Incumbent Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell's reelection campaign had been going pretty well in Washington state, as Republican challenger Mike McGavick had seemed to reach a ceiling on his support. Now, news that Cantwell funneled federal dollars to a lobbyist close to her campaign may shake things up a bit. Matthew Daly and John Solomon of the Associated Press report:
Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell (news, bio, voting record) helped arrange more than $11 million in federal money in the past year for projects benefiting clients of a lobbyist who is advising her re-election campaign and still owes her money from a personal loan.
Cantwell, a Democrat who is in a tight re-election race, has reported for years that former campaign manager Ron Dotzauer owes her between $15,000 and $50,000 for a personal loan predating her first Senate election in 2000. Dotzauer now runs a lobbying firm.The loan was still listed as outstanding on the financial disclosure report Cantwell filed in May. The senator's office said Dotzauer continues to advise informally Cantwell's campaign as an unpaid adviser.
Read the rest at link above. This could put this seat back "in play" if she can't answer the criticism quickly.
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Filed under:
2006 Senate Race, Democrats, Scandal, Washington
