In the race for King County executive, Democrats need to unify

A new KING 5 poll shows that Susan Hutchison, the former KIRO-TV news anchor, is still riding high on her massive name-recognition advantage. It appears her notoriety and solid Republican base make Hutchison a near certainty to move past the top-two primary on Aug.18.

This puts Democrats in a difficult position. With the recent initiative to make the office of King County executive non-partisan, the race will be harder to frame as Democrat vs. Republican — playing right into the hands of the well-known Hutchison.

To hold on to this office, Democrats should unite behind a single candidate now. The fight to cut into Hutchison’s name-recognition dominance and boost from a solid conservative base cannot start early enough for Democrats. The newly non-partisan nature of the office necessitates haste.

While numbers were previously muddled, the new poll shows that Dow Constantine is now a front-runner among Democrats. He has already proven himself a capable leader in a long career of public service, and this new poll confirms his viability. Only through unity can the Democratic majority of King County prevent a candidate out of step with their ideals from usurping a vital office.

Nick Rosellini

Issaquah, Wash.