SEATTLE - She's running now, and running hard. Patty Murray kicked off her Senate campaign with a huge fundraising luncheon in downtown Seattle today.
She used the event to hand out "Golden Tennis Shoe" awards and to take shots at one possible general election opponent, clearly the opponent Democrats fear most, Dino Rossi.
Rossi waited until a few weeks ago to get into the race after being recruited by Senate Republican leaders.
Murray brought it up today.
"And unlike some others in this race, I have never hemmed or hawed or hedged my bets," she said during a full-fledged stump speech. "I have never wondered whether or not I wanted to fight for you every day or whether it was worth it to me personally, to be your voice fighting for this region. No one had to convince me. Or make promises, to drag me in."
Some Murray supporters told me today this election season worries them and there is clearly some concern that Murray could be vulnerable. But they are also optimistic that she can win a tough campaign battle.
"I think it's the kind of election cycle where you take nothing for granted," said longtime Murray backer Bill Arthur. "But I have a hard time believing that Patty Murray isn’t going to be our Senator come November."
I asked Murray about that vulnerability, about what she thought of political analysts and critics and observers and talking heads describing her Senate seat as vulnerable. I asked three times, and three times she moved smoothly and immediately into her campaign speech, never answering the question directly.
It is clear this is one three-term Senator who has learned there is nothing to be gained by talking politics with political reporters during a campaign. Don't expect her to handicap the race; expect plenty of predictable responses about fighting for Washingtonians and doing what's right for the country.
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