Voice of the Mid-Columbia | Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Wash. |
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Chris Mulick has worked for the Herald since 1998 and has served as the statehouse correspondent covering state government and politics since 2000. He works year-round out of the Herald's Olympia bureau on the state Capitol campus. Have a question? Send Chris an e-mail and he'll answer the best questions regularly. |
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closeJohn from Seattle read the recent Seattle Times story breaking down positions held by Gov. Chris Gregoire and Republican challenger Dino Rossi on an array of social issues.
In that story, Rossi stated he isn’t running abortion or gay marriage issues (he opposes both, though would allow abortions in case of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother).
In addressing Rossi’s statement that “he’s not running” on those issues, John asks the following:
“What does the phrase really mean? Is it just a maneuver or is it possible Rossi would try to duck those issues as governor? Whether or not he's running on an issue, won't he have to deal with it once in office (if elected)?”
We are to understand that Rossi is not making either issue a central theme of his campaign or a primary component of his platform. And if elected, given that and his general evasiveness on such issues, it would be quite notable should he press for legislation addressing either one of them.
But that doesn’t mean questions about his positions on them aren’t fair game. For starters, it would seem quite likely that the next governor will see a gay marriage bill land on their desk. And they’ll have to act on it one way or the other. So any question about a position on gay marriage is very much in play.
As Rossi said in the story, abortion is another matter. It’s something both parties have largely steered clear of and aren’t particularly eager to take up.
Nonetheless, such questions about any candidate’s position on abortion is fair game for one simple reason: Voters want to know. I’ve been told before that legislative candidates shouldn’t have to face questions about abortion because it’s not an issue they’d be likely to vote on if elected.
That may be true. But there are a lot of one-issue voters out there, for better or worse. And they want to know.
Thanks for the question.
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