Will this be the second reason Rossi loses?

.
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that 2010 will be a GOP year. The fringe left nutjobs running government at the state and federal levels are doing everything they can to get the dems crushed in the upcoming election.

That said, one of the more troubling aspects for the GOP is the unbelievable arrogance establishment candidates like Dino Rossi and Jaime Herrera typically show.

Herrera, who fired the LA she acquired when she got the appointment in 07 because she was "too old," has been the epitome of arrogance. Of course, having an interfering Godfather type like McMorris around to drag her to the finish line doesn't help in that regard, nor does her almost mythical ability to be given everything she's received instead of actually going out and earning it. Herrera, like Rossi, have become legends in their own minds. They see themselves as being unstoppable.

This, however, is Washington State. And their is no sure thing. Herrera's leftist tendencies verified when she moronically told the Columbian:

“Not once have you heard me criticize Brian Baird’s performance in Southwest Washington,” she told the editorial board. “Linda Smith and Baird both have an independent streak.”

As if Baird hadn't done volumes of things worth not only "criticizing" but condemning outright; when combined with her "Guardian of the SEIU" status and her help gladly given to the leftists to rip off the last $229 million out of the state emergency fund.... these are the kinds of things that make genuine Republicans cringe at the very idea of a closet leftist like Herrera getting elected to dog catcher.

Rossi, of course, has the same types of problems based on HIS "anointed" status.

As a rule, over-arching arrogance isn't an attractive reason to vote for someone.

Rossi's first horrific mistake based on arrogance was his failure to announce back in February. That allowed the fringe left to use him as a pinata while he couldn't answer; it gave Murray the opportunity to raise additional millions unencumbered by having high profile competition and it kept Rossi from getting a 4 month head start on his own fundraising needs... his bogus "he raised $600,000 in a week!" crock notwithstanding.

Now, his second mistake built out of arrogance: blowing off the grass roots in the guise of the Tea Party.

Why Dino Rossi isn't courting the tea party

The GOP front-runner skipped the movement's forums, but that likely won't hurt his chances in the 2010 election.

By Jim Brunner

Seattle Times political reporter

BELLINGHAM — At Whatcom Community College's Syre Auditorium last week, the passion of the conservative tea-party movement was on full display.

More than 400 people packed the candidate forum sponsored by the Bellingham Tea Party, cheering raucously for Republican U.S. Senate candidates Clint Didier and Paul Akers as they one-upped each other with calls to chop the federal government down to a size the Founding Fathers might recognize.

The evening had all the flavor of the conservative insurgency that has become this year's popular national political narrative — a tide that has washed away establishment GOP candidates in Utah, Kentucky and Florida in favor of fiery tea-party-backed rivals.

And yet there was one crucial absence: Republican front-runner Dino Rossi, who spent the day at a Spokane Republican women's luncheon. It was the second big tea-party forum he has skipped in recent weeks

More:

One of the things you learn in this business is that there are, in reality, two elements to a successful election.

The first, of course, particularly in a contested primary with a relatively low turn out coming up, is to provide people with reasons to vote for you. At this point, as far as I can tell, the only reason to vote for Rossi is that he's Rossi.

That's not nearly good enough for me, at least, and I will not be voting for Rossi. I'm long since the stage in my life where I find "settle for" votes to be acceptable.

The second, and easily the "as important" aspect of elections is to not provide people with reasons to vote against you.

Locally, the best example of that truism is Jon Russell, whose consistent lies and exaggerations, combined with his use of Washougal city government as a campaign prop along with his avoidance of responsibility for the many times he's screwed up as a councilman has provided thousands of people with many reasons to blow past him on the ballot.

Rossi, on the other hand, heaps scorn on the Tea Party by acting as if they didn't exist.

Well, here's a clue: those of us supporting the Tea Party issues DO exist. And if he goes to the general... he will need each and every one of those votes... and he won't get them.

Yeah, yeah.... I've seen the polling. But we live in a state as deep and darkly blue as downtown Moscow when it comes to election results.

Does ANYONE believe that if he gets to the general, Rossi will win in a blowout?

I'm not convinced he can win or will win by any number. But does anyone think it isn't going to be close?

I will be among the percentage of those who will not vote for Rossi under any circumstances. That percentage may be small... but it will be there.

And that, like this moronic delay in announcing, will be the fault of the arrogance of Rossi.

Cross Posted at Dino Rossi Watch, Jaime Herrera Watch and Jon Russell Watch.
.