The sun shines for Dems

I'm a Democrat, through and through -- that's no news flash.

I like being a Democrat. And, as an Eastern Washington Democrat I am used to the fact that there are not a lot of us around. In Seattle and many other urban areas, a person can walk down the street and look at the bumber stickers protesting the war in Iraq, promoting Democrat candidates or just the ideals of progressives and liberals. But in Eastern Washington, especially in Chelan County where I live, seeing a yard sign for a Democrat is pretty rare and makes a person perk up just to know a neighbor thinks similarly.

But here's the real news: Even in Wenatchee and Chelan County, there are Democrats, and this year especially there are a lot of people who will be voting Democrat.

I have never felt this stronger than today when I went around several neighborhoods "dropping literature" for the only two candidates on the ballot that will be mailed Oct. 18 to Chelan County voters. I went around neighborhoods with literqature for Richard Wright, who is running for Congress against Rep. Doc Hastings, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, who is running for re-election. I moved quickly along the sidewalks, placing the lit under doormats. I saw three people who came to the door and to whom I passed the lit in person. One woman, age 88 I learned later, was pleased to see me with the lit and said she would vote for candidates "as long as they're Deomcrats." Another man, a former history teacher living just a few houses down the winding street, said he always votes and that he definitely votes for Democrats. Later in the afternoon, a very smart older man asked me about all sorts of things such as debt service and finance but basically wanted to know if Wright had a chance. I said he does.

All in all, it was an energizing day to be a Democrat, even here in Wenatchee. About a dozen people of all ages had gathered at the local office to take the materials around the community. Wright himself was there, and he went out to ring some doorbells, too.

Meanwhile, I still have seen no signs for Doc Hastings in Wenatchee. Zero. Not a one. Usually the local GOP leaders post some big signs on their vacant land or in the yards of run-down rental homes near high-traffic areas. This year, I have seen none. I'm not sure whether Hastings thinks he has it in the bag, if he is too busy to organize a campaign or if he just doesn't have the support. My hunch is that he is overconfident, and the last week in Washington, D.C., has shown him in the hot glare of the spotlight in his role as Ethics Committee chair. He is loyal, and so far his loyalty to Speaker Dennis Hastert has earned him lots of plum jobs and a perch as the next chair of the Rules Committee, but I think the Mark Foley scandal might bring down the Republican leadership of Congress and their slim majority.

Even before last week's revelations, polls showed that Democrats were within striking position of recapturing the majority. Now, with the Republicans reeling from scandal after scandal after scandal, their values being questioned, the Democrats are very appealing to a voter who does not have a lot of loyalty or commitment to a party. Guess what? There are a lot of those people in Eastern Washington.

The sun shone today for me as I walked around the neighborhoods with my Maria Cantwell and Richard Wright flyers, and I know that in the remaining 30 days or so it will shine for those candidates and for all Democrats around the country.

-- Wenatchee, Wash.