Local elections have consequences, too...

OLYMPIA — For years, Sen. Tim Sheldon was in the middle of nearly every big fight in the Legislature.

Now, he seems almost invisible. Sheldon holds no committee chairmanship. Most of his bills rarely get hearings. His vote carries a fraction of the weight it once did.

Though he clogs up the Democratic line on the ballot, Tim Sheldon makes Joe Lieberman look like Ted Kennedy. In fact, a few, even a couple, more Democrats in the U.S. Senate, and Joe's likely to end up suffering Tim's fate. And should.

Always nice to hear from my own personal State Senator, too. Sheldon still chimes in at Democratic caucus meetings…

"But people mostly just disregard what he has to say anymore," said Sen. Darlene Fairley, D-Lake Forest Park.

Hat tip to Jon Stahl at Evergreen Politics.