OLYMPIA — Some races are starting to fill up quickly on the first morning of filing week as many of the expected candidates and a few surprises turn in their forms and fees.

The top of the ballot for the Aug. 7 primary, the U.S. Senate race, had three names before lunchtime: Incumbent Democrat Maria Cantwell, state Sen. Mike Baumgartner of Spokane's 6th Legislative District were “givens.” But filing first was a previously unheralded candidate, Chuck Jackson of Snohomish. He listed Republican as his party preference, and scaryreality.com as his e-mail provider.

The statewide race attracting the most attention so far is secretary of state. Incumbent Sam Reed is retiring, and five candidates already want to take his place. First in the blocks, and perhaps the first person to file this morning at 8:00 a.m., was Sam Wright of Olympia, who lists his preference as the Human Rights Party. Perhaps more recognizable to a larger chunk of the state's electorate is former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, listing Democrat as his party preference. Democratic State Sen. Jim Kastama also wants that job, as does Democrat Kathleen Drew, a former state senator, and Karen Murray of Quincy, who lists the Constitution Party as her preference.

On a local note, Spokane County Treasurer Rob Chase filed for the County Commissioner seat being vacated by fellow Republican Mark Richard.

For more candidate filings, go inside the blog. We'll update the list several times a day.

Tim Egan of the New York Times profiles Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington in today's edition.

It's an overall flattering piece, characterizing her as a populist warrior against Wall Street villains.

OK, it has one unflattering jab:

“Through two terms, she has been almost an invisible senator. In person, she underwhelms, a charm deficiency that has given rise to a nickname of “Senator Cant-smile.”

It also concludes with a look at the 2012 election to which some Republicans might object: “She faces no significant opposition in her run for a third term next year.”

This might cause state Sen. Mike Baumgartner, a Spokane Republican who has announced a campaign, to remark something like: “So, what am I? Chopped liver?”

Apparently in Egan's assessment, the answer would be yes.

The Republicans of Spokane County don’t have the word “party” in their club’s name. But they plan to make up for that on Thursday with a party in fact.

They’ll be hosting a party at the Quality Inn Valley Suites, Argonne at I-90, to watch the first live debate between their fave, Dino Rossi and Sen. Patty Murray, the incumbent Democrat.

The “social” part of the event starts at 6:30 p.m. The debate starts live at 7 p.m.

Although they are a partisan group, they should be commended for using equally mediocre photos of the two candidates for their invitation.

OLYMPIA — Democrat incumbent Patty Murray leads Republican challenger Dino Rossi in a “highly partisan” race, a new poll by Elway Research Inc., suggests.

If they were voting today, half of the 500 likely voters contacted by the company late last week or over the weekend said they’d vote for Murray, who is seeking her fourth term; 41 percent said they’d vote for Rossi, a former state senator and two-time gubernatorial candidate.

While Democrats were strongly for Murray and Republicans strongly for Rossi, the GOP challenger had the edge among independent voters and stronger leads in Eastern Washington, in Pierce and Kitsap counties and among voters making more than $75,000 a year. Murray was doing best in King County and among women, Baby Boomers, retirees, and those making less than $50,000 a year.

Jennifer Morris, a spokeswoman for Rossi, said she considered the results “a little iffy” considering other polls had a closer race. “Even the Democrats put out a poll last week that had it closer,” she said.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee had a poll last week that pegged the race at 50 percent Murray, 45 percent Rossi.

Murray’s campaign refused to comment on the poll. “Sen. Murray is focused on reaching out to the voters, not on the polls,” spokeswoman Julie Edwards said.

Some previous polls have had Rossi ahead. H. Stuart Elway said some variation may be a result of the ways the various surveys are conducted; some pollsters use recorded scripts that ask respondents to press a number on the phone to answer questions while his used live interviewers and only interviewed likely voters.

Seven percent of the voters — enough to decide the election — remain undecided, Elway said. If they split evenly, Murray would win handily, but a more conservative approach suggests that about three fourths of those undecided voters would be likely to vote for Rossi because if they were going to vote for the incumbent they’d already know it. That would make it a much closer race, but still in Murray’s favor.

But any path to victory for Rossi means he’ll have to go after voters who currently support Murray, Elway said. “And you thought this campaign has been hard-hitting so far.”

