Caitlin Ross: block off the old chip

Caitlin Ross is certified serious about politics.

The twenty-two year old is also the certified winner of yesterday's Democratic primary for the state House in position one in Eastern Washington's sprawling 9th District. She was unopposed.

To the folks of the 9th District, she's a young Democratic woman who wants to be a legislator. 

But to us, she's the daughter of talk host and 2004 8th District Congressional candidate Dave Ross (KIRO m-f, 9a-12p).

We got wind of her candidacy a week or two ago, when the right-wing blog Palousitics (poetically named after a particularly virulent testicular itch cattle get from lice) snottily announced they'd uncovered that Ross had  "voting residence credibility issues."

They breathlessly reported that her name was at two addresses in the district- one in Pullman, and another in Valleyford. 

If they'd bothered to ask Ross, they'd have found that Whitman County elections dep't hadn't yet erased her name after she moved to the Valleyford address from Pullman.

Calling her a "carpetbagger," they asked whether anyone could believe she actually lived in the 9th, and hinted at something darker: "...behind the eager beaver intern enthusiasm, something unpleasant is lurking."

Tighty-righty Sound Politics passed the innuendos on and thus it became a certified Blog Scandal (BS). Of course, two blogs a scandal does not make; and fortunately, 9th District voters depend more on the retail politics of county fairs, community BBQs, Kiwanis Club luncheons, and letters to the editor than the snide insinuations in bloggerspace.

And nothing, for once, came of nothing. (how refreshing!)

Ross is self-describes as a Democrat more conservative than some- she's a practicing Roman Catholic, and wants to stick to the practical issues of a rural district, rather than right/left arguments. "It's not about right vs. left," she says, "it's right vs. wrong." (you can see she's been honing her teeth for sound bites).

She says growing up in the Dave Ross household and working in his 2004 campaign certainly influenced her decision to get into politics. "His going out there and putting out a strong campaign was definitely instrumental in believing I could do it too."

Her age will be an issue. But, she says: I'm as qualified as my opponent. Neither of us have experience in the state legislature."

Ross is running against Steve Hailey of Mesa, a third generation farmer, Vietnam vet, grandfather and Republican in a district that hasn't put a Democrat in the Legislature since 1976.

"It's a great year to be a Democrat," says Caitlin, brightly. "People are ready for something different."

The district is one of the most sprawling- it includes all or parts of six counties – Whitman, Adams, Franklin, Garfield, Asotin and Spokane. Education and agriculture are what the district is about- amongst all those wheat fields, there's Washington State University in Pullman, and Eastern Washington University in Cheney.

Among other things, she's preaching oil seed farming to produce biodiesel- a crop that will take some development- maybe with the help of the government to make profitable for farmers, "It's a matter of getting independent of foreign resources,' she says.

She hammers away at 9th District voters the good political sense that Democratic statehouse majorities aren't going way anytime soon, therefore, "If we want a voice that's heard, it'd better be the voice of a Democrat."

How did a Mercer Island girl get to living and settling in the Spokane Valley? She graduated Gonzaga University last year and after five years in the area considers herself an Eastern Washingtonian and can't imagine going back to all the dampness and the endemic irony. "They're just more down-to-earth over here, more concerned with community; and, she says, "there are more Democrats than you'd think."

Ross says Democrats asked her to run for the office. From dryside politics, she knew Dal Lamagna, the wealthy entrepreneur, and Huffington Post blogger who's bankrolled and consulted with candidates and progressive causes all over the country including Sen. Maria Cantwell, and Vashon's Backbone Campaign.

Lamagne spoke on Ross's behalf to House Majority Leader Frank Chopp and she met with him and Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown this week. They are, she says "very encouraging of my candidacy, very supportive."

She doesn't need big bucks (she's got a little over $5000) or influential friends to run in the 9th, she needs to press the flesh, and meet the folks.

Dave Ross told the Times' David Postman the advice he gave Caitlin:

I advised her to study the issues, meet as many voters in person as she can, get signs out, participate in every debate, tell the truth, and prepare to be belittled by the opposition because of her age.

I also told her she was smart enough to do this without help from me.

"It's great, having him do this before me," Ross says. "But he's definitely kept himself out, it's just me."

She's got a tough race- she brushes off any suggestion that she'll lose, but it's not a big deal. "Success to me does not necessarily mean a victory. They're not necessarily synonymous."

