WA: Senate race compared to Georgia's (Cleland v. Chambliss :puke:)

[goobergunch]

ELLYN FERGUSON
GANNETT NEWS SERVICE
The Olympian Online

WASHINGTON -- War hero Max Cleland was ousted in a bitter and costly Senate race in Georgia that still gives Democrats nightmares a year later.

For Washington state Democrats, the question is: Could it happen here?

Washington state Democrats got nervous this month after a national Republican leader likened the upcoming 2004 contest between Sen. Patty Murray and challenger Rep. George Nethercutt to the Georgia race.

That $16 million campaign centered on relentless questioning of Cleland's judgment and patriotism and culminated in a brutal television ad that compared Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam, to then-Iraq President Saddam Hussein and terrorist Osama bin Laden.

"The Republicans have begun to brag about the fact that they are going to run a Georgia-style campaign here in Washington state," Murray's campaign manager, Carol Albert, wrote in a memo to Washington state media.

more...http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20031025/frontpage/132950.shtml

:puke:

[Armstead]

1. As an ex-Searrleite, I think Wash voters will be smarter...

than those in Georgia, and not fall for that nonsense.

[terrya]

2. How vulnerable is Senator Murray right now?

Just wondering. I thought this was a safe seat for the Democrats.

[goobergunch]

3. Leaning, I'd say

Murray is definitely favored.

[La_Serpiente]

4. Isn't Washington a pretty liberal state?

I'm sure Seattle is...but not the Eastern part of the state. Those guys are very conservative.

Yeah, what are his chances? I don't think people in Washington fall for that soldier kind type like in the South.

[SahaleArm]

7. The Cascade split.

West of the Cascades is for the most part Democrat; east of the Cascades is for the most part Republican. I'd say it's Murray's to lose but Nethercutt is a strong challenger. Nethercutt beat out Tom Foley (D) when first winning his seat. Of course he also stated that dead soldiers were less important than the good news in Iraq; that might have killed his candidacy.

[keopeli]

5. Murray will beat Nethercutt, I believe.

Of course, one never knows, but if they run a campaign like the Repubs did in Georgia, it will go over like a fart in a space suit anywhere in WA state.

[NewJerseyDem]

6. I've been thinking the same thing

I'm not enirely sure why but I'm a little worried about Patty Murray. It just seems like this may be one of those surprise races like Georgia was in 2002. It is too early to tell but this race should be watched. Nethercutt upset Foley in 1994 and I think he might do it again.

[terrya]

8. Correct me if I;m wrong, but is this George Nethercutt...

The same person who vowed, during his campaign against Tom Foley, that he would only serve two terms? The one who campaigned on term limits?

Again, I could be wrong about this.

[SahaleArm]

9. Nothing new here, move along.

Another lying repug.

[dusty64]

11. It all depends on the

"voting" method used. Do they have diebold machines in Washington, if so I would be VERY concerned.

[wrkclskid]

10. Didn't Nethercutt

recently say that what was ahppening in Iraq was more improtant than "a couple soilders dying everyday."
Just run that quote over and over and those on the army bases in Washington will come out in droves for Murray.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

12. Remeber, Georgia voters are much more conservative than...

Washington State voters!!! Gore won the state by 51% to 45% in 2000! The state has leaned Democratic and gone so except when there has been a Rethug landslide! This is not the south! This is the Pacific Coast which means that there is a bit more of sanity here!