Monday politics: E. Washington county backs gay marriage, GOP soul-searching

Posted by Joni Balter

Good Morning.

County results
on approval of Referendum 74, allowing
same-sex marriage

Gay marriage: Washington voters affirmed Referendum 74, thereby retaining a law that legalizes gay marriage in Washington. The county-by-county results revealed a voting pattern that might be expected. The counties approving of gay marriage were located in the western half of the state. Until now. Whitman County, home of Washington State University, edged over the line to yes on gay marriage in recent vote counts.

Vancouver, Center of the Known Universe: It was reported over the weekend that some extra votes were found in Clark County — found but not yet counted. Clark County, it should be pointed out, has a couple of the closest legislative races in the state. Control of the Legislature may hinge on that county.

GOP soul-searching. First, it was former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour ordering up, well, a “proctology exam” -– his words, not mine – for the Republicans trying to decide what the party should do after its disappointing election. Then came former Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia saying that women and minorities are afraid of the Republican Party. Now Politico reports that the GOP wants to avoid future Todd Akins.

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Comments | More in General Election, homepage, Politics Northwest, State legislature | Topics: gay marriage, legislature, todd akins

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Politics Northwest is the go-to blog for politics in our region. The blog explores national, state and local political news and issues. Reporters from Washington, D.C., to Seattle City Hall to the state capital in Olympia contribute. Editors are Richard Wagoner and Beth Kaiman.

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