The Chronicle Online

Washington State Senate District 20 Candidates

Editorial Conclusion: Following rigorous discussion and some divided support, we issue a strong endorsement for Neal Kirby for State Senate, District 20.

NEAL KIRBY (R)

Neal Kirby is a former Democratic legislator from Eastern Washington and the principal of award-winning Edison Elementary School in Centralia. His is truly a self-starting grassroots campaign. No one recruited him to run and he has minimal financial support from the outside. His campaign is a shoestring approach compared to his well-heeled opponents. With his BA and Masters degrees, Kirby is the most educated of the candidates. He's expected to invest about $17,000 to earn the office. This Cinderella status can be appealing.

Kirby got our notice early when he showed early support for the three-county basinwide approach to flood control. He also favors an independent study of all possible control solutions. This particular issue is indeed the most pressing regional concern that our area faces and he jumped on it immediately, indicating an ability to see the Big Picture rather than a quick-fix.

Undaunted at facing an established incumbent as well as a professional marketing opponent, Kirby has mounted a diligent effort to knock on as many doors as possible. Neither Sen. Dan Swecker nor Ted Shannon can match Kirby's work ethic and dedication in this race. Plodding through the district in his little red pickup, Kirby has combined effort with substance. He's knowledgeable in the key issues, though prone to tell us more than we want to know about levy equalization and taxation. This is a candidate with depth.

Had he developed more groundswell support, we'd compare his entry into the race to that of Linda Smith's dramatic victory to become a U.S. Representative a number of years ago. Smith lost office after being denied financial support from the national GOP, giving us pause as to the Republican strategy of the 11th commandment. Kirby's momentum may be impacted by concern over switching parties right before an election. This is nothing new and Kirby has had conservative opinions printed in this newspaper for years. Frankly, it doesn't matter to us which party a person belongs if the candidate is qualified and will effectively represent our concerns in Olympia.

There is a long list of politicians who have changed parties - Ronald Reagan and Joe Lieberman on the national stage and closer to home, Dennis Hadaller, come to mind.

Kirby is a battler and we do not feel opposing power positions once he gets to the capitol would sway him. His stance on fair representation for rural areas is undeterred and he is undaunted by opposing odds. Kirby will look you in the eye and mean what he says. We do not feel he'd sell out his principles or his constituencies and that he'd listen to the voters from his district.

CHUCK BOJARSKI (D)

Originally we felt that Chuck Bojarski's candidacy for the state senate was being overlooked - if not dismissed - perhaps because he is a Democrat in a heavily Republican district. That would have been unsettling. However, upon further review we find that Bojarski should have been counseled as to his odds of winning based on his persona and image.

Bojarski has a drama-filled life story with deep sadness and we respect him for surviving an abusive childhood. His personal and sensitive history is shared on chronline.com's multimedia interviews available today. He's from an ostracized single parent family and he was a high school dropout before pulling himself up by his bootstraps to earn his GED and serve in the U.S. Navy. Diplomas and military service do not necessarily qualify a person to run for office, but other factors do.

He presents confusion in where he lands on issues. He's a right-to-life advocate, is solidly against gay marriages and is opposed to assisted suicide measures. We respect anyone having the right to deviate from the party lines, but these issues run contrary to the agenda found in this state's liberal movement. When asked about this, his answer was “I may be a Democrat, but I'm not stupid.”

Bojarski, a long time law enforcement official, is proud to say that he's “a union man.” He's also a free spirit who raised our brows when he said he'd been to a nude event and has some friends who happen to be nudists. Now nudity is not supposed to be sexual - frankly we don't know - but the indications are that his familiarity with that freedom is not casual. He also likes to down a few beers and run through the jungle with buddies. We're all for exercise and fun, but our picture of him doing so is not compatible with a portrait of a legitimate candidate.

We feel his associates and the Democratic activists have done Bojarski a disservice by not presenting him with opinions he needs to hear - not what he wants to hear. Perhaps the only voice he listens to is his own, but clearly this nice guy is out of touch with reality. He should run where he wants, but not for public office.

Democrats should take note that with the way this four-person race shakes out, a vote for Bojarski in our opinion will likely result in Sen. Swecker's re-election.


