For Sims, a good day at the office

After nearly a year of bad days at the office, King County Executive Ron Sims finally posted a very good one.

Sims has angered both Democrats and Republicans with land-use policies and election-office snafus, but he was a sturdy winner last night, even with a Green Party candidate snagging nearly 5 percent of the vote. One troubling scenario would have been an election so close it put another spotlight on Sims' badly bruised election office, potentially spurring a legal challenge that could have lasted until spring. Sims' margin of victory ought to be big enough to fend that off.

It's not that the election office should not be scrutinized. It should be, and is. A turnaround team is observing this election and will make recommendations for improving future elections. But over time, the repeated suggestion that somebody walked off with an illegitimate election undermines voter confidence. Fortunately, King County voters have been spared.

Sims has plenty of people to thank for his re-election. He ought to dash off a quick thank-you note to President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and "Scooter" Libby.

Three or four weeks ago, the Sims campaign was faltering. Then, the campaign got serious about bringing home wayward Democrats. Sims probably secured the victory when the campaign sent out fliers showing a picture of his opponent, Republican King County Councilman David Irons, holding a Bush-Cheney campaign sign.

If Bush has 37 percent approval nationwide, imagine his popularity in Democratic King County. Imagine Cheney's numbers.

That mailer — combined with a TV ad showing Sims and his wife walking through a pristine wooded area, suggesting Irons would place a highway through the area — brought wavering Democrats back into the fold.

Sims also had good budget news, which provided the opportunity to brag about his management of the county budget in difficult financial times.

Sims ought to realize he won in some part because the GOP fielded a relatively weak candidate. A stronger Republican might have won.

If Sims still has fire for the job and has merely hit a bad patch, he should come out forcefully and embrace the third term. Step one, as he and everyone else knows, is restoring confidence in the elections office.