff Burnside, Eikenberry's spokesman, said Eikenberry may personally oppose abortion but would not restrict it and would oppose efforts to dilute Initiative 120, the abortion-right measure passed by voters last year.
However, Eikenberry told The Times last summer he would support parental-notification laws, barriers to late abortions and a cutoff in public funding if the Legislature passed such bills.
That troubles people like Trepanier, who admitted to huge discomfort supporting a Democrat in a race as important as governor.
But she said she was angered at what she calls "dirty tricks" played against Morrison during the primary campaign and said she can't back Eikenberry for governor.
Trepanier was joined by Sally Jaime, a Republican and member of the state National Abortion Rights Action League. "I expect many of Sid Morrison's supporters will vote for Mike Lowry," said Jaime. "We can't chance having our hard-earned rights taken away from us."
In all, six women who identified themselves as Republicans either appeared with Lowry yesterday or issued statements supporting him.
"They're trying to make it sound like there was an army of Republican women there, but that wasn't the case," said Burnside. "I hope everyone keeps it in perspective. It's an example for those few women who call themselves Republicans not doing their homework on Ken Eikenberry. If they truly knew where he stood, they wouldn't be saying what they said."
CLEARED, THEN FINED
Possibly the most unusual twist of this political season was state Sen. Gary Nelson's announcement that he has been cleared of wrongdoing by the state Public Disclosure Commission.
At the same time, Nelson, a candidate for Congress in the 1st District, said the PDC is preparing to fine him $1,000.
Huh?
"I would not have put that spin on it," Graham Johnson, the PDC's executive director, said yesterday after Nelson broadcast his reported exoneration.
At issue is about $30,000 in income and expenditures from late last year through early this year that Nelson failed to report to the commission.
Nelson's primary opponent, Mark Gardner, filed a complaint with the commission alleging, among other things, that Nelson failed to report a $10,000 contribution Nelson made from his legislative campaign fund to the state Republican Party.
Nelson admitted the money had not been reported, calling it an oversight, and he filed a late return last month.
`COMPLETELY WITHOUT MERIT'
Johnson said Nelson also failed to report $7,000 he received from a golf tournament late last year, did not report a $5,000 loan to his congressional campaign committee, or money spent to buy a computer and other office-related equipment.
In all, said Johnson, Nelson failed to report about $21,000 in expenditures and $8,500 in income.
According to Johnson, the PDC staff and Nelson have negotiated a $1,000 fine for the late-reporting violations. But Johnson said it was premature for Nelson to say the fines had been levied, because it must be decided by the full commission meeting later this month.
"We're glad to get this matter cleared up so we can focus our energy on the campaign," said Nelson, who contended the issues brought before the PDC were "completely without merit."
Not exactly, said Johnson, acknowledging the PDC did clear Nelson of another charge that he used his legislative staff on his congressional campaign. "If he wants to translate that into being cleared, that's his language, not ours," said Johnson, adding that Nelson faces the reporting violation.