TED SHANNON (R) Ted Shannon, a Centralia native, has a professional advertising background, so it should be no surprise that the young man has a smooth and stylish promotion for the senate seat. As mentioned, Shannon shows promise and he is spending from $40,000 to $50,000 to get it started successfully. Somewhere along his career, he should have other opportunities. We don't think his experience in city government has quite readied him for the senate task when we compare him to his two Republican candidates. He's a battler and he's sharp, so we're sure he'll stay on his feet no matter what. He appears willing to stand alone on controversial issues and we appreciate backbone in politicians. Already sporting over eight years of city government, we think that as he gets broader experience he'll get a quicker grasp of big picture projects such as a diversified plan to handle flood mitigation. Early on, he was quiet and he seemed to connect himself to the levee-first movement. Since then, like Swecker, he has jumped on board to a tri-county, multi-solution mitigation considering such solutions as dredging, water retention and perhaps levees. We commend both of them for seeing the light and putting their weight behind flood solutions. He differs from Swecker in that he would have voted against the recent gas tax and says tax proponents created an illusion of helping us. That earned him minority support from the Editorial Board. Shannon is an enthusiastic Dino Rossi fan and he denies that he and Swecker have a tag-team strategy. We haven't seen the last of Ted Shannon and should he win this time, he'll have to hit the ground running. We hope it wouldn't be for cover.

DAN SWECKER (R-incumbent) Editor's note: This document has been changed to reflect that Sen. Dan Swecker, if he were not running, would not support Neal Kirby, because of his history as a Democrat. The original version of this endorsement, in print and online, mistakenly said Swecker would have supported Kirby. Few disagree that incumbent Senator Dan Swecker is the odds-on favorite to retain his seat as a ranking Republican member. He's been there for 14 years and is an icon for the Christian Right in Lewis County. Note that over the years this Editorial Board has leaned the same general direction with the key issues they espouse. We'd also like to repeat once again that not a single member of our Editorial Board - no one - dislikes this soft-spoken and gentle family man. We admire his Vietnam War combat record and his spiritual base. In the split vote following the interviews, Swecker received serious support among all three Republicans based on their qualifications. In recent elections we have been hearty backers of Senator Swecker and early in his political career he was responsive and attentive to local constituents. That has changed and led us to shift our support for this high-profiled position. Swecker fans are confident of their candidate, knowing that he is in their corner in passionate issues such as right to life, assisted suicide and gay marriage. No doubt those are important, but when we look at his recent positions and entrenchment in the Senate, his district has not received proper consideration or attention. As we said earlier this year, he has been “Olympiacized,” being more caught up with the Democratic power base perhaps due to their stranglehold on the state's politics. The December 2007 flood and Swecker's inaction or possibly undermining the call for a tri-county basinwide solution and comprehensive plan deeply disappointed many local planners at a time when we sorely needed our Senator. The flood is a far more immediate pressure point than the other issues and the flood threat remains. For decades nothing has been done to prepare battle for the next deluge. This is unacceptable. After this latest 500-year flood, Swecker sided with Gov. Gregoire and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in wanting to put in a knee-jerk quick-fix in the way of levees. While it would have been a photo opportunity, dikes would have simply pushed the flood water elsewhere to even more devastating results downstream. Of course the hundreds of levees across the nation that failed with each flood have garnered public distrust. We do not believe Swecker checked with his constituents before making any of his statements that supported the Governor's initial levee-first plan. Prior to this, there is also the controversial gas tax that led to a front-page photo of Swecker being hugged by Gregoire. The fact is he was also out of touch with his constituency when he was the deciding vote - a move that proved painful to everyone in this economy. While being disappointed with his stance, he did convince us to stick with him even though we have not seen any significant improvement in a wider Interstate 5 through the Twin Cities. Now we'll wait a long time for a six lane I-5 through this Twin Cities bottleneck - with or without Swecker. A final and legitimate concern is Senator Swecker's health. We wish him Godspeed in his recovery and pray he regains his health after this last debilitating year. What if however, he retains his office but can't finish his term? Which candidate would replace him in case he can't finish the term? When Shannon first filed for the election, there were reports of a type of tag-team campaigning. Shannon had worked on behalf of Swecker and donated to his campaign. With Swecker's health crisis, Shannon stepped in. Both candidates agree that by Shannon's entry Neal Kirby's chances would be slim, handing the re-election to the incumbent. Both men agreed that Shannon's entry would take votes away from Kirby. When asked which candidate he would endorse if he weren't running, Swecker said his choice would not be Kirby, because of his history as a Democrat. Frankly, we worry that the stress of this position is an uphill risk for Swecker. His campaign is expected to raise up to $100,000, mostly from out-of-state contributors. Swecker also has some union support and his literature has the union label on them, something unusual for an active member of the GOP. Once again, we believe Dan Swecker to be a fair, decent and compassionate senator. We take no pleasure in denying him an endorsement. He said he was considering retirement at the end of the last term, but changed his mind. We think he was right in the first choice and we'd rather wish him a warm, comfortable retirement than another fragile health possibility by returning to the rat race.

