Kirby to the Rescue

Kirby Wilbur is running for Washington State Republican Party Chair against incumbent (former State Senator) Luke Esser!

There's an excellent piece on Red State (and Red County) by Byran Myrick on what the heck (didn't) happen in this state on November 2nd. I highly recommend digesting it (read it here).

I was composing the following response before I read that Kirby will be challenging Luke Esser:

Okay. Luke Esser as judged by the results has in fact been a very polite, well spoken failure. Who then should take the helm of the rudderless Washington State Republican Party?

The Evans-Gorton-Munro-Reed club will produce more Democrat-Lite leaders and candidates. The Clint Didier-esque Tea Party'ite wing will likely produce angry leaders that turn off much of the Snohomish-King-Pierce County Squishy Centrists that determine statewide elections year-after-year.

Successful candidates like Rob McKenna, and up-and-comers like Reagan Dunn wisely take their political careers seriously and don't want to get stuck in the weeds-and-mud of the mechanics of running a state party.

So who does that leave to displace Luke Esser? Even former political staffers like Kellie Daniels have become successful political consultants who likely wouldn't want the tiny income or election return hits that leading the state party would likely bring them..

What about the likes of oft-written Eric Earling? Or other former/current DC staffers like Liz Fortunato (Gorton & Hastings), Travis Sines (Dunn), Chris Strow (Metcalf & State House), or Mariana Parks (Reichert)? At least those names have seen Republicans win in this state!

I am onboard with ousting Luke Esser based on results, but then what?

Then I read the news (again by Bryan Myrick): "Radio Talk Host Kirby Wilbur Announces Challenge for State GOP Chair"

I am SO very excited that somebody who has been part of the grassroots conservative underground of this state (and King County!) wants to head the party that SHOULD be courting not only Republicans, but fiscally conservative Independents (the Squishy Centrists) and the all important Scoop Jackson Democrats (especially those behind the Snohomish-King-Pierce Blue Curtain of the People's Republic of Seattle).

I just want to thank Kirby Wilbur for stepping up and offering to unseat the really nice, polite, funny, well spoken failure of a party head that the Republicans now have in the State of Washington.

Isn't it a better day knowing that there's some hope for the party of Ronald Reagan in this state?