Democrats have poured millions of dollars into the Washington Senate race, a deep-blue state that recent polls suggest Republicans may take back the seat that a GOP member hasn’t occupied since 2001.
Sen. Pat Murray, the state’s Democrat leader seeking a sixth term, has been campaigning against political newcomer Republican Tiffany Smiley.
The Seattle Times reports Murray’s campaign has spent more than $17 million on the face, while Smiley’s has spent over $10 million.
Citizens United, a conservative advocacy group, ran a Monday poll showing a 6-point race between Murray and Smiley.
David Bossie, president of Citizens United, told Politico the race “should not be a contest,” considering Murray won the state with 59% support in 2016 and President Biden with 58% in 2020.
“Washington state is not a purple state. It is not a marginal state. It is a deep-blue state. To be having this conversation is a bad omen for Democrats,” he said.
According to a Politico report, Murray and her campaign dropped $1.5 million in ads with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. And in recent days, she reportedly received approximately $6.5 million from EMILY’s List, a pro-abortion Super PAC group, which also spent most of the funds on television advertisements.
“With Republicans threatening a national abortion ban, we need Patty Murray more than ever,” Benjamin Ray, EMILY’s List spokesman, told the publication, adding the Democrat Senator is “a trailblazer and a champion for women’s freedom to control their own bodies.”
According to Politico, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has spent $750,000 in Washington.
“Tiffany Smiley is running an incredible campaign, and she’s got 30-year incumbent Patty Murray and national Democrats running scared,” Hartline said.
During a debate Sunday night, Smiley blamed Murray for the many issues that have plagued the state and country, noting Murray’s 30-year career in politics.
“Crime’s out of control; Patty Murray is to blame,” Smiley said, according to The Seattle Times. “Sen. Murray and Joe Biden have shown extreme weakness on the world stage,” referring to the war in Ukraine.
Smiley further noted on the debate stage that Murray and the D.C. establishment have caused the Southern border crisis, which she said has allowed China to push “components of fentanyl across.”
Despite left-wing money funding smear campaigns on Smiley, the Republican challenger told Murray to disavow her campaign’s “dangerous rhetoric that has spent millions of dollars to attack and paint her” as a so-called threat to democracy.
Last week, the Seattle Times poll published a poll that showed Murray losing ground as Smiley has found solid footing in the Pacific Northwestern state.
Murray holds an 8-point lead over Smiley showing 49% to 41%, according to SurveyUSA’s latest polling conducted exclusively for The Seattle Times. In July, Murray was at 51% and won the primary at 52%.
Smiley, however, gained substantial support over the same course jumping from 33% to 41%, including earning half of the Independent voter’s support compared to Murray’s 34 percent.
We are 15 days from Election Day and the choice before Washingtonians is clear – motivation and principle versus a 30 year career politician.
I encourage everyone to vote and make their voices heard this November! pic.twitter.com/DXK6sCepAH
— Tiffany Smiley (@SmileyForWA) October 24, 2022
