Then again, the woman Brink is challenging for a seat in the state House said she did, too, when she first ran for office 30 years ago.
Helen Sommers, a Magnolia resident and longtime Democratic incumbent, recalls that she beat a Republican incumbent at a time when Republicans pretty much ran the roost in Seattle.
This election marks one of the few times Sommers has had an opponent since then. Brink, on the other hand, has never held office, but she worked as an aide in Olympia for Republican Sen. Bob Oke.
Both women share a generally centrist political philosophy, compared with the conservative-liberal extremes sometimes found in the two parties.
Because of her approach to budget issues, Sommers said she is seen as a conservative in liberal Seattle. Brink said she has been called a Dan Evans Republican, referring to the moderate former governor of Washington. Both women also describe themselves as being liberal on social issues.
There are some differences between the two candidates. For instance, the Municipal League of King County has rated Sommers as "outstanding," while Brink was deemed "adequate."
Here's a rundown of other differences between the two candidates, what they see as important issues facing the state and why they think voters should pick them for the House slot.
The incumbent
Sommers - a savvy, no-nonsense kind of woman - touts her three decades of experience in the Legislature as a reason she should be reelected.
Originally from New Jersey, Sommers received bachelor's and master's degrees in economics from the University of Washington. She worked for 15 years with Mobile Oil Company before she caught the political bug, although she had help making the choice to run for office.
"I was active in NOW [the National Organization for Women], and they encouraged us to become active in politics," she said.
Sommers was elected president of NOW in 1971, according to the resume she submitted to the Municipal League.
She said she ran her first campaign based on background and image. "But I doorbelled over 100 precincts," she added. "That clearly put me in office."
That was then. "I haven't done any doorbelling for a long time," Sommers said.
The incumbent has served, among other positions, as chairwoman for the House Capital Budget, Revenue and Appropriations Committees.
"I expect to be budget chair [again] if we're in the majority," Sommers said of the Democrats.
Hard calls will have to be made concerning the state budget, according to Sommers.
"It's going to be very, very difficult, and what we do will be unpopular with a lot of people," she said.
Balancing the budget is absolutely necessary, but understanding the state's economy is also key, according to Sommers.
"We need to analyze and understand how much of the deficit is structural or ongoing, and how much is temporary or relatively short-term because of a dip in the economy," she said.
Health care is another hot-button issue in the state, Sommers said. In many cases, medical procedures are ineffective and not well-researched, she said. "We need to spend smarter."
Underlying many of the problems in Olympia is wrangling between Republicans and Democrats.
"I'm not all that partisan," Sommers said. She concedes there are clear differences in political approaches between the two parties, but Sommers also said there are always some politicians in Olympia who do work well on a cooperative basis.
However, that wasn't the case with the transportation budget and the decision to put Referendum 51 up for a vote of the people. Sommers said the Legislature should have passed a transportation bill on its own, but the lack of bipartisanship derailed that idea.
"I think the votes would have been there, barely there, but there," she said of passing a transportation bill.
On the other hand, there were a lot of people who thought the transportation issue should be left to the voters. And it wasn't just Republicans who felt that way; there were a lot of Democrats, as well, Sommers said.
She believes it is imperative that voters approve R-51 and worries about what will happen if it fails at the ballot box in November.
"I don't know we'll be able to do anything," Sommers said of the Legislature.
The challenger
Brink - a woman who is passionate about the causes she promotes - says she can bring a "fresh" voice to the Legislature if elected.
Originally from Oregon, Brink graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in communications with an emphasis in political science. Following graduation, she returned to her home state and landed the Miss Oregon crown in 2000.
"I used the crown as a megaphone to get my foot in the door," Brink said of her lobbying efforts on behalf of students with learning disabilities in the Northwest. She also has been a board member in the Oregon and Washington chapters of the Learning Disabilities Association of America.
As an aide to Sen. Oke, Brink said she did research and helped draft legislation in Olympia.
"He gave me a lot of responsibility, and he trusted me," she said.
Funding education is an obvious priority for Brink, but so is paying for health care and balancing the state budget, she said.
"I think there's an awful lot of fat in government, a lot of wasteful spending," Brink said.
At the same time, she said people can't ask the government for everything and not expect to pay for it. Brink also thinks there should be a comprehensive performance audit of state government to identify wasteful spending. "It just sounds logical."
Brink believes the major issue facing the state is transportation. She said she will vote for R-51, but she faults the Legislature for not passing a transportation bill of its own.
"It's my opinion that's why we have elected officials," Brink said.
The challenger favors a bipartisan approach to state government.
"I think it's a noble goal," Brink said. "I'd really like to cultivate an air of understanding [in the Legislature]."
Brink, who moved to Queen Anne from Ballard in October, promised she would focus her efforts on serving the needs of constituents in the 36th District, which includes Queen Anne and Magnolia.
"I understand the importance of localized government," she said.
Brink also understands that being a Republican is a hard sell in Democrat-centric 36th District.
"I've been told I should run in other districts," she conceded, but Brink insists that Queen Anne is her home now. "I wish people could look beyond the stereotypical image of Republicans."
She has found one group of converts at least. The Firefighters Union, Local 27, a labor organization that normally votes a Democratic ticket, is endorsing Brink.
"They were really looking for a candidate to endorse," she said, adding it was her impression that Sommers wasn't listening to the firefighters' concerns.
As for her chances of winning on Nov. 5, Brink said anything is possible. She also said she respects Sommers and what she has accomplished during 30 years in office.
But Brink insists it's time for a change.
"My approach is, I'm the next 30 years," she said.
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