The SunBreak » mayor

McGinn and Murray to Battle for November’s Mayoral Title

Michael van Baker — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 17:41:35 +0000

With 98,328 ballots counted (and 96,445 on hand to be counted, plus whatever continue to trickle in through the mail), Ed Murray and Mike McGinn have established clear leads over the rest of the field.

In Race with McGinn & Murray, Citizen Steinbrueck Starts Throwing Elbows

Michael van Baker — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 18:28:22 +0000

Mayoral candidate Peter Steinbrueck appeared Monday night, without fanfare, on the 73rd floor of the Columbia Center, at the Sky View Observatory, where he was introducing himself to guests with the casual remark that "I'm running for mayor."

Op-Ed: Could the Tunnel Elect Mayor Mike McGinn Twice?

Michael van Baker — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:44:00 +0000

But, just over a year out, McGinn has just one challenger: Charlie Staadecker, a former hospitality executive who sounds like a political rookie himself. And events seem to be conspiring in McGinn's favor.

Bremerton (Almost) Back in the High Life Again

Michael van Baker — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:53:53 +0000

If you visited Bremerton on July 23, 2011, you might have just been passing through, driving off the ferry and exiting through the tunnel. The tunnel's goal was to make Bremerton more pedestrian friendly, and in fact, above your head, for three blocks along a closed-to-traffic Pacific Avenue, about 4,000 people were standing and socializing right there in the road. They were attending the Washington Beer Commission's first summertime brew festival, the cunningly named Summer Brewfest.

Why Do We Hate the Mayor So Much?

Michael van Baker — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:21:15 +0000

"Only fair" sounds like a gentleman's C, to me, and not to be unexpected from someone who is a) new to working within city government, b) taking up controversial positions, c) an outstandingly impolitic speaker, and d) in the unlucky position of cutting spending everywhere. (Just for the record, I'd give McGinn a C myself; though I sympathize with his positions on many issues, his ability to work the Seattle process out of stalemate is very much in doubt. So far, as a coalition-builder he's failed, and he too often takes his eye off the daily government ball to fasten onto hot-topic issues.)

Op-Ed: The Politics of Impatience (and Knowing Whereof You Speak)

Michael van Baker — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:18:00 +0000

Mayor McGinn didn’t get much runway from the Seattle Times. Seattle Timeseditorial columnist Joni Balter has a piece running today titled “The politics of impatience,” in which she bemoans how our short attention spans cut real political reform’s chances short: Ours are the politics of impatience. For Obama, it took less than seven months, … Continue reading →