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kucinich
Good Vibe Fest
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natures or live in the state for a certain peri-
od of time in order to qualify for the ballot.
“You can move right in and declare for
office,” said David Ammons, spokesman
for Washington Secretary of State Sam
Reed.
That means Kucinich could campaign for
several months in Washington before hav-
ing to officially file as a candidate and lose
his Ohio seat.
While still serving as an Ohio congress-
man, Kucinich could campaign in
Washington state as an unofficial candidate
once the new district lines are
set. That will probably be
around the start of next year.
He could keep his Ohio seat
until Washington state’s May
18 candidate filing deadline.
The state’s primary is Aug. 7.
Kucinich said he probably
— Washington GOP Chair Kirby Wilbur won’t decide until district
lines are set at the beginning
of next year.
“Congress might be a
national office, but you run in a district and
either one of them,” he said.
Kucinich said it’s too early to decide the districts haven’t been created,” he said.
where he will run, but he’s “looking for- “I’m not really at liberty to describe a can-
didacy running somewhere when the dis-
ward” to returning to the state.
Washington’s generous ballot access laws tricts haven’t been created.”
Over the years, Kucinich has earned a rep-
could make things easier for Kucinich.
To run, Kucinich would only have to utation as a maverick with strong anti-war
move to the state and register to vote some- views and a quirky streak. He’s called for a
time before next spring’s filing deadline for “Department of Peace.” He wanted to
congressional candidates. Washington does impeach former Vice President Dick
not require candidates to collect voter sig- Cheney, an effort opposed by House
Cleveland to try to run for Congress in
Washington state” said Chairman Dwight
Pelz.”It’s sort of ethically tainted ....
Democrats aren’t excited about him running
here.”
Pelz said the two open seats Kucinich is
considering - a new one created by the
state’s own redistricting and an open seat to
replace Rep. Jay Inslee who is running for
governor - will be in competitive districts
that lean Democratic.
“These are districts Democrats should
win, but I think Dennis Kucinich could lose
PHOTO BY SuSan Fried
‘I pray every night and light
candles for him to come out
here. He’s so far left and so far
out there and so beatable’
michael “the renaissance poet” moynihan performs at The Good Vibe, an
annual free concert at Dr. Blanche lavizzo Park on July 16. The concert
included dance performances, spoken word, and hip hop as well as free
food for those attending the concert.
Democratic leaders.
He recently pushed for a House amend-
ment that would have barred funds for the
U.S. operation against Libya, but it failed.
In a lighter moment, Kucinich enlivened a
2007 presidential debate when he con-
firmed seeing an unidentified flying object
at the Washington state home of actress
Shirley MacLaine. With a smile, he said he
would open a campaign office in Roswell,
N.M., home to many alleged UFO sight-
ings.
Kucinich pursued the Democratic nomi-
nation for president in 2004 and 2008. He
has deep roots in his hometown of
Cleveland, where he was dubbed the “boy
mayor” after being elected at age 31.
Kirby Wilbur, GOP chairman in
Washington state, joked that Republicans
would be happy to take up a collection to
pay for Kucinich’s air fare to come out and
run.
“I pray every night and light candles for
him to come out here,” Wilbur said. “He’s
so far left and so far out there and so beat-
able.”
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Page 4 The Seattle Skanner July 20, 2011