Gig Harbor Democrats Meet With Sunny Outlook, Despite Low Turnout

Local Democrats in Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula gathered for the precinct caucuses on Sunday afternoon. The caucuses in the 26th District took place at , and Middle Schools.

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About 15 people, including members of Organizing for America, gathered at Kopachuck to select their presidential nominee, discuss party platform issues and elect delegates to the next tier of conventions.

Despite the small number of participants, area caucus coordinator Todd Iverson said he wasn’t disheartened.

“The turnout was exactly what I was expecting,” he said. “It’s Sunday and sunny, and we already have our nominee.”

Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, and candidate Karin Ashabraner also stopped by to give a brief speech. Ashabraner currently , in November.

Seaquist said Democrats would need to work together and support all of the candidates this election season.

“I can tell you from the last couple of weeks … the way the deals came out; the way that education was protected in the end; the way that the social safety net was protected: It was because of Gov. Gregoire. And having is going to be very important to us,” he said.

On the other side of town, about 50 people attended the caucus at Harbor Ridge Middle School.

“I was actually pretty pleasantly surprised that many people came out, donated some money to the party and signed up to work for campaigns,” said area caucus coordinator and Gig Harbor City Councilman Derek Young, who also cited the weather as a reason for the low turnout.

Despite the sparse attendance, the caucus goers discussed several issues, including the debate on birth control, poverty and education.

“I think we still have a lot of work to do in America to make this a better country for working people, and we have to make sure that Democrats get elected in 2012,” said Iverson, who also serves on the Peninsula Metropolitan Park District Board.

He and Young said they both expect President Barack Obama to win in November.

“(Obama) has done enough to justify four more years,” Iverson said. “(Mitt) Romney is so out of touch with America. You can’t get excited about that. I don't want his version of America.”

“This is the first president I’ve really gotten excited about,” Young said. “I’ve got two nieces now …. I want to make sure that the country’s fixed for them, and we don’t leave them a mess to clean up later.”

Coming up: Congressional District caucuses will take place on May 20, and the Democratic state convention will be held on June 2 in Seattle.