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Political Smell Test: Both candidates in 25th taking many PAC dollars
Published October 31st, 2012 - 7:14AM
THE CLAIMS: An election mailer circulating in the Puyallup-centered 25th Legislative District says House candidate Shelly Schlumpf’s campaign is heavily funded by partisan special interests.
Political Smell Test: Driscoll ad against Kilmer lacks context
Published October 27th, 2012 - 7:33AM
Congressional candidate Bill Driscoll is airing a television commercial about a proposal in Congress known as Wild Olympics. The Tacoma Republican takes aim at his Democratic opponent, with words on the screen reading “Derek Kilmer says Wild Olympics – the right direction.”
Political Smell Test: Ad's claims linking same-sex marriage law to firing and lawsuit fall short
Published October 24th, 2012 - 4:30PM
A TV commercial that opponents of Washington's same-sex marriage referendum started airing Tuesday says, "Experience shows how Referendum 74 can harm people who oppose gay marriage." It then goes on to spotlight three people who say they have been harmed: Damian Goddard and Jim and Mary O'Reilly. Is there evidence to link these cases to what will happen if Referendum 74 passes in Washington?
Political Smell Test: Randi Becker’s school bill criticized
Published October 24th, 2012 - 7:34AM
Campaign mailings and yard signs blanketing the 2nd Legislative District slam state Sen. Randi Becker, R-Eatonville, for sponsoring a bill that would have let small school districts such as Eatonville’s consider a four-day school week.
Ad with teen in short skirt may be racy, but it’s right: Connelly attacks Darneille’s record on voting against 2009 measure
Published October 24th, 2012 - 7:32AM
A mailer sent last week by Tacoma trial lawyer and 27th Legislative District Senate candidate Jack Connelly features the image of a teenage girl to illustrate Connelly’s claim that his opponent, state representative and fellow Democrat Jeannie Darneille, has a “concerning” record on public safety issues.
Political Smell Test: Ad for R-74 misleads on older-couple partnerships
Published October 23rd, 2012 - 6:35AM
THE CLAIMS: A campaign mail piece urging support of Washington’s same-sex marriage referendum ties the measure to domestic partnerships for the elderly.
Political Smell Test: Attack ads against Jeannie Darneille examined
Published October 2nd, 2012 - 6:30AM
A series of recent campaign mailers and television spots from 27th Legislative District Senate candidate Jack Connelly attacks his opponent, fellow Tacoma Democrat and state Rep. Jeannie Darneille, for generally being soft on crime and supportive of criminals’ rights.
Political Smell Test: Ad exaggerates on offender house
Published August 12th, 2012 - 1:27AM
Republicans in the state House are trying to trip up a Democratic candidate by tying her to a Puyallup controversy over where freed inmates should be allowed to live.
Candidates spar over timing of living in 29th District
Published August 1st, 2012 - 12:47AM
For now, the two Democrats running for an open House seat from the 29th Legislative District are primary opponents. But under the state’s Top Two primary system, they might also be the general election finalists in this strongly Democratic district.
Mailer attacking Connelly on wasteful project mostly true
Published July 30th, 2012 - 6:25AM
A mailer widely distributed to Tacoma residents last week amounted to the first attack ad in what’s turning into a negative campaign for the 27th District state Senate seat between two Democrats – state Rep. Jeannie Darneille and trial lawyer Jack Connelly.
Political Smell Test: Candidates spar over McKenna budget coup
Published July 2nd, 2012 - 11:57AM
In the first gubernatorial debate, Rob McKenna was no doubt ready for Jay Inslee to bring up last winter’s budget coup in Olympia, when Republicans took over the floor of the state Senate with help from disaffected Democrats. But instead, Inslee wanted to talk about another budget coup – 11 years ago in the King County Council Chambers, when McKenna was on the receiving end.
Gubernatorial candidates’ views of mortgage crisis examined
Published June 24th, 2012 - 9:47PM
In their first debate, gubernatorial candidates Republican Rob McKenna and Democrat Jay Inslee had an exchange over the causes of the mortgage crisis that helped trigger the Great Recession.




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