State regains clout in Senate

By David Ammons

Associated Press

OLYMPIA — Not so long ago, there was great hand-wringing over Washington’s precipitous loss of political clout when U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton lost his re-election bid by an eyelash.

Gorton, one of the lions of the Senate after 18 years, was in the majority leadership circle and a budget chairman with enormous power over home-state issues. His loss left Washington with not one, but two, members of the minority party struggling to do battle in a city dominated by the Republicans.

But less than six months later, the fates are again smiling on Washington state. A maverick Republican’s defection soon will turn control of the Senate over to the Democrats — and Washington gets an unexpected double shot of majority power.

Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, the state’s first all-female Senate delegation, have reason to celebrate. Beside burnishing their own political reputations as rising stars in their party, their new status assures them that Washington issues will get an airing in the inner circles of the U.S. Senate.

"This doesn’t mean Washington state suddenly gets everything it wants, but it does mean Washington state issues will get a fair hearing," says Larry West, spokesman for Cantwell. "It’s not like things will be a slam dunk. The margin is so narrow in the Senate, and the Republicans still control the House and the White House."

Rep. Norm Dicks, dean of the delegation and himself a major appropriations power, says the Senate switch by James Jeffords of Vermont "can do nothing but help us."

Washington hasn’t had two majority Democrats in the Senate since the glory days of "Scoop and Maggie" in the 1970s. The legendary "gold-dust twins," Henry M. Jackson and Warren G. Magnuson, headed the Interior and Appropriations committees, respectively. Maggie was president pro tem of the Senate and Scoop ran for the White House. Heady days.

Rebuilding clout

Partisans on both sides of the aisle agree that Gorton’s departure and the lack of a Washington presence in the majority caucus created a "clout gap." But they say the latest turn of events begins to turn things around.

"It really fills the void," says George Behan, a senior congressional aide.

"Instead of Alaska senators controlling our destiny, our senators will be in the driver’s seat," says Democratic Gov. Gary Locke, referring to Alaska’s current chairmanships of the Appropriations and Energy committees.

"With the elevation of Patty Murray to a key position in the Senate Appropriations Committee and Maria Cantwell having greater influence on energy and the environment, as well as on the Judiciary Committee, they’re in key positions to make sure the interests of our state are protected and advanced," Locke says.

State Republican chairman Chris Vance disagrees.

"From a Republican standpoint, there is nothing good about this," he says. "Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are in a better position to implement policies we don’t believe in. They are old-fashioned Ted Kennedy-Mike Dukakis-George McGovern liberals. They are out of step with the other Democrats in this state and way out of step with the voters."

Patty’s running shoes

The Democrats’ ascendancy is particularly noteworthy for Murray. Although only in her second term, she’s already in leadership as chairwoman of the Senate Democrats’ campaign committee, a plum assignment that will enable her to collect chits from grateful candidates and give her a voice in determining the caucus agenda and message.

As Democrats take over the Senate, Murray is in line to become chairwoman of the Appropriations subcommittee on transportation. The new appropriations chairman, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, is one of Murray’s mentors.

"Airports, surface transportation, transit, the Coast Guard, pipeline safety and a vast array of programs will be under my jurisdiction, so I can shape a national bill that reflects Northwest needs," Murray said in an interview.

If Washington state lawmakers and voters approve a massive transportation package this year, "I’ll be in the catbird seat to help" with federal matching funds, she says. She can also snag money for Sound Transit.

The mother of two adult children, Murray famously ran her first campaign as the "Mom in tennis shoes." Today, she says with a laugh, she’s running ragged keeping up with all her Senate and campaign assignments.

Suits her fine, she says. "You know I don’t like being bored."

Maria’s fortunes

Cantwell’s come-from-behind victory in the absentee ballots last December pulled the Democrats into a rare 50-50 tie in the Senate. They got half the committee slots, but none of the chairmanships, since Vice President Dick Cheney’s power to break ties gave Republicans de facto majority. So the Democrats waited for Murray’s campaign committee to win an outright majority — or for a GOP senator to die in office.

Jeffords’ switch made it quicker, leading Murray to quip that, as a woman, she did the job faster and under budget.

Cantwell, who made and lost a high-tech fortune, didn’t have to toil long in the minority wilderness. The paint barely dry on her new office door, Cantwell makes an effortless segue from back-bench minority member to a majority member with good committee assignments.

"It’s an opportunity," she says. "But Democrats have to be judicious with their hands on the reins. We don’t want to make the same mistakes the Republicans did."

Cantwell’s also on the Energy and Natural Resources committees, and plans to pursue a short-term price-cap for wholesale energy prices and better funding for the Hanford cleanup. As a member of the Small Business Committee, she plans to work on programs to help bring broadband telecommunications to rural areas and to help businesses with energy and drought-related expenses.

David Ammons is the Associated Press’ state political writer and has covered the statehouse since 1971. He may be reached at P.O. Box 607, Olympia, WA 98507, or at dammons@ap.org.