John McCain

The John McCain campaign for president announced its Washington Veterans for John McCain Leadership Team at an event in Seattle's Remembrance Garden yesterday. The group aims to work together to solidify John McCain's support among Washington's military veterans. The team is comprised of some 30 veterans from all branches of service, including 2006 2nd District congressional candidate Capt. Doug Roulstone, USN (Ret.).

"John McCain knows that as Americans, we are tremendously blessed with historic freedoms and liberties," Roulstone said of the presumptive Republican nominee. "Our freedoms have been secured and shared around the world through the brave actions of our servicemen and women. Due to their actions, John McCain has fought tirelessly to make the VA work for our veterans during his tenure in the Senate."

The latest poll from Portland's Moore Information shows Gov. Chris Gregoire and her Republican challenger Dino Rossi even with 45 percent apiece. The survey was conducted on July 9-10 and sampled 400 registered voters.

Polls have been relatively close throughout the entire campaign, but this is Rossi's best showing since the winter months. The margin of error was +/- 5 percent, and 9 percent said they were undecided.

UPDATE: The P-I is reporting, and the Democrats are insisting, that the poll was paid for by Rossi. Rossi used Moore in 2004, as well, per Mulick.

Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) presidential campaign announced today that it will be opening its Washington state campaign headquarters next week in Bellevue.

They will host a grand opening event at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July, 15 at 2330 130th Ave. NE, Bldg C, Ste. 103.

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama: Getty Images PhotoPresumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) leads Republican Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the latest Washington state presidential poll with 47 percent of the vote to McCain's 39, the Seattle P-I is reporting.

The poll, taken by the consulting firm Strategies 360, surveyed a relatively large sample of 1200 voters on June 26. In addition to the head-to-head, it also found favorability ratings of the two major party candidates. 54 percent of respondents reacted favorably to Obama compared to 37 percent negatively, while McCain had a 44 percent favorable and 46 percent unfavorable rating.

The margin of error for the poll was 2.75 percent.

Veteran political operative Floyd Brown made his name in 1988 by helping to create the infamous "Willie Horton" piece that dogged Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis with distorted facts and race-baiting tactics. Twenty years later, living in University Place, he hopes to make just as strong an impact.

The New York Times has an article on Mr. Brown from Saturday discussing his current operation.  Brown presides over two PACs, the National Campaign Fund and the Legacy Committee, and a 527 group called Citizens for a Safe and Prosperous America. Through those he hopes to create an ad that moves voters beyond what he calls the "tipping point" of a successful political attack ad.

Governor Chris Gregoire, who held a press conference on June 18 on the subject of negative 527 ads leveled against her by the Dino Rossi-backing BIAW, has taken her act to a national crowd. Gregoire wrote a blog post on the left-leaning blog Daily Kos today to sound a warning to Democrats across the country.

Citing the recent brouhaha over the BIAW's ChangePAC radio ads in Washington, Gregoire suggested that third party attack ads would be prevalent nationally because of John McCain's fundraising gap with Barack Obama.

Below is a sample of what Gregoire wrote about the situation.

Native American tribes all mean something different to our top politicians: Gregoire, Bush, Obama and McCain. Wally just wishes he could win at slots.

Casinos pay off and party brands pay dearly. Here are the Winners & Losers for June 13, 2008.