Research 2000 for Daily Kos (2/16-18, registered voters):
Patty Murray (D-inc): 53
Dave Reichert (R): 40Patty Murray (D-inc): 55
Rob McKenna (R): 39
(MoE: ±4%)
Research 2000 takes a look at the 2010 Washington Senate race for Daily Kos, and there’s really not much to see here. Patty Murray wins easily against two of the few Republicans that people in Washington actually like, Rep. Dave Reichert and Attorney General Rob McKenna. But neither of them have given any indication of running for the Senate, and if either of them had any urges, this poll is likely to squelch those.
McKenna has his sights set on the 2012 gubernatorial race (which will presumably be an open seat), while Reichert is (as I’ve talked about at length) the GOP’s only hope of holding onto the Democratic-leaning WA-08 and the state GOP won’t want to sacrifice him for a longshot bid against Murray. With Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers climbing the House leadership ladder and Dino Rossi having seen the extinction of his career, there just aren’t any top-tier elected GOPers in the state to make this race.
Expect them to take the route they took in 2006 with Mike! McGavick and pick some super-wealthy self-funder you’ve never heard of, who won’t break 40% but will at least be able to pay for his own funeral. (It’s been long-threatened, but it may finally be John Stanton‘s turn in the dunk tank.)
We needs your House seat!
Ever. I agree that they won’t bother throwing any of their good folks (namely Reichert) against her because that would be handing a seat to us.
Btw, the genesis of the Tennis Shoes line is that “as a citizen-lobbyist for environmental and educational issues, she was once told by a state representative that she couldn’t make a difference because she was just a “mom in tennis shoes.” She used that phrase as her campaign motto ever since…
My state’s senior Senator will get a free pass this year. But I dont think its likely that someone like the likes of Stannton would get less than 40%. McGavick got 39% if I remember right after his own personal scandals started hitting. So if we run someone that actually puts on a race and not a nobody state Senator or something, that is clean, I think getting at least 40% is likely.
be an open seat? We don’t have term limits in this state.
Cathy McMorris Rogers would be a safe pick for the GOP and generate a quality opponent. She pulled in the highest percentage of any of the GOP reps from Washington in 2008 even topping Doc Hastings.
WA-5, the old seat of former Speaker Tom Foley, seems to be a fairly solid Republican seat now.
Hastings seat is also seafe but Doc is part of the class of 1994 and would seem to be more rooted in. If he ran it would be a throw away end of career move.