Republican Dino Rossi’s latest television commercial repeats an objection to certain types of federal spending known as earmarks that has become a hallmark of his campaign against incumbent U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.
That seems odd, state Sen. Lisa Brown, a Spokane Democrat, argued Thursday. When Rossi oversaw the state’s budget as a member and eventually chairman of the state Senate Ways and Means Committee, it had the legislative equivalent of earmarks and he didn’t object.
“He’s attacking Sen. Murray for a process that’s very similar to what we do in Olympia,” Brown said.
But there’s a difference between federal earmarks and state spending, Rossi’s campaign countered Thursday…

As predicted yesterday, Clint Didier did not endorse Dino Rossi this morning at a Seattle press conference. He did, however, lay down conditions under which he would endorse Rossi.

Rossi, who declined to submit to what his campaign called “a list of demands”, meanwhile, issued a challenge to Sen. Patty Murray to debate him six times before the primary, five in Washington state — with two in Seattle and the others scattered around to other cities — and one nationally televised debate. This might seem surprising to people who recall that Rossi declined to debate Didier and fellow Republican Paul Akers before the primary.

“Of course there will be debates,” replied Alex Glass, deputy campaign manager for Murray. The number and timing will depend on the schedule of the Senate, which returns to session in September. But Murray isn’t inclined to debate anywhere outside the state, Glass added. “This election is about the voters of Washington state.”

Didier said he would endorse Rossi if the Republican nominee would make an unequivocal anti-abortion stand, make a no-new-taxes pledge and promise not to increase federal spending. They weren’t a stretch for Rossi, Didier insisted, and they’re part of the party platform.

The Rossi campaign responded that he would work to reduce spending, improve the economy and put Washington residents back to work. But, the campaign added: “Dino will continue to campaign on the things he believes, and will not submit to a list of demands made by anyone, even people with whom he agrees, in Washington State or Washington, D.C.”

Before Didier’s morning press conference, there was some speculation he would announce a write-in campaign for the seat. But state law prohibits a person who is eliminated in the primary from mounting a write-in campaign in the general. Didier said he’d received messages from people encouraging him not to quit, and he and supporters plan to start a new organization called Taking Back Washington, which he’d explain at some future date.

Unsuccessful Republican Senate candidate Clint Didier will hold a press conference Friday morning in Seattle. To announce what isn’t exactly clear.

Candidates who finish out of the winners’ circle in the primary often announce within the week that they are endorsing the party’s winner. It usually involves grasping the winner’s hand, patting him or her on the back,  and announcing that “whatever our differences may have been during primary, they are minor — miniscule, infinitessimal in fact — compared to our differences with the incumbent.” This is followed by a promise to do everything possible to see the former opponent who is now a trusted ally and valued friend, applause, kind words from the former opponent, smiles, more handshakes, raising grasped hands overhead and the blessing of party elders who   have prevailed upon the two former enemies to make nice and bury the hatchet for the good of the party.

So is that what’s going to happen on Friday? …

President Obama and Sen. Patty Murray talk with small business owners Tuesday morning at a  Pioneer Square cafe.

SEATTLE – President Barack Obama accused Republicans of driving the economy “into the ditch” then asking for the keys back now that Democrats have pulled it out in an election day visit to help raise money for Sen. Patty Murray.

Obama met with small business owners in Pioneer Square, then attended two fund-raisers in or near downtown which raised an estimated $1.3 million to be split between Murray and the state Democratic Party.

Obama repeated his standard attack on Republicans as wanting to return to the policies of the Bush Administration, using the now familiar metaphor of a car in the ditch. Democrats went into the ditch, pushed it out, he said, to laughter and applause, “and it’s muddy and there are bugs and we’re sweating and shoving, pushing hard. And there all standing there sipping Slurpees and watching (saying) ‘you’re not pushing hard enough, that’s not the right way to push.’”

The economy is now about to go forward, and Republicans can’t have the keys back, he said

He praised Murray as someone who stands up for veterans, aerospace workers and health care reform and criticized Dino Rossi, the Republican most likely to make it through Tuesday’s primary, without mentioning him by name, for calling for the repeal of recently passed Wall Street reforms.

