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Will Ybarra make another run in the 14th District?
YAKIMA, Wash. -- A rematch of last year’s hotly contested 14th District state House election could be brewing; Democrat Vickie Ybarra is pondering another run.
Last year Ybarra, the president of the Yakima School Board, lost to State Rep. Norm Johnson, then a Yakima city councilman. The 53 percent to 47 percent result was the closest a Democrat had come to winning in the 14th in since 1994.
I wrote a story late last week about Michele Strobel, who owns a Selah cosmetics company, considering challenging Johnson as a Republican. I called Ybarra at the time to see whether she’d given another run any thought -- called all five of the other candidates from last year’s primary, actually.
She didn’t get back to me in time for that story, but she left a message.
“Let’s see, the question was, ‘Have I given any thought to running?’ Yes I have,” Ybarra said in the message. “That’s an option that I’ve considered since last run.”
I checked back with her late this morning, and she still feels that way. A lot of factors -- particularly whether she wants to try juggling family life, school board duties and her job as a Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic administrator -- will go into her decision. She expects to decide sometime after the first of the year.
She has previously mentioned a desire to finish her term on the school board, which expires in 2011 and would have to be cut short by a year if she were elected to the Legislature.
Also, the conservative-candidate sweep in this year’s Yakima City Council elections could dampen her prospects. But Ybarra said she wants to break down that election’s voter patterns before deciding how much stock to put into that.
“Certainly, looking at the current political landscape is important,” she said.
- Pat Muir
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13 comments so far.
Last year Vickie spent over $200,000 and got 47% of the vote. I wonder if Frank Chopp is willing to make that kind of investment again only to come up short when the votes are counted.
Report ViolationI think she should. I believe that she has a good chance of winning....if
She changes her advisers and her strategy. She needs to be more of a crossover candidate that can reach both the White and Latino votes.
The Latino vote can not be taken for granted. She can not assume that the Latinos will turn out and voter for her just on her name. They also want something in return for their vote.
This is clear from her previous run and from Soria and Rodriguez's campaigns.
(This comment has been removed by a Yakima Herald-Republic moderator)
Indie500,
I brought it up to shame the herald for playing the race card when their favorite candidates didn't win. And yes, I have issues with the Herald implying that voters in a mostly Republican city are racists when they don't vote for liberal hispanics. I will continue to remind people of the Heralds despicable tactics even when punks like you whine about it.
You're right, sjuan2, YOU brought it up. Thank goodness we have a self-important defender of the faith like you to courageously battle against the big bad despicable Herald Republic. Makes you wonder why they let you hang around the place? Maybe it's because they think it's funny how someone with a crass screen name like sjuan2 could possibly expect to be taken seriously on a complicated subject like race.
Report ViolationGentlemen,
Name calling and @#$% does not lead to any rightful solution. Now I know that I sometimes use words for accent but the above does nothing to resolve the issue. What it does do is take away from the usefulness of the blog. When people see this dribble, they do not want to waste their time to read through it.
I would much rather engage you on facts and logical dialoge. As a matter of fact, why don't we set up a public debate with the people that write on these blogs and invite the public as was done in the early part of our country's history? Sjuan2, Nick, Indie500 and others, up to it?
sjuan2,
You mention a telling trend in the lower valley that the white candidates win against the Latinos. That trend will soon be reversed. More and more, Latino voters are begining to understand the power of their vote. Latino voters are more intelligent then given credit for. They will not vote for someone just because they are known in the community and have a Latin surname.
The Latin voters should not be underestimated. A case in point is the race for City Council between Natalia Ybarra and Julie Andrews.
Natalia Ybarra had been on the City Council forever but the people of Granger organized themselves and voted for Julie because Natalia Ybarra was also on the Board of Directors of NCEC, which operates Radio KDNA. Because of her support of the KDNA administration and their refusal to sign a union contract, amoung other actions taken disrespecting the community, they joined with Julie to vote her out of office.
All it took was an organized effort and walking the streets.
Undie500,
What is "crass" about my screen name? You're the only person that's ever commented on it. Maybe you have some deep seeded racial issues that you need to work out?
What is it about what I said that you disagree with, and why? All you have done is whine about my screen name and made a fool of yourself.
Hector,
The trend I see is that Republicans consistently beat Democrats. Liberals like you play the race card when your liberal candidates lose. Try running some conservative hispanics against white liberals and see what happens. I'd be the first person to vote for a conservative hispanic against a white liberal.
sjuan2,
I take it that means not public debate?
The trend that you see, in so far a Democrats and Republicans is concerned, is that the Republicans will win so long as Democrats compete against the Republicans as if they were also Republicans.
I have not played the race card at any time so do not go around making statements to fit your purpose.
I have said that yes, race does play a role in politics. Any fool would be an idiot to say not. I also immediately followed with the race issue can easily be overcome by being clear on where a candidate stands and working hard to connect with the voters. That is walking the streets.
Is that the race card to you...
In any case, maybe it is best if you keep thinking like you do....why should I try to educate you? It would be in our best interest for you to feel so secure with your head in the sand.
She has the support out there, please run again!!!
Report ViolationMy party affiliation is Republican; however, I despise the terms "Conservative" and "Liberal" being applied to someone merely because of his or her political party. I vote for a candidate based solely on what I think of the candidate's beliefs, agenda, character, etc. I voted for both Sonia Rodriguez and Vickie Ybarra in the last elections, not based on race whatsoever. I did not care for Dr. Soria's performance in his previous position, and my opposition vote had nothing to do with race. As a member of the "Pre-Boomer generation", I look for common-sense in a candidate above all other factors in a political race.
Report ViolationWidow,
Despise is a harsh word. After all this is just politics.
Your vote is what makes the US great as shown by the fact that many people of all colors voted to elect a Black man. To many people race is not a critical factor. Like you say, you vote for the best person, above all other factors. But, as I read your comment, you also do not discount race as a factor.
However, despite many people like you voting for Vicki, the fact remains that she still lost. All I am saying is that if she is to win, she needs to be able to crossover to win the votes of both White and Latino voters.
One thing is for sure......if she loses it will be because of racism, right Pat?
Report Violation"Another trend that could prove telling was the fate of Latino candidates in races against non-Latinos. In addition to Soria and Rodriguez in Yakima, eight other candidates with Latino surnames faced candidates without Latino surnames. Only two of them were winning as of Tuesday: Janie Cruz, who led incumbent Donna Shipman by two votes in Granger; and former Toppenish Councilwoman Clara Jimenez, who defeated Karen Rogers and reclaimed her council seat.
Soria, who is Latino, hinted Tuesday night that he believed ethnicity played a part in his defeat but he declined when directly asked to come out and say so."
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/11/03/a-good-night-for-conservatives-in-yakima-county