Campaign's partisan tone dismays Yakima mayor

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Decrying "far right" partisanship in city politics, Yakima Mayor Dave Edler says he is fighting back by publicly endorsing former Yakima schools chief Ben Soria in his race against Councilman Bill Lover.

In an interview Thursday, Edler accused local business newspaper publisher Bruce Smith of orchestrating a letter-writing campaign against Soria in the Yakima Herald-Republic and confirmed reports he recently met with local leaders of the Republican Party to tamp down the party's role in what is a nonpartisan election. The party plans to announce its City Council endorsements today.

"We need leaders right now, which is why I'm endorsing Ben Soria," Edler said, adding, "I'm so tired of partisan politics, and I did approach the central GOP committee (and) asked them not to endorse candidates" for Yakima City Council.

Lover, who faces Soria and two other challengers in the Aug. 18 primary, said it's the mayor who's taking sides.

"In my opinion, he's made it partisan, and I will request an endorsement from the Republican Party," he said.

Edler said his request to meet with Republican leadership stemmed from the party's decision to publicly oppose the proposed EMS levy earlier this year. Weeks later, the local Democratic Party endorsed the measure, which was overwhelmingly rejected by voters.

The mayor had campaigned with Fire Chief Charlie Hines to get the levy proposal approved.

"They (the GOP) didn't meet with the full council, they didn't meet with the fire chief, and I wanted to know what their process was," Edler said. "They said (Councilman Rick) Ensey and Lover asked them to take that stand ... It troubled me."

Max Golladay, chairman of the Yakima County Republican Party, said the party's executive committee believes it's important to let voters know which council candidates meet its criteria as conservatives. That's why the meeting Edler called to ask the party to halt endorsements "didn't go very well," he said.

"We've sent out letters to people whose politics align closely with the party's asking if they wanted our endorsement," Golladay said.

Golladay called the meeting with Edler a frank discussion and said party leaders found his criticism of Lover, Ensey and Councilman Micah Cawley distasteful. That Edler endorsed Soria while criticizing the GOP for making endorsements was hypocritical, Golladay said.

Edler said his concerns about partisanship have intensified in recent weeks as the 2009 race for four seats on the City Council, including Lover's, begins to heat up.

Edler said he was reluctant to criticize Lover in an interview for this story. Nevertheless, he accused the retired Boeing engineer of having an overly simplistic anti-tax philosophy that makes problem-solving a challenge.

"'I know what you're against, but what are you for?' " he asked rhetorically of Lover, adding, "I don't want to go on a rampage about Bill. His record speaks for itself."

Lover joined the council in 2005 and is seeking his first re-election to an at-large seat. He and the mayor have parted company on key issues, including the EMS levy and a proposed aquatic center .

In addition to Soria, postal carrier T.J. Davis and Mitchell Smith, who sells online products, are vying for the at-large seat in the Aug. 18 primary.

Edler said the retired school superintendent has been the victim of a letter-writing campaign to label Soria as a liberal tax-and-spend "bureaucrat." He's convinced that Smith, the editor and publisher of the Yakima Valley Business Times, is behind it.

"It's a sad way to play the game, from my perspective, assaulting the character of someone I consider one of the finest men in our community," the mayor said. "This is the way Bruce plays the game."

Smith could not be reached Thursday for comment. A member of his staff at the Yakima Valley Business Times said he was out of town for the day.

Smith was the first to report Edler's meeting with the GOP in his most recent column in the Business Times. He said Edler's comments were met with a "less-than-friendly reception" from party leaders, and he questioned whether Edler's "vision" on subjects like the EMS levy and a proposed aquatic center undercut the mayor's self-described standing as a Republican.

"Edler has the right to support whomever he wants," Smith wrote. "But it seems clear to me that what he wants are more liberals and more people who will rubber-stamp staff decisions."

Lover said Thursday that he frequently asks supporters to write letters to the editor on his behalf and that Edler's characterizations of Smith as a political operative are "between him and Bruce."

Edler said he's writing his own letter to the editor to support Soria and he's promoting his candidacy to people he knows in the community.

"He's not just standing on the sidelines cheering," Lover said. "He's an active player in this campaign."

Lover denied that he asked the local GOP to oppose the EMS levy and said he's the obvious target of Edler's no-endorsement request to party leaders.

"I haven't talked to Dave, but I guess there's no reason to," Lover said, adding, "The mayor's entitled to his opinion, even if it's wrong."

* Reporter Pat Muir contributed to this report.

* Chris Bristol can be reached at 509-577-7748 or cbristol@yakimaherald.com.