Editorial Endorsements
Lewis County Commissioner District 2
Editorial Board Opinion 1 At the start, the three-way Republican race for the Lewis County Commissioner District 2 position appeared to be one that was more about connections and personalities. As it has evolved, only two of the candidates have unveiled visions and passions for this important role in county government. Our initial perception was that newcomer Bill Schulte was a candidate selected by a group of local power brokers. At first it seemed as though they'd taken a page from the local campaign manual: appearances at the right public events, endorsements with familiar names and private meetings. It was almost too orchestrated. On the other hand, when the announcement came that Lyle Hojem was throwing his hat in, we expected the Centralian might be a crusty octenegarian with a wealth of experience and a goal-oriented reputation. He would likely say whatever he thinks - not always the safest action in politics. The third candidate, ex-Democrat John Penberth, is a well-known and longtime Pe Ell political activist who could be even more outspoken than Hojem. Penberth has never shirked controversy and has been known to stoke his own fires. As reported in an "Our Views" titled "Schulte's Refusal to Cooperate With Editorial Board Not Wise or Fair to Voting Public" back on July 18, we were shocked when Schulte imploded before any questions were asked at the scheduled Editorial Board meeting. In doing so, a stiff and shaky Schulte lacked the lowest level of professionalism needed to be a public official. After providing a prepared statement, he walked from the room without even taking a seat. Some locals dismiss an outsider to the county like Schulte as a "carpet bagger," but we disagree with that qualifier. Outsiders can provide fresh ideas and creative thinking from out-of-area experiences. That is now a moot issue for Schulte. This experience is a first for our Editorial Board and should be a death-knell for someone who will have to appear and speak to the public, answering questions coolly and calmly to reach solutions. Being a commissioner is not for the shy, the unprepared or someone prone to panic attacks or startling, unpredictable actions in stressful situations. His statement that someone on The Chronicle Editorial Board "recruited" his opponent is blatantly false. Unfortunately, Schulte did not give us time to address his misconception. His brief performance and our follow-up questions to Hojem on our multimedia in today's chronline.com speak for themselves. BILL SCHULTE Here are some questions Bill Schulte did not allow us to ask on behalf of the public (the first eight were asked of all the commissioner candidates): 1) What is your position on flood mitigation? 2) Do you favor the current form of county government with three full-time commissioners, or would you support changing to a part-time county council that appoints a professional county executive? 3) Do you see a rift between certain economic groups, such as the Lewis County Economic Development Council, the Chamber and the two ports? If so, how would you solve it? 4) Would you balance any potential budget shortfall with increased taxes, increased fees, or cuts, or a combination of the three? 5) If you were not running, which of your opponents would you support? 6) What are your top priorities if elected? 7) How much are you spending on your campaign? 8) Why are you running? 9) Did you come up with the idea to run or were you asked to run? If so, by who or what group of people? Is this a coordinated effort from the local Republicans? 10) You haven't lived in Lewis County for very many years. Does this help or hinder you if elected? He may be a nice man with hidden talents, but he has shown he is unprepared for public office at this time. Unwilling to address vital concerns about county government, we feel he is unqualified to serve as a commissioner. Unpredictability and poor decision-making would be destructive and embarrassing to both the candidate himself and Lewis County.	Editorial Conclusion Lyle Hojem offers a refreshing change as a commissioner. He seems incapable of being anyone's rubber stamp and would be a hard worker. This is a practical and pragmatic workingman not prone to baby-kissing or false shows of interest. He doesn't need the job, but wants it so he can work for Lewis County. We need more change in approach and challenge to ineffective government. LYLE HOJEM If you think an 84-year-old is too old to be a commissioner, you have not met or listened to Lyle Hojem. A longtime resident of this area, his career has led him to every corner, nook and cranny of Lewis County. He's owned land, cut and hauled timber, fought forest fires, farmed and engaged in construction work among many other work stints. For the last five years he has been an active and diligent employee of the Port of Centralia and has no thoughts of slowing down. There is admirable longevity in his family bloodline and his health is good. His memory, his experience, his wit and his enthusiasm are evident and can be viewed on the chronline.com Web site, where we have posted all political