Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA,) the Vice-Chair of the House Republican Conference just told me in a blogger conference call that not one single Republican is expected to vote for the proposed Democratic healthcare reform legislation expected to be voted on by Congress this weekend.  Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) related that one of his colleagues in the House characterized the current debate on healthcare as being between only "the left and the far left," and that you could take it to the bank that the GOP would present a solid front.

McMorris Rodger's comments echoed those of House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA,) who told the protesters attending yesterday's "House Call" in Washington, DC that "Be assured not one Republican will vote for this bill."

Speaking of the "House Call," Rep. McMorris Rodgers said that it created quite a buzz on Capitol Hill yesterday and that it was vitally important for such efforts to continue.  The issue is far from settled yet.  Rep. Hastings said that Speaker Pelosi was pushing the vote more because of legislative deadlines than the fact that the Democrats has the 218 votes necessary to pass the legislation.  The vote count is fluid, and changes from hour to hour.  So fluid in fact, that House Democrats rushed newly elected Bill Owens from New York's 23rd District down to be sworn in.  When the count reaches 218, the Democrats will have the vote.

McMorris Rodgers stated that House Democrats are trying to put a "happy face" on the recent elections in New Jersey and Virginia which have made the Democratics very nervous, particularly more the more conservative "blue dog" Democrats.  The issues of federal funding of abortions and public option for illegal immigrants are still very much in play.  54 Democrats signed a letter opposing abortion in the healthcare reform bill, and many of those are not the same as the 34 who oppose the public option.  But, as this a top priority for the Obama administration, arms are being twisted, and Speker Pelosi wants it to be appear to be on track.  According to McMorris Rodgers, Pelosi is negotiating with pro-life Dems to find what language they would consider acceptable without having to remove the abortion provisions.

Unfortunately, according to Rep. Hastings, what isn't in play is the $730 billion tax increase that this legislation creates with a 5.4% surcharge on those grossing over $500,000 a year.  This surcharge is not indexed, meaning it will go up over time, as well as the employer mandate.

House Republicans have proposed a plan that would reduce health insurance premiums by $5,000 per family by adding more coverage and more choices.  Democrats, however, have chosen to centralize healthcare and thereby reduce choices.

THIS ISN'T OVER YET.  CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN OR CONGRESSWOMAN TODAY!!!!

KIRO talker Dori Monson nailed it with this evaluation of Tuesday's election here in Washington:

This may be the most singular one-party state in the nation.

New Jersey and Virginia voted for Obama a year ago - but for Republican governors tonight... Liberal Maine rejected gay marriage... Blue-state California voters earlier this year rejected tax increases...

But in Washington, our one-controlling-party mentallity rolls on.

King County government is facing a $54-million deficit - and one of the people who got the county into that financial mess has been elected Exec - because he's a Dem.

Init-1033 restricting the growth of government? Rejected.

Gay partnerships? Supported.

Huge property tax increase in Seattle for low income housing? Of course! Seattle never saw a tax increase the voters didn't love.

I evaluate each race and issue on its individual merits (I supported Ref-71 - everyone other endorsement I made on the above races lost). But despite national trends favoring Republicans, in Washington the vast majority of voters are robots. Every Democrat wins. Every expansion of government passes. Every liberal cause prevails.

The unions chased Boeing out of the state - and every winning candidate paid tribute to their big-money union support. Our unemployment rate is well above the national average. Our state is facing another multi-billion dollar deficit. King County has a $54-million deficit. Seattle a $40-million deficit.

Why wouldn't we stay the course? Election Day was business as usual in our one-party state.

Remember, Governor Gregoire made this astonishing statement over a month before Election Day:

I've told them [Democratic legislators] come on in and convince me that's [raising taxes] the right thing to do and that people will support it. At some point the people, I assume, don't want us to take any more cuts. I'm already hearing about 'why did you cut education?' Well there aren't any options

Many political observers were stunned that Gregoire would reverse her "no new taxes" stance so close to the election and felt that she was handing a win to Tim Eyman on a silver platter.  Wrong.  The Governor knows her liberal Pugetopolis base well and counted on the fact that I-1033 would be outspent some $3 million to none by wealthy liberal opponents of I-1033.  More importantly, local elected officials throughout the state, both Republican and Democrat, joined in the scare-it-to-ya chorus against I-1033.

"At some point the people, I assume, don't want us to take any more cuts."  Don't you think that is the takeaway from Washington voter's rejection of I-1033?  It certainly will be among Democrats in Olympia.  It already is at the Northwest Progressive Insititute, which proudly proclaimed that "Collapse of Tim Eyman's Initiative 1033 proves that teabaggers are just a fringe."

