Sam Hunt

SPOKANE -

Rep. Sam Hunt (D-Olympia) just introduced state Democratic Party Chair Dwight Pelz in a discussion about the "top two" primary, how it came about, and where it might lead. He enumerated the differences between Washington's current setup and the Louisiana process after which it was modeled. Hunt, like Pelz, is not a fan of the system.

Pelz read from the Supreme Court's decision that upheld I-872, notably the passage that created wiggle room by stating that voter confusion in the ballots could reverse the decision.

The party chair maintains that "it is our opinion that the courts did not uphold the constitutionality" of top two when they upheld it earlier this year, but rather they declined to rule on it.

"We think Democrats should pick Democratic candidates," he reiterated, "and Republicans should pick Republican candidates."

On the heels of a heated back and forth between state Democrats and Dino Rossi over Lewis County flood relief policies in the last week, the bickering continues today on the pages of The Olympian. In an editorial today, the newspaper highlighted the relief funding efforts by three Democratic legislators in the 22nd District, Sen. Karen Fraser (D-Thurston County), Rep.