Many of us in Kittitas County were bracing for the attack on the Governor for approving a wind project west of Ellensburg. We thought the GOP would try to say that local government and local citizens weren’t listened to and that the big hand of state government ignored the will of the people.
It’s been a couple weeks now and it hasn’t happened. Well, Doc Hastings sent out a press release which was countered effectively by the Governor and her staff.
But, other than that, it’s been incredibly quiet.
My theory is that the GOP has learned that they can’t attack wind farms because too many swing voters in Western Washington strongly support them. If they go after Christine for supporting wind farms, they will look anti-environmental and it will cost them too many votes in suburban King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties.
I will also speculate that they STILL will try to make hay out of this issue but only during election season. However, they will do it under the radar. They might get the Building Industry Association Of Washington to create an independent expenditure with a name like “Citizens For Local Input” or “People Who Like People” and send mailings, or radio ads into central Washington attacking the Governor for approving the wind farm.
Those of us at The Other Side will be ready with our scanners and tape recorders and a list of environmental organizations if they try to sneak something like that under the radar. See, there are people on this side of the mountains who care about the environment too.
If you don’t believe that Republicans are nervous about environmentalists on the west side, check out this press release from Congressmember Dave Reichert (who represents East Pierce and King County): Republicans should embrace environmentalism By Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.)