“He wants to go back to the old rules and the lack of oversight that caused the worst crisis since the Great Depression,” Obama said. “I mean, I could see him saying well, there are certain provisions I might modify. But to just say we didn’t need it when we almost had a complete financial meltdown – he’s counting on amnesia.”

The Rossi campaign responded quickly, saying that Obama had gone on the attack because he couldn’t defend Murray’s record of 18 years in the Senate.

“We witnessed how quickly this politics of hope can turn to the politics of desperate partisan attack,” Jennifer Morris, Rossi campaign spokeswoman, said. “If someone as eloquent as President Obama can’t defend her 18-year record of spending, taxing and growing government, who can?”

Rossi himself was in the Westin Hotel, where the fund-raiser was being held, for an interview with Chuck Todd of MSNBC. As he left, he said the president’s election day visit was a sure sign Murray was in truouble.

“Obviously, it confirms our polling or else he wouldn’t be here,” Rossi said as an aide hurried him to his next television interview.

Outside the hotel, a crowd of supporters gathered, but so did a potpourri of protesters. Some wanted Obama to end deportations for immigration violations, others wanted the U.S. to end wars in the Middle East or audit the Federal Reserve. Some members of the Tea Party unfurled “Don’t Tread On Me” flags and supporters of Lyndon LaRouche, a regular presidential candidate, held a large sign that showed Obama’s face with an Adolph Hitler-style mustache.

Dino Rossi announced he’s picked up the endorsement of Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., who is one of the most visible and vocal fiscal conservatives in the Senate.

Paul Akers has a “meet and greet” later this week at a private residence in Spokane. It’s scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at 7411 E. 44th Ave.

Clint Didier released over the weekend a tough Internet video attacking Rossi, which seems to get some of its inspiration from that SNL Weekend Update routine: “Really”.

The Associated Press’s Rachel La Corte notes that Republican challenger Dino Rossi raised more money in July than Democratic incumbent Sen. Patty Murray. Almost twice as much.

But Patty Murray has far more in the bank, even though she outspent Rossi more than 20-to-1 in July.

La Corte’s story can be found inside the blog. But the question to debate is this: Who has the better bragging rights for July: The one who raised the most money, or the one who spent but still has the most money?

Feel free to click the comment button and weigh in.

Tom Clark Murray ad

The American Action Network’s television commercial against Patty Murray – the dirty tennis shoe ad, as it is sometimes called – ticked off more than a few Democrats and Murray supporters.

But probably none had their ire rise to the level of Deer Park’s Tom Clark.

“I’m tired of hearing the negative campaigning. It’s interfering with legitimate discussion of some very serious issues,” he said. “I want to hear what people are going to do.”

The retired engineer considers himself an independent, and said he’s probably voted for more Republicans than Democrats over the years. But he is a supporter of Murray, and is tired of outsiders – the network is a conglomeration of former congress types and business leaders, none apparently from the Northwest – telling Washington voters what to do. (Click here to see the AAN ad.)

So he countered with an ad of his own.

Sen. Patty Murray enlisted some veterans to help her with a campaign commercial that could help counter the ad blitz by a conservative business group.

A new poll suggests she has a reason to get out on the airwaves: Rasmussen Reports says Republican challengers Dino Rossi and Clint Didier both have 48 percent and she has 45 percent in head-to-head matchups.

Murray’s new ad hit the airwaves about a day after the American Action Network, a group that bills itself as a non-profit “think tank” to promote center-right policies, unleashed its “dirty tennis shoes on our backs” spot. The group’s board includes former Republican senators George Allen and Norm Coleman, and some executives from investment or drug firms, but it’s not technically a campaign ad because it only talks about Murray, not any of her opponents, and asks viewers to sign a petition to her. (You can read more about it, and see it,at this previous post.)

It’s not just on TV, it’s got prominent spots on some political blogs.

Murray’s ad features veterans from all the uniformed services who talk about things she’s done to help them either in the military or after they got out. Some are people Murray met during her terms, others came to the campaign offices and asked what they could do to help, a spokeswoman said.

And, unlike the think tank ad, Julie Edwards said, all are real people, none are actors.

