Can it really be Obama’s to lose tonight?

posted 05:18 PM 10/15
Link this article here.

CNN.com thinks so. New polling in Virginia showed Barack Obama with a 10-point lead over John McCain today, 53 percent to 43 percent, causing the network to shift that reliably red state into the leans-to-Obama column from toss-up.

If the polling means anything, Obama now would get 277 electoral votes — the first time he’s had more than the 270 needed to win the presidency. Check out the electoral map here.

Of course, the map is based on recent polls, and the election is still 20 days away, so the numbers on that link could change by the time you click on it. A whole lot has happened on the financial fronts in the past 20 days.

Tonight’s 6 p.m. debate gives McCain a chance for achieving what the national pundits like to call a “game-changer.’’

Adam Wilson and I are heading down in a few minutes to The Olympia Performing Arts Center tonight to watch the televised event. It’s beamed by television from Hofstra University in New York starting at 6 p.m.

A local question-answer period for South Sound residents will follow for a half-hour at 7:30 p.m., led by The Olympian’s own, publisher John Winn Miller.

Look for a story in the morning paper. We’ll see what our own residents think.

At 8 p.m., Gov. Chris Gregoire and G.O.P. Party candidate Dino Rossi debate on KING-5 television. We'll have a story on that in the paper, too.

Few takers for fall “Political Courage Test”

posted 12:04 PM 10/15

So much for political courage, if that is what this test is all about.

RGA amends report: Has $2.5 million available in gov's race

posted 10:40 AM 10/15

The Republican Governors Association filed an amended report with state campaign-finance officials today. The effect is it shows RGA really has put $5.5 million into its Washington State RGA PAC for use in the governor’s race.

UPDATE III: BIAW adds $4 million to pro-Rossi PAC; Gregoire backers also loaded

posted 10:38 AM 10/15

The Building Industry Association of Washington poured $4.1 million into its ChangePAC committee on Friday, just ahead of Monday’s deadline for making campaign contributions greater than $5,000.

Legal scrum forms around Rossi, BIAW, justices, depositions

posted 05:05 PM 10/13

As expected, lawyers for Dino Rossi filed this motion in a King County court today. It asks a judge to quash a subpoena that would require him to answer questions under oath in a lawsuit prior to the Nov. 4 election.

Bergeson, Dorn talk about WASL in schools race

posted 01:04 PM 10/13

There were no real shockers today when the two rivals running for state superintendent of public instruction showed up for The Olympian’s editorial board interviews.

UPDATED: I-1000 backers have $1 million edge in assisted suicide fight

posted 12:03 PM 10/11

Money has finally begun to flood into the Initiative 1000 campaign, but it’s mostly on the side of supporting the assisted suicide measure.

UPDATED: Police groups dispute ads hitting Gregoire over sex offenders

posted 04:23 PM 10/10

A new television ad launched against Gov. Chris Gregoire by the Republican Governors Association is drawing denunciations from several law enforcement officials, including Thurston County Sheriff Dan Kimball.

Scorecard: Rossi record poor on environment, despite 'green deeds'

posted 05:51 PM 10/09

Washington’s environmental community endorsed Gov. Chris Gregoire’s re-election in April. Now it’s taking aim at G.O.P. candidate Dino Rossi, saying he is not quite the environmental friend he painted himself to be in a recent debate.

FOLLOW-UP: Six more underage voters found "active" in state database

posted 01:52 PM 10/09

The Evergreen Freedom Foundation said today it has found six underage voters in the state election database who are listed as “active” for the general election. This buttresses the conservative think tank’s claim that state officials are not doing enough on this problem.

EFF goes to court over registration of 17-year-olds to vote

posted 04:37 PM 10/08

The conservative Evergreen Freedom Foundation is taking Washington elections officials to court to block their practice of letting teens younger than 18 be registered to vote.

Readers agree: Obama won both debates, but Palin bested Biden

posted 11:05 AM 10/08

The votes are in this morning at The Olympian’s insta-poll, and by a 59 percent to 35 percent margin, readers say Sen. Barack Obama won last night’s presidential debate over Sen. John McCain. Three percent thought it was a tie.

UPDATE: Gov. Gregoire finally embraces budget shortfall

posted 04:53 PM 10/07

Gov. Chris Gregoire is finally acknowledging the size of the pending state budget shortfall.

Voter pamphlets already available

posted 10:42 AM 10/07

Here’s some how-to information for those already gearing up to vote Nov. 4.

UPDATE on BIAW suit: Rossi could face questioning on Oct. 15

posted 01:45 PM 10/06

Another legal action has been filed over allegations of campaign finance violations in the neck-and-neck Washington governor’s race.