SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Did mistaken identity hurt Bill Bryant in the primary election?
Aug 19, 2016, 5:30 AM
Bill Bryant joined the Todd Herman Show to discuss republican prospects in Washington's current political climate.
Washington Gubernatorial candidate Bill Bryant says he isn’t as far behind Gov. Jay Inslee in the polls as it seems.
In the primaries, Inslee topped Bryant 49 to 38 percent and a recently-released Elway poll showed Bryant down by 12 points. However, Bryant’s internal polls show the race at closer to about a six-point deficit.
Related: Bryant says Gov. Inslee can’t hide behind Trump anymore
He told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson Thursday that there was name confusion on the ballot during the primary election, with Republican voters confusing Bill Bryant with fellow Republican Bill Hirt. Bryant said his campaign received calls from county chairs on and before Election Day that people were confused about which Bill to vote for.
“There was another Bill who was a Republican who was on the ballot who took 7 percent of Clark (County) and a huge chunk of Pierce (County), and there was some confusion over which Bill to vote for,” he said. “…We knew there was going to be an issue there.”
Despite the potential partisan confusion, Bryant told Dori the governor’s race should have nothing to do with party lines.
“This really isn’t about Republicans or Democrats,” he said. “It’s about competence and restoring competence to the governor’s office.”
Does that mean he thinks Gov. Inslee is incompetent?
Listen to his answer below
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