interviews. Hojem was asked about being recruited and his answers are quite clear. He is his own man and made a last-minute decision because he has been concerned for years about some of the direction this county is headed toward. Hojem presented plain-spoken and concise issues that ring true with our Editorial Board: (1) the necessity of having a tri-county representation of flood mitigation by local representatives; (2) consideration of changing our form of county government to more part-time commissioners who would hire a trained and experienced professional county manager; (3) pushing for much improved coordination between entities promoting growth in Lewis County. Hojem has a keen and practical understanding of our potential for future flooding. He's been at the sensitive flood spots and he is open to all options from a legitimate, independent and thorough study. This is, he claims, our "last shot" battling flood threats. He came out early on this issue and is encouraged by the flood coordination now existing for the three counties involved. He advocates an early warning system and is suspicious of dikes - warning of the impact they have on water flow that will flood elsewhere. He would be a hard person to persuade without logical advice based on sound principles. He knows the value of the dollar and tax revenues would never be looked at casually as happens to many who take office. Nor would he tolerate laziness, sloppiness and waste by county workers. His hickory shirt, suspenders and tussled white hair are exactly who he is. His demeanor and discussions are direct and to the point. The fact that he wants to serve only one term assures the voters he is not running for re-election the moment he takes office. He will serve to improve our county and we believe he will be a major agent for needed change in local government. On changing county government, Hojem said taxpayers deserve the right to select their own form of government considering the demands on the county today and the size of the Lewis County budget. He's invested so far exactly $4,601.87 in his homespun campaign. In recent years, a division has evolved between the ports of Centralia and Chehalis, the Lewis County Economic Development Council, the local Chamber of Commerce, the Chehalis Industrial Commission and others. Rather than working together, the heated competition has most likely kept some business prospects from locating here and given others too sweet an arrangement. Hojem has support from key people in development groups wishing to see partnerships and cooperation enhanced. These are folks who are not satisfied with the status quo. It is unusual for someone like Hojem to offer his service and practical wisdom at this point in his life and we should accept it with gratitude.
JOHN PENBERTH Anybody who thinks political ambition doesn't change people should consider John Penberth. The Pe Ell rabble-rouser, who moved here from the East in 1962, is known for his Hawaiian shirt and shorts, but perhaps no more. Penberth showed up in natty attire with a sharp sport jacket, nicely tide necktie with a Marine Corps pin on it. Had it not been for his voice, we may not have recognized him. This outspoken critic of - well, most everything - is willing to step up in a public county position to raise his many questions. Many of them are valid, but his solutions puzzle us and take him out of serious consideration, though he did have support from a minority representation on our Editorial Board. Penberth likes the county commissioner form of government and does not think anything needs to be done about flood protection. And he'd like to become one of the commissioners, who in our view have been unresponsive or irresponsible on flood issues for too many years. Many but not all commissioners have been elected based on popularity, family connections, financial support or who needs a job. Such a body can find it comfortable to enjoy the status quo in the county while the world spins faster and faster with a growing budget and regulatory demands. We've seen some effective commissioners who can grasp the Big Picture of changing times - former Commissioner Eric Johnson and current Chairman Ron Averill come to mind. Their backgrounds and education give them a better foundation for decision-making. Penberth would serve to the best of his ability, but we feel he'd offer more obstacles than solutions. Penberth is not suddenly finding his community spirit. A logger for about 10 years and now an auctioneer, he has served with the Pe Ell Fire Department for 26 years, said he helped start the local EMT program, was a Chehalis police officer and served as county coroner. He's spending "about $1,000" of his own money on the campaign and previously ran against Richard Graham for the commissioner position. Explaining that he only wants to serve one term, he said he'd support Lyle Hojem were he not himself a candidate. Schulte, Penberth said, has no local experience. Penberth is to be admired for speaking out and being willing to be of service, but his views and history of contention take him out of the running for a commissioner slot in our opinion.

