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[WA Senator] Cantwell can't win [deep in debt]
The Flag of the World ^ | 1/10/2005 | Timothy Goddard

Posted on 01/10/2005 10:31:02 AM PST by sionnsar

Ok, she certainly can win, but that would kill the pun. She needs to be considered a heavy favorite going in, even. But for all that, she’s not in very good shape. Despite the wishes of everyone’s favorite Dinocrat, the Republican Party is fired up, and is ready to go after Maria Cantwell hard in 2006. Despite her claims to be moderate, she’s just as liberal as Patty Murray, and without the long record of service.

But Orrin Judd points out Cantwell’s largest hurdle of all: she’s $2.5 million in debt, the largest debt of any incumbent Democrat

up for reelection in 2006 by several orders of magnitude. That’s a tough hole for anyone to dig out of, but considering that Cantwell ran solely on her business credentials in 2000, it’s even worse for her. Any Republican that runs against her will begin with a huge headstart in the money race, just by showing up.

And it’s not just Republicans that should smell blood in the water. I argued a while ago that Cantwell was one of two prime targets for Progressives–she’s a blue state Democrat who voted for the Iraq War resolution. If Progressives lose out on the DNC chair race, they might just be ticked enough about it to take it out on people like Cantwell. There’s a disconnect between their numbers and their representation right now, and they may, understandably, want to flex some muscle and take revenge on the current crop of elected Democrats. Senator Cantwell would be an ideal target.

Republicans need to realize, likewise, that this is an eminently winnable race, especially if Dino Rossi is still looking for work in a couple years. If Rossi isn’t available or willing, the race is still winnable, as long as Republicans find a very, very good candidate. Jennifer Dunn would be the best bet, unless Slade Gorton wants a rematch of his narrow loss. Given what we now know about the way King County does its elections, he probably deserves one (though I doubt he’d go for it). There may also be a currently unknown Rossi-like candidate that will emerge in the next year.

At any rate, after Minnesota’s Mark Dayton, Cantwell should probably be considered the most vulnerable blue state Democrat in 2006. It still remains to be seen whether Republicans–or Progressive Democrats–can take advantage of it.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: campaignfinance; cantvotewell; cantwell; electionussenate; ussenate
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Paging Luke Esser...
1 posted on 01/10/2005 10:31:02 AM PST by sionnsar
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To: sionnsar

Great, but we have to put up somebody much stronger than Nethercutt to oppose her. I mean if you can't beat somebody who praises Bin Laden not long after 9/11, who can ya beat?


2 posted on 01/10/2005 10:49:02 AM PST by Maigret
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To: Maigret

I think Nethercutt was fatally hampered by the term-limits fiasco. A lot of people who would normally have supported him didn't because of that.


3 posted on 01/10/2005 10:51:10 AM PST by sionnsar († trad-anglican.faithweb.com † || Iran Azadi || www.revotewa.com -- No governor from THIS vote!!)
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To: Maigret
I mean if you can't beat somebody who praises Bin Laden not long after 9/11, who can ya beat?

Hey! You're picking on my friend, there, pal. And he gave it all he had...and it wasn't enough.

4 posted on 01/10/2005 10:54:10 AM PST by Snardius
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To: sionnsar
I think Nethercutt was fatally hampered by the term-limits fiasco.

He was hampered by the fact that he came from the eastern part of the state. He ran successfully and won big after he reneged on his term limit pledge. In reality, he did keep his pledge...just not the time limit we put on his term.

5 posted on 01/10/2005 10:56:31 AM PST by Snardius
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To: sionnsar

I'd be in favor of Diane Tibelius. She's been a stud on this Rossi recount.


6 posted on 01/10/2005 11:03:28 AM PST by gogeo (Often wrong but seldom in doubt.)
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To: sionnsar
I think Nethercutt was fatally hampered by the term-limits fiasco.

