Wanted: real party animals

Openings at the helms of the two major political parties are no coincidence. Both Chris Vance, who is stepping down as chairman of the Washington State Republican Party, and Paul Berendt, who is leaving as chairman of Washington State Democrats, are survivors of the epic fight over the 2004 governor's race.

A fight that long and protracted takes a toll and helps explain why these two want to move on to something else.

Political parties are shaped in part by the individual who leads them. The party leader becomes the personality of a party, one who sets the tone for candidates and elections.

The voluble Vance, who led his party through the governor's race with a hissy-fit press conference a day, was a very active, and in the end, effective party leader, even if gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi came up 129 votes short.

The proof is in the other Republicans who occupy key positions in state government. After a long dry period for the GOP in statewide races, competent, likable moderates have moved into top positions: Rob McKenna as state attorney general; Doug Sutherland as commissioner of public lands.

At secretary of state, the GOP's independent-minded moderate, Sam Reed, follows in the tradition of his predecessor, the similarly independent-minded, moderate Ralph Munro, who is also a Republican.

As GOP chairman, Vance was noisy and forceful, but his work behind the scenes moved the party away from ultra-conservative standard-bearers such as Ellen Craswell in the 1996 governor's race and Linda Smith, the too-far-right Senate candidate in 1998.

Vance's biggest success was his effort to attract voters in the suburban crescent around Puget Sound. This is where his most important victories in statewide contests occurred.

Vance leaves with a sturdy Republican cued up to run for governor in 2008, Rossi, and a strong Republican running this year for U.S. Senate, Mike McGavick. These men may be conservative, but they are moderate in manner and tone. They are not right-wing wackos or negativists who sit around listening to angry talk radio, despising public schools, hating public transit, lamenting local sports teams and their home fields.

Berendt, the low-key liberal, also leaves his party in reasonably good shape. Democrats control the governor's mansion and both the state Senate and House. Six of nine members of Congress are Democrats — four came about on Berendt's watch, including Reps. Brian Baird, Rick Larsen, Jay Inslee and Adam Smith.

Democrats should thank George W. Bush for angering and dismaying a lot of previously apathetic voters, many of whom are young, rabid and ready to participate in Democratic grass-roots politics.

Democrats are making inroads in some suburbs, especially close-in suburbs that typically become more like the central city they surround.

Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell will have a tough race against McGavick, but she suddenly has a marquee issue to campaign on. Her thus-far successful effort to stop drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has given her a higher profile.

In both parties, the question of who comes next matters a lot and will be decided in eight days at party meetings.

Democrats are most likely to pick former King County Councilman Dwight Pelz, who would be the Democratic equivalent of Vance. Pelz is strident and flies off the handle as a matter of routine. Outbursts are part of his shtick. He is comfortable alienating friends and colleagues with ridiculous tirades about off-beat issues like Cuba.

It's one thing to yowl in public as long as the party leader is doing good work behind the scenes. Vance did that. He was deft at party building, raising money and tamping down the far-right wing. Irascible Pelz, if he beats former state Rep. Laura Ruderman, will have to moderate his own temperament and personal views to be successful.

Republican Party leaders are backing Fredi Simpson, a young, grass-roots leader from Chelan County. She is Hispanic and has been a small-business woman, which provides a different public face for the GOP. Party leaders favor her over the often-unpleasant Diane Tebelius, whose name pops up frequently for political jobs.

The public does not vote for party leaders and party chairs do not directly affect the voting public. Yet, party leaders establish the tenor and mood of elective politics. It makes a difference if they are good at what they do — and both Berendt and Vance were pros.

Joni Balter's column appears regularly on editorial pages of The Times. Her e-mail address is jbalter@seattletimes.com