RT’s don’t equal endorsements

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A Vancouver woman emailed The Columbian on Friday to ask why the media wasn’t covering Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s use of state resources to endorse Bill Bryant.

“Yesterday Secretary of State Kim Wyman used state resources to endorse candidate for governor, Bill Bryant,” the email read. “ I wonder (why) the media (hasn’t) picked up on it. The news came by way of a Tina Podlodowski campaign email/tweet.”

Podlowski, a Democrat challenging Wyman, double downed on the claim on Friday while speaking to The Columbian’s editorial board.

Podlodowski said Wyman was not “using government offices wisely or legally” by sending out the tweet.

“Your role is to get registered and get people voting,” Podlodowski told Wyman.

I follow the secretary of state’s Twitter account. In general, it’s a useful place to find relevant statewide news and information. And I know there have been tweets linking to stories covering a wide-range of issues and candidates, including Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee.

Wyman didn’t know about the tweet, which is run by her communication manager, a former Associated Press reporter. Sure, maybe there’s a debate over the role the secretary’s social media platform should play in a nonpartisan office.

But by now, we all know RT’s (retweets) don’t equal endorsements.