Della Kicks off Campaign
Seattle City Council member David Della, who this morning kicked off his reelection campaign for a second term, said he was worried the chilly drizzle might keep people away.
Not so. Supporters braved the rain and the 7 a.m. start time to fill Seattle Center's Fisher Pavilion. One organizer estimated the crowd totaled close to 400 and likely raised between $15,000 and $20,000 for Della's coffers.
Della told those present, which included King County Executive Ron Sims and City Council members Richard McIver and Sally Clark, that he "loves this city" and "loves his job."
He said he promises to make Seattle a "world class city" with opportunities for all. "I worry that today's Seattle no longer provides affordability for working class families and individuals," he said.
It may have been Della's party, but the background noise was council member Peter Steinbrueck's decision not to seek reelection after nearly a decade in office. Steinbrueck said yesterday that he plans to leave in part to dedicate his time to fighting a viaduct rebuild and promoting the surface street option.
When it came time at the Della event to get out the pocketbooks, emcee and Gallatin Group principal John Arthur Wilson, had this advice for the crowd: "If you're thinking about contributing $50, double it. If you're thinking about running for Peter Steinbrueck's seat, triple it!"
The challengers are already starting to line up. Venus Velázquez, one of six finalists for the seat now held by council member Sally Clark, fired off a press release this morning announcing her candidacy for Steinbrueck's seat.
Comment
