local Democrats rejoice...

..as Washington state Republicans pick a doofus candidate for Auditor.

"Wow," Tacoma City Councilman Kevin Phelps said when he heard Baker was a party nominee for statewide office. Phelps' first council meeting in 1998 lasted just minutes before Baker was arrested for disturbing the peace.

Phelps said Baker is a former exotic dancer, an ardent conspiracy theorist and an intelligent person "who has the ability to put a train of thoughts together — they're just not real factual."

Of course, for a politician, that sort of intelligence is an asset.