From The Whidbey News Times
A campaign kickoff for a race that some think could alter the majority in the state Legislature drew hundreds of Republican party members, elected officials and community leaders to the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge Tuesday morning.
State Rep. Barbara Bailey wants to unseat Mary Margaret Haugen in the State Senate and she formally announced her campaign at a May Day breakfast.
“I’m extremely nervous. It’s humbling to get up in front of an audience like this,” said Bailey, who has served as a 10th District representative for 10 years.
Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna, a candidate for governor, introduced Bailey. He said Bailey’s race is important because it is one of the seats that could help end the Democratic majority in the state Senate.
“You see a consistent pattern of leadership based on principle,” McKenna said during the breakfast. He described Bailey as a friend to small business. that she understands the issues that need to be resolved to improve the business climate in the state.
“We’re going to lower the cost of doing business in the state,” McKenna said. He targeted the high costs associated with the worker’s compensation system, the business and occupation tax and the regulations businesses are subjected to as areas that need reform.
McKenna added that Bailey has a tough race ahead as it is difficult to defeat an incumbent such as Haugen, a veteran of several decades in the Legislature.
“We going to need you to doorbell, put up yard signs and contribute,” McKenna said, adding that word-of-mouth campaigning is the best way to run a successful election.
Several hundred Republican party members awakened early enough to attend the 7 a.m. breakfast. Bailey thanked the elected officials for their willingness to serve. School board members, city leaders and county officials were in attendance.
Bailey took a second to recognize Dave Hayes, a Camano Island resident who is running for the House seat Bailey is vacating.
Bailey talked about her childhood growing up on a farm in Missouri, saying the farming background instilled the values she uses in the Legislature. She said she will work to protect the environment, knows the value of an education and will buck the current trend and spend only what the state can afford.
“This state has been buying, buying and buying and it can’t pay the bill,” Bailey said.
Bailey expressed hope the November election will result in Republican control of both houses of the Legislature along with the governor’s office.
“It’s not easy being in the Legislature in a minority. I’m tired of being in the minority and you’re going to help me be in the majority,” Bailey said.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Representative Barbara Bailey
360-240-0844
electbarbarabailey@gmail.com
250 People Help Launch Rep. Bailey’s Campaign for Senate
Oak Harbor – 250 enthusiastic supporters joined State Representative Barbara Bailey today as she kicked off her campaign for the State Senate in the 10th Legislative District.
Rep. Bailey talked about the importance of changing the direction of the State Senate to focus on the issues most important to the people of District 10–jobs, the economy, and education. She also emphasized the need to have common sense values direct the policy of the State Legislature.
“This state has been buying and buying and buying and it can’t pay the bill,” said Rep. Bailey. “The simple, common sense fact is that you don’t spend what you don’t have.”
Representative Bailey was joined by district supporters, elected officials, and other candidates. Gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna was also a guest speaker.
“We can win this. We will win this,” said McKenna. ”And we will take our state, under her leadership…in a new direction, which is where we need to go.”
District 10′s other Representative, Norma Smith said, “It was terrific to see such great support for Barbara. Winning this election is a critical step in changing the direction of the Senate by electing a person of integrity who will focus on private sector job creation and reforming government.”
Mount Vernon City Councilmember Mark Hulst was also attending. ”I strongly support Barbara as she runs for State Senate,” said Hulst. ”I’ve known her for years and appreciate how she’s always done a great job for the folks in the district.”
Rep. Bailey is running for Washington’s Legislative District 10 against incumbent Senator Mary Margaret Haugen. Representative Bailey has said her campaign would focus on job creation, controlling government spending and improving our public schools. She will make job creation her number one priority in the State Senate.
“My seatmate Norma Smith and I,” said Rep. Bailey, “work very dilegently to make sure we do the right things–not just something–and that it’s the right thing for everyone.”
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New Energy and a New Direction…
For State Senate
Join Rep. Barbara Bailey’s Senate Campaign Kick-Off
Tuesday, May 1, 2012 7:00 – 8:30am (program begins at 7:30am) Elks Lodge 155 NE Ernst St — Oak Harbor, WA (Map)
Special Guest Gubernatorial Candidate Rob McKenna will be a guest speaker
To ensure accurate number of meals, please RSVP to : Patti Carter / Email feetgottadance@yahoo.com or Phone 360.320.2590 / 360.720.4520
Donations to Barbara’s Campaign may not exceed $900 per individual donor per election.