Comments

[joanie]

Such integrity! It must run in the family. And good advice from dad.

Another disgusting attempt at deception on the right . . . since, of course, the right never lies.

[sparky]

(more crickets chirping)

[Mike Barer]

I think it is great that Caitlin is running for office. Right On. She better have a strong heart because they are hard on Democrats, there. She is going to get plenty of criticism coming her way, some of it could be harsh!

[Kiwanis Club Luncheon]

So Ross is now alleging she lived in Pullman? Where? For a week at the home of a Democratic State Committeewoman (you conveniently left that out of your post).

This before she moved to Valleyford to live in the two-bedroom, one bath home of her campaign advisor and Democratic PCO?

She's been registered to vote in the 9th District for less than
3 months. That's not carpetbagging? I think I'd pick out some curtains first before I ran for state representative.

Oh, you're right, there's nothing here at all.

You think Dal Lamagna represents the views of the 9th District? What are you smoking?

By the way, Ross was outvoted by a margin of 2 to 1 by the Republican primary candidates. She'll have even more in common with her father soon.

[santa]

We'll see if Dave Ross's brand of liberal bullshit passes the muster in a red state. Don't think this elitest left wing sorority girl will fly in farm country.

[sclub]

What happens when they find out about her snooty Mercer Island upbringing, with servants and nannies. Good Luck

[sparky]

Yeah,,,another uppity edjucayted gurl who don't know her place, golldangit!

[cowpotpi3]

Wow some really jealous and petty comments here... I thought the "right" loved rich people? Oh that's right, if they toe the line on your side it's OK but if a Democrat does any of the things you guys do then they are the spawn of satan. Give it a rest you uneducated moral pigmys.

[Iloveit!]

What an inspiration! All you brave, dedicated citizens doing your civic duty by anonymously bashing someone who has stuck her neck out where her mouth is...

[sparky]

snooty! servants and nannies! elitest sorority girl!

I would be interested to know if those descripters come from personal knowledge or...
...or from your butt.

[blathering michael]

The butt: the fount of right-wing wisdom.

[Endemic Irony]

Shouldn't you have said "stuck her neck out where Dal Lamagna's money is"?

Why will none of you moonbats answer the question of whether or not it is seemly to move to a district strictly for the purpose of running for office?

And Ross is as qualified as a Vietnam vet farmer who has lived in the district his whole life? That might play in Fremont, but not in Washtucna.

Have fun storming the castle!

[sparky]

Your proof that it was her sole reason for moving is...............

[Cricket]

...Logic. She registered to vote (twice) three weeks before she filed for office. Was "run for the legislature" on her move-in checklist?

Another "proof" could be the fact that she registered to vote, quite possibly falsely, using the addresses of Democratic Party officials in order to qualify for the ballot.

Your proof that she is even a lawful candidate is........

[coiler]

Washtucna? Isn't that as dried up as Starbuck?

[Fremont]

She's casting her pearls before swine farmers....

[cinco]

look out Cait- you're in rattlesnake country!

[David Tatelman]

Jeez, such venom directed towards an idealistic young lady. Yes, of course she's not likely to win, but that doesn't mean you can't be polite and listen to what she has to say. Lighten up a little, you Republicans.

[sparky]

You are asking me to read her mind, as you have apparently done.

[ExRat]

The Palouse.. So much wheat, so little thought....

[Sporky]

Who needs Kreskin when there will be an Secretary of State Elections Division investigation?

[Dana]

"Why will none of you moonbats answer the question of whether or not it is seemly to move to a district strictly for the purpose of running for office?"

Why not? Pam Roach did it and got away with it.

[Goldy]

"Only an idiot would pick up and move districts just to make a futile, last minute run against a popular Democratic incumbent in an election year when Republicans are proving about as welcome as ringworm"

I was talking about Larry Ishmael, but swap "popular Democrat" for "popular Republican" and "an election year when Republicans" with "a district where Democrats" above and you get the idea about Caitlin Ross.

[joanie]

Apparently the right thinks Caitlin's quite a threat . . . otherwise, such meanness would be unnecessary.

[fuzzerr]

I'm a proud Pullman Democrat and this attempted swiftboating of Caitlin is repugnant. However, there is enough truth to these allegations that I am concerned. She should come out and address them.

And by the way, all the "rube" comments above only serve to reinforce the stereotypes people here have about liberals/progressives. It doesn't help our cause.