A reader called this week to report on a questionable campaign phone call she received testing negative messages about King County executive candidate Dow Constantine. Kaye Kilgour of Seattle, who ironically worked in market research, was asked a series of questions about whether she would be more or less likely to vote for Constantine if she knew different things about him.
She called me because she was incensed by a question about whether she knew that Constantine was 47 years old, never married and lived with a partner, the implication being he is somehow not OK because he isn't married.
Constantine lives with his female partner, Shirley, and has for many years. He told me she is just very unconventional, not eager to get married.
I interviewed Kilgour so she could explain what happened in her own words.

Interview with Kay Kilgour about King County executive push poll

Kilgour was not told who was conducting the poll but the negative questions were all asked about Constantine, not opponent Susan Hutchison.
When I asked the Hutchison camp if it was involved, the answer was not the typical, "That's not us...'' or "Must be an independent expenditure.'' The answer was that the campaign does not discuss proprietary poll efforts.

State Rep. Dave Upthegrove of Des Moines also received a call testing negative Constantine messages but his call, two days after Kilgour's and one day after my call to the Hutchison campaign, did not contain the same question about lifestyle.
I am not certain what is going on here but whoever is doing this is not just testing negative messages, but engaging in sleazy campaigning.
Hutchison's campaign - if it is involved - should condemn the tactic and cease and desist, which it may have already done. After a phone call from the press.