Ledger

Issue date: 11/2/06 Section: Features

Maria Cantwell

Mike Mcgavick

With the General Election only a few weeks away, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to sift through the attack ads that haunt our prime time hours in search of anything relevant. Here’s a little help.

 

Democratic incumbent Maria Cantwell and Republican challenger Mike McGavick are much more similar than different in several ways. Their relatively close in age, have fathers who held public office, and are connected in one way or another to former Senator Slade Gorton.

 

Cantwell and McGavick are not that much different in politics as one might think. Both have been able to successfully campaign without judging the others personal character or background too harshly. The October 25 issue of “The News Tribune” quoted McGavick as saying, “you had to stand you ground and defend your ground with facts.”

Cantwell has done much of the same throughout the campaign season. While she actively opposes the Bush Administration and McGavick on several key policies throughout the campaign season, neither she nor her staff has resorted to the ugly personal attacks of either Bush or McGavick.

 

Both candidates are relatively moderate in their political leanings than many in their parties. They agree on the most basic issues; restoring fiscal responsibility on the federal level, fully support the No Child Left Behind Act as a means to improving education in Washington, and stabilizing Iraq.

 

Cantwell takes more of a liberal stance in pro-choice and environmental issues. She was one of the 34 senators to vote against the president’s Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act in 2003 and was actively against the nominations of both John Roberts Jr. and Samuel Alito Jr. to the federal Supreme Court. Cantwell has also strongly opposed to drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

 

McGavick takes a more conservative approach to many major issues. He actively supports lower taxes, decrease in governmental interference and control, and marriage between one man and one woman alone. McGavick also supports full implementation of the 9/11 Commission recommendations, including extension of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 as a means of protecting the nation and state as a whole.

 

No matter what their differences or similarities in politics and personality,

Washingtonians will have at least two highly qualified and respected senatorial

candidates to choose from on November 7.

 

 

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