Disgraced initiative promoter Tim Eyman declared today after years of shunning suggestions to run for elected office that he is a candidate for Governor of Washington State, the highest position in the land.

Northwest Progressive Institute founder and Executive Director Andrew Villeneuve noted that if Eyman actually intends to go through with his stated intention of becoming a candidate, he is required to file a declaration of candidacy with the Public Disclosure Commission, as well as a Personal Financial Affairs Statement, within two weeks of making an announcement or raising/spending money.

“Let’s see that paperwork,” said Villeneuve. “Tim Eyman is a liar, a thief, and a con artist. For years, he has operated as though our public disclosure laws don’t apply to him. But they do. Activists, operatives, and candidates alike are all obligated to comply with our public disclosure laws. Until Tim Eyman files his C1 and his F1, we will not regard him as a candidate. He lies so frequently and effortlessly that his utterances are devoid of meaning until followed up with action. So, again, let’s see that paperwork. Should it be filed, we will have a long, long list of questions for Candidate Tim Eyman concerning his positions on issues he normally avoids. Where does he stand on womxn’s reproductive rights? On addressing lack of funding for behavioral health? On complying with treaty obligations to our Native American tribes? On reducing pollution of our air, water, and soil? On upholding collective bargaining rights? On abolishing the death penalty?”

“Tim Eyman may regard a candidacy as another scheme for separating fools from their money, but he will find that people will want to know where he stands on the issues… all of them… as a candidate for Washington State’s top job.”

Eyman would not be the first “initiative activist” in the Pacific Northwest to try running for high office if he proceeds with his gubernatorial gambit.

In 1998, Tim Eyman’s Oregon counterpart Bill Sizemore managed to secure the Republican Party’s nomination for Governor of Oregon and went on to lose in a landslide, garnering only 30% of the vote.

Public opinion research dating back to 2012 has consistently shown that a majority of Washingtonians who know of Tim Eyman have a negative opinion of him.

Eyman did his reputation no favors when he inexplicably decided to steal a chair from Office Depot earlier this year.

Republicans previously tried to break the Democratic Party’s decades-long gubernatorial winning streak with Ellen Craswell, John Carlson, Dino Rossi, Rob McKenna, and Bill Bryant. None were successful. The last candidate to be elected Governor of Washington who was not a Democrat was John Spellman in 1980.