Last Wednesday, April 27, a crowd gathered at the Varsity Grill in downtown Tacoma for the kick-off of Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy's campaign for re-election.

I know what you're you thinking, and yes, you're correct - McCarthy isn't up for re-election until 2012. However, her campaign appeared to be fully operational (Star Wars voice) as staff paced around the event greeting and planning with guests and kicking off what will be a 17-month campaign. 

Although no candidate has yet filed to challenge McCarthy, the event may have been held early as a display of strength and community support to intimidate potential challengers. County Councilman Dick Muri, coming off an "L" in 2010 at the hands of Congressman Adam Smith, is rumored to be considering a run.

The evening began with our area's political elder statesman, Congressman Norm Dicks, addressing the room. Even at 70 the Congressman has a boyish charm and likable bravado that makes it very easy to understand why voters have re-elected him 17 times.

Congressman Dicks began with an update on Congress's work in Washington, D.C. "We didn't shut down the government (and) we took care of most of the important programs," he said.

After explaining elements of the new budget he praised national leaders for their recent work. "President Obama, Harry Reid and their staffs did a good job with John Boehner protecting some of the most important programs in this country that take care of the people who are struggling," Dicks said.

After showering his fellow policymakers with praise, Dicks personally took credit for saving vouchers for homeless veterans. "The Republicans had that on their termination list," he said. "It was a program they were going to get rid of until I went over and talked to them and persuaded them. I told them ‘This is a serious mistake, that these vouchers are working and doing good things for the people.'"

Dicks then shifted from national politics to local, explaining the value of the team effort of Democratic leadership in Pierce County. Dicks lauded recent and upcoming improvements and the successes of the county and its cities. "We've always had a great team from Pierce County, and the County Executive is the leader of that team," he said.

Dicks ended his roughly five-and-a-half minute address by encouraging the Democrat-filled audience to prepare for a tough election season in 2012. "Pierce County is a swing county now, we've got to work hard, you can't take any election for granted anymore," he told the crowd. "Even with our top candidates we've got to be out there working, raising money and doing everything we can."

After a brief break for supporters to mingle and sample the cheese and meatballs (which were fantastic), Washington State Auditor Brian Sonntag took the stage to introduce McCarthy. Before doing so Sonntag nailed a few well-crafted jokes, at one point quipping that Congressman Dicks broke the record for how many times a person has said "I" in a five-minute talk.

McCarthy spent most of her roughly 10-minute address highlighting the accomplishments of Pierce County in the two years she has been Executive.

 "We've preserved parks, open space and farm land. We have saved Sprinker's popular ice arena from closing and found a way to build a new ice arena at the fraction of the original cost. We preserved state funding for major transportation projects along I-5 and the Port of Tacoma," she said. "We're currently working with various partners to address the new congestion problems we're experiencing around the military base. We conducted a highly successful U.S. Amateur Championship at Chambers Bay and we're preparing for a record-setting U.S. Open in 2015. Were doing all of these things as we do what families and business are doing this economy, were tightening our belt."

McCarthy praised Pierce County departments and programs for improving customer service while consolidating and warned that more tough policy and resource allocation decisions are still to come. "The lingering effects of the recession mean more cuts lay ahead," she warned. "My record shows that I'm not afraid to make tough choices and tough decisions."

McCarthy ended her address with some elegant rhetoric, optimistically addressing polarization and hardship. "I am a proud Democrat but the polarizing nature of our constructs is ripping us apart," she said. "I'm talking about management versus labor, builders versus environmentalists, Democrats versus Republicans," she explained. "We have to come together."

It is customary at a political fundraiser that a final statement and request for financial contributions be made by one of the most popular, charismatic people in the room. Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland fit this description and executed well for McCarthy, also offering some final praise of the County Executive. 

"Serving Pierce County is incredibly challenging because you serve people who are urban, rural and suburban," Strickland explained. "Pat does it with grace, she does it with kindness, and she does it with integrity, that's why we need to make sure she gets re-elected."

After Wednesday night it seems clear that local Democrats understand the value of the County Executive position and of Pat McCarthy. The McCarthy campaign brought out some of the community's biggest political guns, threw a lively party and presumably began building a financial war chest for next year's election.

Will it be enough to prevent a strong Republican candidate from running? Highly doubtful. However, the move was well played and the McCarthy campaign will now await a response.