If the 31st District isn’t the laughingstock of the state, it deserves to be. After saddling the Senate for years with Pam Roach, now they have found a “worthy” successor in Phil Fortunato. Or more accurately, Misfortunato.

The Seattle Times said “Sen. Phil Fortunato of Auburn is not a thoughtful lawmaker. Many of his bills are outlandish and seem focused on making waves rather than getting things done, such as proposals to defund The Evergreen State College and allow Seattle to become its own county.” And from the Tacoma News-Tribune: “He’d fit the conservative district OK, if he wasn’t such a cranky instigator of controversy and distraction. Fortunato is the guy who gins up problems where none exist, such as proposing a constitutional amendment against a phantom state income tax, and tries to take credit he doesn’t deserve, as with recent litigation against Sound Transit.” Since both papers endorsed Morgan Irwin, any claims of “liberal press” here are totally off-base.

Fortunato’s biggest accomplishment in office has been to make as certain as he can that any potential mass shooter in the state should face as few legal obstacles as possible.

One might commend the voters in this district for being non-discriminatory. Too bad that what they have chosen to be non-discriminatory about is competency.

– Robert Rosen