Why would anyone hold it against the lying sack of garbage just because he became a professional puke politician just like most of them?

7 posted on 01/10/2005 11:12:48 AM PST by Blue Screen of Death (/i)
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To: sionnsar

What Washington needs is a strong female Republican to run against Cantwell or Murray. I like Dunn, but she has a country club feel to her that kind-of repels some in-the-middle voters.


8 posted on 01/10/2005 11:13:04 AM PST by conservative cat
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To: CyberCowboy777


9 posted on 01/10/2005 11:23:01 AM PST by Libertarianize the GOP (Make all taxes truly voluntary)
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To: sionnsar

2.5 is small change to a tech millionaire in Washington. And she probably owes some of most of that money to herself.


10 posted on 01/10/2005 12:04:33 PM PST by JohnnyZ ("Thought I was having trouble with my adding. It's all right now." - Clint Eastwood)
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To: 007Dawg; 12.7mm; 11B3; 123easy; 1911A1; 4woodenboats; 506trooper; 7mmMag@LeftCoast; A44MAGNUT; ...
Washington State Ping List

This is all known Washington State FReepers and interested parties as of 12/31/04 - 347 FReepers

If you want on or off this ping list Freepmail me.

ReVote WA

11 posted on 01/10/2005 12:31:19 PM PST by CyberCowboy777 (Well.... I'll be)
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To: Snardius
Hey! You're picking on my friend, there, pal

We happened to support your friend, Nethercutt, and sent contributions to him so I don't know if you can correctly call me 'picking' on him. What he did NOT do is aggressively go after Murray and there was a LOT of material available to him.

Yes his stand on term limits hurt him, but I can't believe there were many who voted for Murray instead of him based on that.

12 posted on 01/10/2005 12:32:29 PM PST by Maigret
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To: Blue Screen of Death

Maybe because they are brainless idiots?


13 posted on 01/10/2005 12:36:34 PM PST by justshutupandtakeit (Public Enemy #1, the RATmedia.)
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To: sionnsar

Cantwell can't win!


14 posted on 01/10/2005 12:38:04 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Maigret
Yes his stand on term limits hurt him, but I can't believe there were many who voted for Murray instead of him based on that.

No, but it probably cost him in terms of contributions and campaign efforts, and that does translate into lost votes.

15 posted on 01/10/2005 12:46:06 PM PST by sionnsar († trad-anglican.faithweb.com † || Iran Azadi || www.revotewa.com -- No governor from THIS vote!!)
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To: sionnsar

Yep, that's Cant"budget"well.


16 posted on 01/10/2005 1:06:10 PM PST by lilylangtree (Veni, Vidi, Vici)
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To: Maigret

I, too, supported Nethercutt, and I would again in a heartbeat against Cantwell. He is a strong, honest conservative and a fine family man - just what this state needs so desperately. How Murray won is no longer a mystery to Washingtonians.


17 posted on 01/10/2005 1:39:50 PM PST by Paperdoll (on the cutting edge.!)
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To: Maigret
What he did NOT do is aggressively go after Murray and there was a LOT of material available to him.

It's not in his nature to attack. We wanted him to get aggressive against Foley and he wouldn't. He did, however, go after her about her Osama comments by running that video and was roundly criticized by the Seattle media (which only gave him more publicity). But I agree, he could have exposed her as the buffoon she is...but it wouldn't have gotten him any more votes, IMO.

18 posted on 01/10/2005 1:40:27 PM PST by Snardius
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To: sionnsar

Sorry, but King County will no doubt cough up the funding Maria needs to ensure she is reelected.


19 posted on 01/10/2005 4:09:18 PM PST by Bean Counter
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To: Bean Counter

If I recall, she borrowed against her RealAudio stock options, the market crashed, and here she is, nearly toes up.

Poo in that darn mean old Mr. Capitalism!


20 posted on 01/10/2005 7:46:38 PM PST by llevrok (We don't need no stinking ballots!)
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