Democrat chairman facing challengers

By David Postman
Seattle Times chief political reporter

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Most read articles Most e-mailed articles

Three Democrats say they will challenge state party Chairman Paul Berendt, saying his 10 years is enough and the party needs to broaden its support in the state.

Greg Rodriguez, chairman of the King County Democratic Party, and Bill Phillips, chairman of the 21st District Democrats in Snohomish County, both said yesterday they already have been talking to members of the state party's central committee, major donors and others as each campaigns for the full-time job of state party chairman.

The decision will be made at a party meeting in January.

Berendt said that a third challenger, former Snohomish County Democratic Chairwoman Kat Overman, also has been contacting party members. She could not be reached yesterday.

"I don't think they're strong challengers to me," Berendt said.

He said he thinks he's done a good job this year promoting high turnout at the party presidential caucuses, tripling the number of precinct committee officers and helping to push through a new primary system that restricted voters to choosing candidates from just one party.

Rodriguez and Phillips said Democratic candidates could have done better last week if there had been a message tailored to more-conservative rural voters.

"I do think the state tends to trend Democratic," said Phillips. "But we cannot take that for granted."

If they do, he said, "I think we're vulnerable to that rising tide of red."

Rodriguez said the "eastern side of the state just feels neglected."
 
He also said he wants to implement better technology at party headquarters and offer more help for local grass-roots party organizations.

"There are a lot of people unhappy with Paul," Rodriguez said, acknowledging that he and Berendt don't get along.

Berendt said that after a year of big losses "you can feel the knives coming out, but I just don't feel that."

Rodriguez said some Democrats are unhappy about Berendt's very public wooing of radio-show host Dave Ross to run for Congress after Democrat Alex Alben had been in the race for months. Ross easily won the primary but lost in the 8th District race to King County Sheriff Dave Reichert.

Alben has endorsed Rodriguez's bid for chairman. Rodriguez made an unsuccessful run for the state House in 1994. He has been chairman of the King County party since 2002.

Phillips is an aide to U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Lake Stevens.

David Postman: 360-943-9882 or dpostman@seattletimes.com