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Why State Auditor Brian Sonntag Would Have a Tough Time Running for Governor
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| Contributor | Ralphie |
| Last Edited | Ralphie Jun 29, 2011 04:44pm |
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| Category | Analysis |
| Author | Sandeep Kaushik |
| News Date | Tuesday, June 28, 2011 10:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | At first glance, State Auditor Brian Sonntag seems like a formidable potential gubernatorial candidate. His job as auditor, where he routinely earns headlines criticizing the spendthrift ways of local and state government agencies, gives him an excellent platform to launch a bid as a seasoned reformer and change agent. A conservative Democrat from Pierce County, Sonntag has already run successfully statewide five times, serving as auditor since winning the office in 1992.
And he’s popular with voters suspicious of Olympia and its arcane ways, enjoying a centrist, bipartisan appeal. Sonntag won reelection in 2008 with an impressive 63.5 percent of the statewide vote — his 1.7 million vote total that year was more than any other statewide candidate.
Now Sonntag is seriously considering a run for the state’s highest office. He told Crosscut’s Ted Van Dyk a couple of weeks ago that he will announce his decision by July 4. He clearly covets the office; when rumors surfaced last year that Gov. Gregoire might be appointed Solicitor General in the Obama administration, Sonntag was quick out of the blocks to announce that he would throw his hat in the ring if a special election were called.
But for all of his advantages, with 1st District Congressman Jay Inslee having made his run for governor official yesterday Sonntag has even more serious disadvantages that should make him think twice about running. Because if he does get in, he has a very slim chance of getting out of the primary, much less beating McKenna in a general election. |
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