Reply #6: WA: Cantwell braces in case McGavick finances his race

[rumpel]

By Alex Fryer
Seattle Times staff reporter

If campaign-finance numbers released this week indicate a trend, state Democrats say incumbent Sen. Maria Cantwell will end up raising about twice as much money as her Republican rival, Mike McGavick.

That has led to a flurry of speculation that McGavick, former chief executive of Safeco, will pour his own money into the race, just as Democrat Cantwell did six years ago when she spent $10 million to topple Sen. Slade Gorton.

But the rules are different now. Since Congress passed the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance reform in 2002, candidates who face a self-financed opponent can collect much larger donations from individuals and political committees, leading to a blizzard of political money.

Last week, the Cantwell campaign filed a series of questions to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to clarify its options if McGavick were to self-finance his campaign.

During the 2004 Illinois primary, businessman Blair Hull pumped $28 million into his race, enabling his opponents, including Barack Obama, to raise their contribution limits.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003126085_senate14m.html