It’s been known for some time now that the Lazy C, the Columbian newspaper so labeled by this blog due to their lack of interest in critically viewing Democrats, is and has been reluctant to shine light on Democrat candidates. They just can’t bring themselves to do it.
In the 125th anniversary of the founding of the newspaper it was freely admitted the paper was founded as “a weekly paper with a Democratic bent designed to counter the local Republican paper of the time.”
And from where I sit, it hasn’t changed, still failing close to half of the region.
Such is the case once more as shortly after the 2018 primary election counts began rolling out, Oregon’s carpetbagging Democrat, Carolyn Long, hoping to unseat 3rd Congressional District Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Republican, sent out an email containing the claim;
“Southwest Washington is ready for a change!”
• Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler had the lowest re-elect number out of all of the red Congressional Districts in Washington on Tuesday.
• 50.3% of voters chose a Democrat.
• 59% of voters cast their ballots for someone other than Herrera Beutler.
“It’s clear: Southwest Washington is done with Jaime.”
Looking closer at successive ballot counts from the first, Jaime Herrera Beutler has been ahead in each district wide count, actually increasing her lead each count.
1. JHB 47,192 40.09% CL 42,251 36.06%
2. JHB 55,096 41.61% CL 47,514 35.88%
3. JHB 63,450 42.13% CL 53,220 35.34%
4. JHB 63,719 42.14% CL 53,413 35.32%
5. JHB 67,463 42.06% CL 56,720 35.36%
6. JHB 68,623 42.09% CL 57,523 35.28%
51% of voters chose a Republican (there were two other Republicans in the race and a total of 4 Democrats as well)
64.07% voted for someone other than Carolyn Long.
Just how Ms. Long’s campaign can send out a campaign email claiming “It’s clear: Southwest Washington is done with Jaime,” and keep a straight face is beyond me. In fact, looking at individual counties that comprise the 3rd Congressional District, only in Clark County did Ms. Long end up with a slight lead, 39.53% for Ms. Long compared to 38.95% for Herrera Beutler, a difference of about one half of one percent, separated by a scant 574 votes.
For the rest of the district we see;
Thurston County: JHB 42.09% CL 35.28%
Pacific County: JHB 42.86% CL 30.63%
Lewis County: JHB 53.06% CL 19.09%
Cowlitz County: JHB 43.91% CL 34.79%
Wahkiakum County: JHB 51.72% CL 28.98%
Skamania County: JHB 44.47% CL 26.32%
Klickitat County JHB 45.47% CL 31.81%
To be clear, there is a small but vocal fringe alt-right element in Clark County that wants Herrera Beutler turned out, but the candidate they fronted finished well down with only 5.5% of the vote.
So just where do they figure Southwest Washington is done with Jaime when Carolyn is trailing district wide every single ballot count?
And why doesn’t the Lazy C see this as “newsworthy” as much as they do a Republican candidate for County Council trailing by 60% against an incumbent Republican whining about ill treatment at the party booth in the County Fair?
Surely a candidate issuing such a bogus claim as “It’s clear: Southwest Washington is done with Jaime” when that candidate is actually trailing in ballot counts should merit some mention by the paper.
But no, they only expend ink to shed light on Republicans.
As for Carolyn Long, she just might pull it out and win come November, stranger things have happened.
But issuing bogus claims when the facts say the opposite won’t get her there.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch, Ms. Long.
It’s going to take more than such blatant fabrications.
