I became so excited about America’s new hockey mom, Sarah Palin, that I decided to tell you about Whidbey Island’s version, Linda Haddon.

Linda, like Sarah, fills the room with excitement, charm and an amazing spirit of goodwill, laughter and happiness. It is a true blessing of mine to be friends with her and I promise you won’t be disappointed if you voted for her to become our next State Senator.

Linda Haddon is a woman of integrity. Ask the many people with whom she has worked and who are now supporting her (many of them Democrats). Ms. Haddon has worked hard for a living like you and me, while finding time to serve her community in many helpful ways.

Yes, the incumbent of 26 years, Mary Margaret Haugen, has been good at responding to your letters, but is she really listening? Did the incumbent listen when we said we needed new ferry boats to replace the 80-year-old Steel Electrics? Is she listening when we say taxes are squeezing us out of our homes and prohibiting us from paying for our children’s college education? Is she listening when we say that an increase in spending of 33 percent over the last four years is too much? Did she listen when the voters approved performance audits? Or has she insisted that the findings of millions of dollars in savings be unimplemented.

As State Senator, Linda Haddon will: Work hard to protect our quality of life; give credit where credit is due, not keep it for partisan gain; make it the paramount duty of the state to invest in quality public schools; be an advocate for responsive and open government; fight against government bureaucracy and higher taxes; and work together so we can make a difference and get results.

I urge you to vote for a fresh, new voice in Olympia. Please vote for Linda Haddon for State Senate, this is one woman whose ferry will stay afloat.

Iris T. Morrow

Freeland