Right-wing radio host wins chairmanship of Wash. state GOP

[Newsjock]

Source: Seattle Times

The state Republican Party made a change at the top Saturday, unseating party Chairman Luke Esser in favor of longtime conservative radio host Kirby Wilbur.

... Esser also had the backing of state Attorney General Rob McKenna, the presumed GOP front-runner for governor in 2012. McKenna personally lobbied GOP activists on Esser's behalf in recent days.

But Republican leaders who gathered at a Tukwila hotel ballroom on Saturday rejected that advice. They picked Wilbur on the first ballot, giving him 69 votes to Esser's 36.

... Wilbur is well-known to many conservatives for his 16-year run as a talk-show host on Seattle's KVI-AM. His show was canceled in 2009, and the station since has switched to an oldies-music format.

Last year, Wilbur ran the state chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative political nonprofit. The group spent about $30,000 on mailers criticizing Democratic state legislators before the 2010 election, according to a campaign-finance report.

Read more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014009442_republicans23m.html

[pscot]

1. Not much of a choice, really

Esser is a corporate flunky; Wilbur is more the teabagger type.

[stevedeshazer]

2. I used to listen to that guy while driving truck.

He came on the air before dawn on KVI 570 AM and really brought out the early-riser-conservo-nuts. That guy is a complete right-wing tool in every sense. I'm not surprised they chose Kirby Wilbur, but I think it's a big mistake for them.

There are a lot of independent voters in Washington. The Republicans can't afford to lose them by swinging hard right. Democrats have a slight edge over Republicans. If the Washington GOP takes up Teabagger Kirby's mantra of God, Guns and Guts, a lot of independents will be turned off and the Democrats will be in good shape next year.