Editorial Endorsements
United States 3rd Congressional District Editorial Conclusion We find it odd that we have a Democrat incumbent that supported the troop "surge" (Baird has recently talked about troop withdrawal, as has President Bush this past week), and Republican Delavar solidly against the war effort in Iraq, but politics are not typical here in Lewis County. We do commend both Delavar and Crist for jumping into the political arena and espousing their views. We are sure they are sincere in their beliefs in what is best for America. Baird was voted this year as the "Best Politician of 2008" by readers of The Chronicle. He is independent, hard-working and intelligent. We hope for a spirited contest between Baird and Webb in the general election. For Democrats, Baird is the clear choice. And for Republicans, Webb gets our nod.

Brian Baird	Cheryl Crist	Mike Delavar	Christine Webb
Baird and Crist Earlier this year U.S. Rep, Brian Baird, D-Wash., announced he would seek his sixth term in office. He faces one other Democrat, anti-war activist Cheryl Crist of Olympia, and two Republicans: Christine Webb and another anti-war candidate, Michael Delavar. Crist, 63, describes herself as a "peace candidate," and feels betrayed by Baird as he supported the recent troop "surge" in Iraq. She ran unsuccessfully against Baird in 2004 when he beat her 85 percent to 15 percent. At that time, she was against Baird's support of the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Baird, 52, was initially against the current war in Iraq. He opposed the invasion in 2002. But last summer, he supported Bush's troop surge after meeting with military officials and diplomats in Iraq. Crist in the past campaigned for Baird about a decade ago. Then came the surge and Baird's support of it. Crist is a retired financial consultant, real estate agent and educator. She says Baird beat her by such a large margin in 2004 because she filed late, but does admit her election to Congress is a long shot. We can't see Crist as a future respected Congresswoman in Washington, D.C. Baird is running on his record as a nonpartisan committed to doing what is right for the United States, not what his party has decided is right. And because he is starting to have real tenure in Washington, D.C., he is starting to accumulate power as he serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee and the House Budget committee. More weight is given to Baird as he is chair of the Research and Education subcommittee of the House committee on Science and Technology. Baird said his record speaks for itself. He helped restore the sales tax deductibility for Washington state, worked to protect and expand family-wage jobs, fights for lower energy prices, supports small businesses, has been a strong advocate for programs that target meth use, and has been a leader on pushing for more and higher quality science and vocational education. We particularly admire Baird for his nonpartisan streak. He supports expansion of the White Pass Ski Resort, something his environmental brethren loath. More telling, he went against his own party on the troop surge in Iraq. That position unleashed a torrent of opposition from his former Democratic supporters. He was attacked relentlessly after that decision in local public meetings (to his credit he never ducked a hostile crowd, but set the meetings up himself). He took a moderate, perhaps even conservative position on salvage logging (that would have allowed standing dead timber to be taken from fire-damaged forests), again to the disdain of his fellow Democrats. Baird's position on the troop surge in Iraq was first courageous, and now more importantly appears correct. Baird demonstrates a strong, common-sense streak that we find appealing and useful in a national politician. We appreciate a moderate who is willing to take an independent look at the issues facing our district. We need such leadership in the coming years in Washington, D.C., in part because of our need for flood mitigation dollars. And Baird certainly has more influence on that issue than Crist would.		Delavar and Webb Shortly after Baird announced his run for re-election, Republican opponent Michael Delavar announced his run for the seat. Delavar, 34, is a Horizon Air pilot from Washougal. And while most Republicans support the war in Iraq and the recent troop surge, Delavar is running on a main plank of getting our troops out of Iraq now. He said the federal deficit is unacceptable, and the war is a major cause. He also is strongly anti-abortion (he believes Roe vs. Wade is unconstitutional), would not offer amnesty for illegal immigrants, and would pull back on the amount of U.S. military bases currently located overseas. He calls national defense a top priority. He is against free-trade agreements, is not a fan of the United Nations and wants a return to the gold standard. He is pro-gun and pro-property rights. While his positions have merit, he is too extreme to attract much more than the extreme conservative voter. We do find that scaling back military bases overseas and maintaining a strong military defense does not make sense. You can't have it both ways. We believe his isolationist rhetoric is not a prudent position in today's world. The other Republican in the race, Webb, filed for the position at the last moment. She was prodded to do so in part, when Delavar, an avowed Ron Paul supporter, would not give public support to presidential nominee John McCain. In turn, the state Republican party, once Webb declared her intentions to run, gave her its unanimous support. Webb, when asked if she would support McCain, did so right away. Webb, 35, is a former chair of the Evaline School District board, has campaigned for state House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, is the part-time director of the South Lewis County Chamber of Commerce, and a Republican precinct committee officer. She is also chair of the Thurston County Republican Committee. Webb supports developing the nation's domestic energy supplies, wants to reform health care and says the government spends too much money. We give Webb the nod to move on against Baird in the general election, but we do acknowledge all the pro-Delavar signs (usually located not too far from Ron Paul signs of support) that have sprouted across Lewis County.