Now, I don't think even Democrats are stupid enough to introduce new taxes in an election year, but if Washington Republicans don't make significant gains in the legislature in 2010, look out for the next biennial budget coming up in 2011.  Labor unions and other left-wing advocacy groups have made it clear they will tolerate no further cuts to their pet programs and the state will have to address what will likely be a $2-3 billion plus budget shortfall by that time.  Those groups will point to the I-1033 vote and say Washingtonians are finally ready for that dreaded state income tax.

Hey, you were warned.  We get the government we deserve.

With all precincts reporting, incumbent Moscow Mayor Nancy Chaney has won an extremely narrow victory (40 votes) over John Weber. Could they be headed to a recount?  If Chaney's win holds, it is not great news for Whitman County.  Relations between Moscow and Whitman County have been stormy during Chaney's administration.

On the Moscow City Council, Susan Scott, Walter Steed, and Tim Brown are the winners.  All in all, it's a bit of a mixed bag for the pro-business Greater Moscow Alliance, which endorsed Weber, Steed, and Brown.  Neither the pro-growth nor the anti-growth factions in Moscow won a clear mandate tonight.  Perhaps voters prefer that kind of balance.

I had a chance to talk with Susan Fagan, the likely winner of tonight's election for state representative in the Washington 9th Legislative District, after the first round of votes had been tallied:

RC:  Obviously, the numbers look really good for you right now.  You can't really declare victory yet, but what are you feeling?

Susan Fagan:  I'm really grateful for where the numbers are now.  It is a clear indication of the amount of effort and time that was put into this campaign; literally hundreds of volunteers, thousands of doorbelling efforts, and 10,000 phone calls. I always said that if hard work pays off, we will be very competitive.

RC:  Terry Nealey is beating the incumbent Democrat in the Washington 16th LD to our south and Republicans have retaken the governor's office in Virginia and New Jersey.  Do you think voters are sending a message to Democrats on health care and other issues? 

Susan Fagan: Voters want to be listened to.  I have talked to thousands of people and many voters do not beleive they are being listened to by elected offiicials on many issues, health care being one of them.

RC:  Democrats did not have a candidate in the 9th LD race.  Obviously, some of them voted for you.  Some didn't.  Do you have a message for them tonight?

Susan Fagan:  It's the same message I have had for them all along.  Democrats know me.  They know me to be a reasonable and trustworthy individual. A legislative race like this is maybe not so much political as it is community related.  I have worked with people on a variety of issues in Pullman.  We never checked each other's political credentials on the school board, hospital or raising monety for Pullman Regional Hospital.   I will be representative of all the people who live in this district.

RC: What will be your first order of business if, as seems likely, go to Olympia in January?

Susan Fagan:  First, I will need to prepare to go.  We will be facing a billion and half dollar shortfall by next session.  I will start by looking at the current budget and the past couple of budgets to see where did we cut.  I will be sent to Olympia to address economic climate, which affects every other issue in the state, such as agriculutre, education, etc.

RC: Speaking of business climate, what would you have done to keep Boeing's 787 assembly line in Washington?

Susan Fagan:  Obviously tax incentives to keep Boeing were wrong, because they didn't work.  We should be looking at the reasons overall why businesses want to leave the state.  First, we have a broken worker's compensation system.  It's more like a pension plan.  The average time off under workers comp is 266 days.  We need to fix that.  Why do we care?  Because businesses provide jobs and careers for people.  Look at the B&O tax on gross receipts.  It's a message to businesses that the state doesn't care if you are profitable or not.  We have the highest unemployment insurance costs in the nation.  The state death tax hurts family businesses and farms.  I know of many people who have moved their business out of Washington to avoid it.

Susan Fagan just addressed her supporters at her election headquarters here in Pullman,  While not declaring victory yet, Fagan was understandably confident with a nearly 11 point lead after early returns came in tonight.

Pullman Ward 3 City Council Jeff Hawbaker candidate told the crowd that the results were closer than he expected (5 votes,) but that he believes things will go his way.

Pullman City Council Ward 1 candidate Bill Paul was obviously happy and confident as he leads challenger Jeff Williams by over 200 votes.  He expressed his appreciation for those in Ward 1 who supported him, as well as throughout Pullman.

Susan Fagan, Terry Nealey ahead comfortably for state representative. 

Jeff Hawbaker and Dave Gibney in a dead heat in Pullman City Council Ward 3.  Bill Paul out way ahead of Jeff Williams in Ward 1.

I-1033 losing and R-71 winning. Dow Constantine up big over Susan Hutchison for King County Executive.