The Long Run: A Giant Weight Lifted
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Congressional candidate Emily Randall serves Jefferson County Commissioner Greg Brotherton some beans. Her opponent, Hilary Franz, is in the background, along with Jefferson County Sheriff Joe Nole. [/caption]
Election news and commentary by Charlie Bermant
Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race on Sunday, two hours before the scheduled Jefferson County Democrats’ fundraiser. The announcement changed the tone of the event along with the country's mood.
“Walking downtown today, I could gauge the burden I was carrying,” said attendee Joel Rodgers. “I was thinking, what do we do now? How do we fix this? Then I heard the news, and the burden was gone, I could feel a tremendous weight coming off of my shoulders. It was remarkable.”
About 175 people attended the event. No estimation of money raised was available at press time. It occurred at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, the same location hosting a debate watch on June 27. Three weeks after the subpar debate performance against Republican Nominee Donald Trump, Biden weathered criticism about his age and ability to govern. He also received repeated calls from party leaders to withdraw.
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Someone took all the Biden signs down. [/caption]
“I wish the criticism of him wasn’t so public,” said Jefferson County Democrats Vice Chair Jean Ball. “It was awkward, and his ego was getting in the way. He wasn’t doing the right thing. I’m glad that he made the right decision so we can move forward.”
“We are now talking about a blue wave,” said Peggy Myre. “Stepping aside was the responsible thing to do.” Said Tracy Grisman “I was wondering what the conversation was going to be here today. I found that people were excited, I saw a lot of smiles coming in.”
Bob Ferguson, the expected Democratic Gubernatorial nominee, was the headline speaker even as his other commitments necessitated an early exit from the event. He had endorsed Harris earlier in the day, an action based on personal knowledge rather than political expediency.
Ferguson was first elected to his current post as Washington State Attorney General in 2012, during which time Harris held the same post in California. They bonded, in part, “because there weren’t a lot of Democrat attorneys general.”
“I got to know her fairly well,” he said. “I was impressed by her. She’s tenacious, she's smart, and focused on being an advocate for the people. She's tough, but I found her to be a warm and gracious person. Which I appreciate. She's been very kind to my young daughter, for example, over the years. So I appreciate someone who's good with kids. That means a lot to me.
“If anyone can prosecute the case against Donald Trump, it's a prosecutor like Kamala Harris,”
While some in the room had ambivalence about the Biden candidacy prior to the announcement, they immediately recognized him as one of the most effective modern presidents. He received a standing ovation for his accomplishments, although a gap between political signs indicated that several for Biden were removed prior to the event.
Those attending included Democratic Candidates for Congress (Hilary Franz and Emily Randall); State Legislature (Steve Tharinger, Mike Chapman, Eric Pickens, and Adam Bernbaum); Superintendent of Public Instruction (Chris Reykdal): State Treasurer (Mike Pellicotti) and Jefferson County Commissioner (Ben Thomas).
“Biden has had one of the most amazing presidencies,” Franz said. “ I see it firsthand in the work that I do at the Department of Natural Resources. We've seen more investment in forest health, forest restoration to reduce these catastrophic fires. We've seen more investment in salmon recovery and restoration, as well as conserving working forest land and farmlands, as well as investments in our roads and infrastructures and even our schools and communities.
He has been a phenomenal president and a phenomenal leader. And I also think that the statement that he made today is a sign of true leadership.”
Emily Randall, Franz’s sole Democratic opponent in the 6th District race, bestowed similar praise.
“I'm honored and grateful to have been able to support President Biden in his last election and so grateful for the work that he's done on behalf of all of us to build a stronger economy and get us through the pandemic,” she said. “And I'm proud to support Vice President Harris in this election. We absolutely have to win the presidency. We have to take back the House, and we have to hold the Senate. So I'm going to be out there engaging voters in our community.”
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Jim Whittaker (seated) and his wife Dianne Roberts chat with gubernatorial candidate Bob Ferguson. [/caption]
Port Townsend resident Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mt. Everest in 1963, is a long-time supporter of the Democratic Party. He lauded Biden’s decision. Whittaker, 95, is 14 years older than the 81-year-old Biden.
“I thought that it was smart that he was thinking about the world and the Americans and nature and preserving what we have,” Whittaker said. “Damn it, we all get old, and begin to lose our power.”
Though primary ballots should already be in your mailbox, you won't find Biden on the ballot as the state's presidential primary was in March. The top two prevailing candidates from the other races will advance to the November 5th General Election, regardless of party.
Those who have not received their ballots should contact the Jefferson County Auditor.
Correction: an earlier version said that Bob Ferguson was first elected in 2016. He was actually elected in 2012.
All photos by Charlie Bermant