Endorsement Process and Explanation

By Dennis R. Waller,
Chronicle publisher

You can learn a lot when the editorial
spotlight shines brightly on candidates
prior to a primary or general election.

Our pre-election interviews provide a professional but comfortable setting where candidates can show prospective voters their best faces and views in The Chronicle and on our Web site, chronline.com. It should be a wonderful opportunity for a candidate to show his or her best side.

However, if a person running for office is too nervous or anxious about meeting the press, that individual would likely have a rough and awkward time in more challenging public settings.

The newspaper editorial meetings differ greatly from public forums, where campaign managers can edit, delete or dodge edgy questions. Campaigners dislike those tough questions, which approach key but sensitive subjects or histories that are uncomfortable but important to voters in their decision-making.

Other so-called public forums may have an agenda and direction that the sponsors - usually political and party-framed - want that might favor a specific candidate. Each election cycle seems to have a candidacy backed by sponsors wishing to manipulate their choice in a particularly positive way and this is normal, but often misses the core issues.

This is seen at the national, state and local levels. Such orchestration by campaign spin-doctors is more easily presented in agenda-driven forums and programs. Other forum sponsors are intended to be polite and non-controversial.

With editorial interviews, we do not avoid sensitive questions in areas that the public has a right to know. Rarely does a typical voter have the opportunity to compare the candidates and their causes prior to voting.

An editorial board presentation allows voters to hear and see all of the opponents and determine the effectiveness on how they handle themselves in the tension-filled world of politics.

It is for the voters that we ask the same questions of all candidates. This allows voters to hear and see candidates address the same questions in addition to other subjects vital to an election.

There are times when we do have an agenda in a particular race. This happens when we feel certain issues such as flood control, taxation, effective government organization, education, judicial or law enforcement concerns need to be examined prior to an election.

Such issues impact everyone in our area and must thus be addressed with the candidates.

We must stress once again that our endorsements are not published or broadcast to tell you how to vote. We're giving you "Our Views" as to who we feel are the best-qualified people for elected offices.

Editorial endorsements are not easy. In the three-person scramble for Lewis County Commissioner and the four-person race for the state senate, we will only please one in each battle.

The rest of the workers, supporters, friends and family of candidates do not feel particularly friendly towards the newspaper. To us, such antagonism is similar to blaming the messenger for the message.

We don't engage the editorial process because it is a casual or sporty. There are enjoyable moments as well as frustrating interviews and complete surprises.

We have this endorsement process because we feel we have an obligation to compare the candidates and their issues. It is up to readers and viewers as to whether we can disagree and still get along, but we have a job to do.

NEAL KIRBY (R)

CHUCK BOJARSKI (D)

TED SHANNON (R)

DAN SWECKER (R-incumbent)