Editors Note: Letters to the Editor are prioritized and generally selected to run in The Times or The Globe based on the letter writers address where space is limited. The following letter was therefore omitted from the pages of The Globe and ran only in The Times. Mr. Blowers, who is the Republican 10th District Leader, asked that we include it in The Globe, even though it runs after the election.

The voters of Washington state have the opportunity to correct a mistake they made in November 2000 when they elected Maria Cantwell to replace Senator Slade Gorton. She won by 2,239 votes after late King County election counts came in. Coincidentally, she won in the same manner as Christine Gregoire won the governors office in 2004.
Cantwell, at the time, boasted that she wouldnt accept PAC money and borrowed funds based upon her company stock portfolio. When the stocks value dropped greatly when the dot-com bubble burst, she immediately set out to obtain donations from lobbyists nationwide who support left wing special interests. As of this fall, she has raised more than $16 million of which over $9.7 million came from out of state special interests. In state, the big donors included Bill Gates father, a left wing lawyer and his firm, radical environmental groups, and public employees labor union heads.
When she is not traveling the country soliciting campaign funds, she votes the party line of northeast and California liberals.
She opposes tax cuts for middle class families and small businesses. Recently, she even voted to oppose an increase in the national minimum wage even though it wasnt as high as the Washington state minimum wage.
In contrast, Mike McGavick, was formerly chief of staff for Sen. Slade Gorton, and more recently CEO of Safeco Insurance company. Prior to resigning to run for the Senate, he led the company back from serious business problems.
His financial supporters are primarily in state with donations amounting to $5.7 million. His donations came from small businesses, thousands of small donors and his personal funds. He has vocally supported tax cuts being made permanent for middle class families, and reductions of inheritance tax rates for farmers and small businesses.
The campaigns of the two individuals accentuate their differences. McGavick has traveled the sate visiting communities and talking with voters. He has urged public debates with Miss Cantwell. She has been a stealth candidate except for expensive TV ads that attack her opponent with half-truths. She finally took part in two public debates in mid-October in Spokane and Seattle.
Washington state needs a senator in Washington, D.C., who represents middle-class values of family, personal responsibility, support for schools and community. We currently have a senator who supports radical special interest groups, big government style Seattle interests and radical environmentalists.
Paul Blowers
Arlington