WA-08: Burner Concedes

Statement from the Burner campaign (via email):

“It is likely at this point that Congressman Reichert has won re-election, and while we will certainly ensure that every valid vote is counted, we accept the decision of the voters.

“I would like to thank the thousands of people who put so much time and effort into the campaign, as well as the countless thousands more who went beyond voting to actively participate in our democratic process this year. The election of Barack Obama as our new President will ensure that the change to the direction of our country called for in this campaign is realized in the new year.”

With both MD-01 and now WA-08 called, the only House races left on the table are AK-AL, CA-04, CA-44, OH-15, and VA-05. Of these, I think we only really have a reasonable shot at OH-15 and maybe CA-04. VA-05 is all but in the bag.

UPDATE by Crisitunity: This evening’s ballot dump in Pierce County probably was the last straw; Reichert’s lead shot up to 8,000 votes (a 51.5-48.5 margin, with about 80% counted so far), whereas his margin of victory was only 7,000 votes in 2006.

45 thoughts on “WA-08: Burner Concedes”

  4. From the Great Orange Satan-

    The Seattle Times spurious attack on Darcy’s character, calling her a liar because she accurately described her Harvard degree, apparently worked. So they succeeded in re-electing an already ineffective incumbent who will be even more so mired deep in the minority, with a Democratic president.

    Congratulations, Emily Heffter and the Seattle Times. You just assured progress on key issues like transportation and environmental protection in the 8th District won’t have an effective proponent in the House. At least we’ve got good Senators.

    As a politician, you have to be prepared to beat back the media when they turn on you. I’m not pointing a finger at Burner, but there’s just no other easy scapegoat when a Democrat loses a D+2.

    I’ll say it again. The netroots needs to consider why it supports one candidate over another. Democrats have dropped $5 million+ in WA-08 over the last two cycles. This year at least $764,609 (ActBlue) of that coming from our pockets because we were told (again) by the powers that be that Burner could win. Sigh.

  5. Can anyone beat Reichert in that district?  It seems he just skates by with more support than a normal republican would have thanks to his celebrity status.

  7. Does anyone find it odd that Alaska is the only state where all the results differed so greatly from the polls?  

  8. I never really warmed to Burner, and, it appears, neither did her constituents.

    Time to find someone else for the 8th District run.

    Maybe Darcy Burner can go on a killing spree and a cop can bust her who will then run as a Dem and beat Dave Reichert and Burner can finally claim success in this district?  

  9. i’ll admit. but what’s good for the netroots may not work in the district.

    Darcy was at least close.

    Dan Seals on the other hand was a complete debacle.

    the problem with pushing these two is that we didn’t really gain anything. neither of them can run again. and we can’t beat Reichert or Kirk.

  10. I suspect we’ve become a wee bit spoiled over the Dems success rate of defeating incumbents the last couple of cycles. And have forgotten how seldom an occurrence that really is, on a historical basis.

  11. I generally dislike Microsoft products as much as the next guy, and hate the Microsoft Co. and their FUD business model as much as the next guy.

    But would I take that out on an ex-employee running for office?

    Hmmm, I’m not sure… it’s possible I just might. Especially if I were a low information voter putting only a couple minutes of thought into my vote, and it’s between “The Sheriff” and a Microsoft manager, well…

  12. Going into the 2006 cycle, many people thought only 25 or so House seats would even be in play. It was a surprise that the number went into the 40s, and even more so that the Democrats won so many of them without losing a single incumbent.

    This year, perhaps expectations were too high. Polling showed even more seats in play, up to 70 or 80. Seems to me that the polling was optimistic: some seats that were supposed to be Democratic favored or toss-ups were not that close, and some that were supposed to be worth looking at turned out to be blowouts. But in just about any other year, a party would be thrilled to pick up 20+ House seats.

    Yeah, I was hoping for more too. We had some terrific candidates who didn’t win, and some who lost by a lot. But the rest of the country is where it is, we still had some excellent candidates who won, and we have many good folks from 2006 returning to the Hill. Helps to keep things in perspective.

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