Carlson's head trip

Gary Locke, as an incumbent in good times, is doing the smart thing: defending the status quo. It's a natural role for Locke, since there's never been much of the vision thing coming from him anyway. Despite Locke's stodgy political style and passivity, he's still popular.

But Locke's lackluster 54 percent in the primary puts Carlson within striking distance. Democrats privately worry that Carlson can dazzle voters and affix the blame on Locke for the sins of state government.

Rick Dahms

Eastern exposure: Meet Johnny the moderate, on the scene in Roslyn.

Rick Dahms

Eastern exposure: Meet Johnny the moderate, on the scene in Roslyn.

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• John Carlson
• Harold Hochstatter
• Gary Locke
• Abortion
• U.S. Republican Party Politics

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Win or lose in November, Carlson will be a Republican political player in the future of our state. The GOP is delighted to have someone who can put a sentence together, have no shit on his boots, and still be acceptable to the conservative base—and right now, there's no one else like that coming up in the party. If Carlson loses this race, and the odds are against him, he'll be perfectly positioned for a Senate run in 2002.