If you are unable to attend this event you may Donate Here!
Washingtonvotes.org reports that Rep. Barbara Bailey is among the Legislators who did not miss any votes in this year’s sessions.
Four Snohomish County lawmakers – two Republicans and two Democrats – are among those who missed the most votes in this year’s regular and special sessions.
Nine others are among the 61 legislators who didn’t miss any of the hundreds of votes cast in the House of Representatives and Senate in 2012.
That’s according to a report released today by Washingtonvotes.org, a free public service website which tracked the flow of 1,699 bills introduced in 2012.
OLYMPIA – Lawmakers say control of the Washington state Senate is entirely up for grabs heading into the November election.
“It’s really a tossup,” said Sen. Craig Pridemore, D-Vancouver. “There are going to be some vulnerable Democratic seats and some vulnerable Republican seats.”
One of the most interesting political races in state government will take place this fall in the 10th Legislative District, which includes all of Island and parts of Skagit and Snohomish counties.
On one side we have Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, whose job title seemingly contains the word “powerful,” as she is often referred to as chairwoman of the powerful Senate Transportation Committee.
Haugen was first elected in 1982 as a State Representative and then moved up to the Senate in the election of 1992.
She has the experience advantage over her 2012 challenger, Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor. But Bailey has been around plenty long enough to know the lawmaking ropes, having first been elected in 2002.
As Haugen finishes her 30th year in office in 2012, Bailey will be finishing her 10th.
By Rep. Zack Hudgins and Rep. Barbara Bailey
Most cars sit idle 23 hours a day. But there’s a new business model that lets people rent cars and trucks from private citizens.
Peer-to-peer car sharing is one of those solid policies that Democrats and Republicans alike can agree on. This innovative way of bringing new business into our state will reduce pressure on our transportation system and put more money back into your own pocket.
Many neighbors and family members borrow things from each other. You’ve probably borrowed your neighbor’s lawnmower or your uncle’s pickup when you need to make a trip to IKEA, Goodwill, or the dump.
Monday morning, Rep. Barbara Bailey, 10th District, announced her plan to run for the state Senate seat currently held by Mary Margaret Haugen (D – Camano Island).
She made the announcement in Oak Harbor, at San Remo restaurant.
Bailey said her campaign was not about taking Haugen’s seat, but about taking a seat in the senate, period.
“We continue to not do the things we need to do, which is to reshape, reform and resize government,” Bailey said in a phone interview after the announcement. “Instead, we continue to have an unsustainable budget, spending money we don’t have, just kicking the can down the road.”
“Tax increases don’t balance the budget,” she added.
State Rep. Barbara Bailey recently announced her campaign for the Washington State Senate in the 10th Legislative District.
The Oak Harbor Republican said her campaign would focus on job creation, controlling government spending and improving public schools.
The 10th District includes parts of Fidalgo Island. The seat is held now by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, an influential Camano Island Democrat who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee.
Job creation is at the center of Bailey’s campaign.
“Too many of our friends and neighbors are facing chronic unemployment and tough times. Meanwhile, state government fails to listen. It’s time to reset, reshape and reform government and get our economy back on track,” she said. “To create jobs, we must grow the economy. State government can assist by building a job friendly tax structure, reducing burdensome and costly regulations, and recruiting new employers to the region. I’ve worked tirelessly on these issues in the House and will make them my main focus in the State Senate.”
Bailey was first elected to the Legislature in 2002.
Visit http://bbailey.net
OAK HARBOR — Republican state Rep. Barbara Bailey began campaigning Monday to unseat Democratic state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen in a contest that could decide the political control of the Senate.
“It is the right time for me. It is the right time for the district. It is the right time for the state,” Bailey said shortly before a kick-off event in a restaurant in her hometown of Oak Harbor.
She said she wants to restore a GOP majority in the Senate for the first time in eight years. Republicans now hold 22 of the chamber’s 49 seats and need to pick up three this fall for control.
“It’s not about taking on Senator Haugen. It’s about taking on the Senate Democrats in order for us to move forward for our state,” Bailey said. “I really look forward to changing the direction of the Senate.”