The Rasmussen poll suggests a slight shift since June when “Murray and Rossi were tied as they have been in virtually every survey this year. Since the beginning of the year, Murray has earned 46% to 48% of the vote, while Rossi’s support has ranged from 46% to 49%.  Incumbents that fall short of 50% at this stage of a campaign are considered potentially vulnerable, but worrisome for Murray is that this is her poorest showing of the year. She was reelected to a third term in 2004 with 55% of the vote.”

The biggest shift is that Murray led Didier last month. Rasmussen also tested her strength against Republican Paul Akers, and Murray came out on top, 46% to 41%, but a slight shift from June’s 48-38 lead. The poll was conducted on July 14, which was after the dirty tennis shoe ad aired, but before Murray brought out the vets ad.

A business group is launching a television ad against Sen. Patty Murray, trying to scuff up her image as a “mom in tennis shoes.”

The ad which hits the airwaves this week, from the American Action Network, shows a woman from the knees down with shiny white tennis shoes that get dirtied up as she steps on a prostrate man, woman and child, a not too subtle attempt to represent businesses, families and children. The group calls the ad a “small business advocacy campaign” and offers viewers at the end a website where they can sign a petition to Murray and view a two-page list of legislation that she supported and they oppose, or she opposed and they supported.

The Murray campaign fired back today that it’s nothing but a campaign plug for Republican Dino Rossi from his “Wall Street friends.” Among the legislation that she supported and they don’t like are health care reform, expanded child health care programs and increases to the minimum wage. Those are policies that actually help businesses, workers, families and children, the Murray campaign says.

By one account, the group is spending $750,000 to air the ad in Washington state, a month before the Aug. 17 primary.

Former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul endorsed Clint Didier in the U.S. Senate race in Washington state.

Paul, a Republican congressman from Texas who battled Sen. John McCain for the presidential nomination in 2008, called Didier a “dynamic leader who understands our Constitution and will fight against out-of-control government to restore our liberty.”

Paul’s announcement comes about two months after Didier received an endorsement from former Alaska governor and GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Although Paul didn’t win the nomination, it could carry weight in Washington state, where he did well in the precinct caucuses. It could also come with money from Paul’s political action committee, Liberty PAC.

Didier is trying to knock off Sen. Patty Murray, a three-term incumbent Democrat, but first has to finish first or second in Washington’s Top Two primary on Aug. 17. Because Murray is the only “name” Democrat in the race, she’s assumed to be a shoo-in for one spot in the 15-candidate field. That means Didier will have to beat out a field that includes former state Sen. Dino Rossi, a Republican with high name recognition from two previous statewide runs for governor.

Didier and Palin have called Rossi the GOP establishment candidate, and Didier has attempted to position himself as an outsider who is a true instrument of change. In a similar battle of establishment versus outsider candidacies in Kentucky, Paul’s son, Rand Paul, captured the GOP nomination.

Ron Paul’s endorsment press release can be found inside the blog.

About a month after officially getting into the race, Republican Senate candidate Dino Rossi unveiled a new campaign Web site Friday. One that has more than the video of him announcing his campaign and a chance to sign up for Twitter, Facebook or campaign contributions.

It’s a much more standard Web site with a biography, issues, copies of press releases and a blog. We can expect Democrats to chime in with “About freaking time” at almost any moment.

Patty Murray and Dino Rossi are tied in the latest Rasmussen Reports poll, each with 47 percent of the people responding to automated calls on June 22.

A month ago, Rasmussen had the race at 48 percent Murray, 47 percent Rossi — which means there’s been no change in the race. Why? Because the survey of 500 people has a margin of error of 4.9 percent, so a 1 percent shift is meaningless. In fact, Rasmussen has essentially had the two candidates in the same ballpark for months: Murray has ranged from 46 percent to 48 percent, and Rossi from 49 percent to 46 percent.

When asked about a potential November matchup between the other two leading GOP candidates, Murray does slightly better. She leads Clint Didier 48 percent to 40 percent, and leads Paul Akers 48 percent to 38 percent.

One caveat about the poll: Each matchup contains a few percentage points for “some other candidate” which is apparently part of the automated script that’s read before the person is asked to press a button to show support for a candidate. In the general election in Washington, there is no “other candidate.” It’s just the two top voter getters from the Aug. 17 primary, and a space for a write in.

