KPLU Local News
(2010-11-03)
Listen Now:
null
Dino Rossi speaks to supporters at a Puyallup campaign event this past Monday, Nov. 1st. A key Republican strategist says the candidate's strong showing around the state will be hard-pressed to withstand a poor performance with King County voters.
AP photo.
Republican Dino Rossi's prospects of pulling out a win in Washington's US Senate race are dimming. Democrat Patty Murray has increased her lead - albeit slightly. New vote totals show she leads by about 27-thousand votes. But the trend line appears to favor her.
If Rossi is to win, the daily vote tallies need to start going his way. So far that hasn't happened. In fact, Democrat Murray continues to have a 60-percent-plus advantage in heavily Democratic King County. That's where the bulk of the uncounted ballots reside - some three-hundred-thousand plus according to county elections officials. Julie Edwards is a Murray campaign spokeswoman. In a conference call with reporters, she hardly hedged.
Julie Edwards: "Based on the votes that are out there, based on the projected returns, based on the performance of both candidates so far we are confident that Senator Murray will win this election."
Republicans have hunkered down. They're scrutinizing the numbers, but not spinning reporters with a can-win storyline. What they are saying is late arriving votes usually advantage the Republican. They also note Rossi has polled well in a plurality of Washington 39 counties where there are also late-arriving ballots yet to be counted. But Republican strategist Todd Myers, who's experienced close statewide races first-hand, is not optimistic for Rossi.
Todd Myers: "The King County numbers were very bad so that's the problem for Dino."
Myers says Dino Rossi's performance in King County is actually getting worse, not better. But why, in an election that favored Republicans, would Rossi fall short? Myers says it's a number of factors: including the fact Rossi isn't a fresh face. He's run statewide three times since 2004. But Myers says Rossi faced another hurdle: Washington's Democratic tilt.
Todd Myers: "I think the perception is that Dino underperformed because of the Republican wave, but I think Dino probably over performed because of the state."
Austin Jenkins: "Meaning it's a blue state?"
Todd Myers: "Exactly."
Myers calls Rossi talented and says he'll be very sorry to see the former State Senator and budget chair lose a third statewide race. But it isn't over yet. The margins are still super close. And with hundreds of thousands of ballots left to count - no one is ready to call this race just yet.
© Copyright 2012, N3