The poll also suggests Washington voters are about evenly split between supporting and opposing repeal of national Health Care Reform, about one in five considers  him or herself a member of the Tea Party movement, and three out of five think U.S. troops should be sent to the Mexican border to prevent illegal immigration. (Apparently they didn’t ask about sending troops to the Canadian border…)

To read more about the poll, click here to go to the Rasmussen site.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Clint Didier probably has the most avid readership of his Twitter postings in an unlikely quarter.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Although the DSCC is not always the most careful reader, it seems

Rarely has Didier tweeted in recent days about his trip to Washington, D.C., without the DSCC taking note, and sending copies to its long list of media outlets. This afternoon, Didier tweeted, and the DSCC repeated:

“Just met with Ron Paul. What an inspirational leader! Makes me want to fight harder for Liberty! Pics to come.”

When the DSCC sent out its e-mail, however, the described it as a meeting with Rand Paul.

Note to the Democrats: Ron Paul is the congressman from Texas who ran for president in 2008 in the Republican primaries. Rand Paul is his son, running for Senate this year in Kentucky, who recently won the Republican primary. They do look a little bit alike, but Ron is, not surprisingly, considerably older. And is more likely to be in Washington, D.C. these days.

Republican Senate candidate Dino Rossi is apparently a HUGE hit on Facebook.His campaign once again has proclaimed his success at getting Facebook “friends” is far superior to that of incumbent Sen. Patty Murray.

Rossi campaign news proclaimed this morning he had 25,276 friends, “more than double Sen. Patty Murray’s 11,796 followers.” While this is an admirable amount of amicus, one wonders what else the campaign is doing besides counting Facebook friends. As regular readers might recall, Spin Control noted the Rossi campaign was touting its Facebook numbers just under two weeks ago, when it had about 20,000 friends. 

At that time, we felt rather petulant about noting the Rossi campaign Web site really didn’t have much to do except watch a video of Dino’s campaign entry announcement, sign up for Facebook or Twitter, or donate. No issue statements, no bio, no campaign appearance schedule.

Twelve days later and what’s changed on the Web site? Nada.

In other online U.S. Senate campaign news, Clint Didier informed Twitter followers that he’s off to the other Washington. “Brings back a lot of old memories. I’m in this to win this.” Didier, it should be noted, is likely referring to memories of playing football for the Redskins, not any of that government/political stuff that is currently out of vogue.

For some reason, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was so taken by the Didier whereabouts that it is passing it around, not the Didier campaign.

OLYMPIA — Clint Didier made it an even dozen in the U.S. Senate race Thursday afternoon.

The Central Washington farmer and football coach, and former NFL player, was one of four candidates filing for the seat held by Democrat Patty Murray, who is seeking her fourth term.

The three best-known and better financed Republicans — Didier, Dino Rossi and Paul Akers — all filed Thursday. So did Bob Burr of Bellingham, a Democrat who said he’s unhappy with Murray’s refusal to support publicly financed political campaigns.

For those keeping track at home, that makes 5 Democrats, 5 Republicans and 2 “No party preference” candidates.

Democrats are having fun with the fact that Rossi signed up for the 2008 ballot as “Prefers GOP Party” but lists “Republican Party” this year. Not sure it’s something that will decide anyone’s vote, though.

For a complete list of the names on the Spokane area ballots thus far, go inside the blog.

Art Coday, one of a flock of Republican candidates who were in the U.S. Senate race, said today he’s getting out and supporting Dino Rossi.

Coday said he’ll run for an open state House of Representatives seat in the 32nd Legislative District instead.

Coday, a Shoreline physician, said none of the other candidates’ views matched his perfectly, but he’s been a longtime supporter of Rossi, backing both of Rossi’s bids for governor.

“I think highly of each of these guys,” Coday said. “I think Dino has the best chance of beating Patty Murray.”

Rossi, who has been discussed as a possible candidate for months, officially entered the crowded race on Wednesday. Staying in are (alphabetically) Paul Akers, Don Benton, Clint Didier, Skip Mercer, Sean Salazar and Craig Williams.

And, of course, Murray, a Democrat seeking her fourth term. In the state’s Top Two primary system, they all appear on the ballot together (along with anyone else deciding to file next month). The two top vote-getters go on to the November general election, regardless of party preference.