AP: Cheney to Campaign for McGavick, Roulstone in Everett and Spokane

By Nicholas K. Geranios

Vice President Dick Cheney would not seem to be very popular in left-leaning Washington, but that won’t stop Republican political candidates from tapping Cheney’s fundraising ability.

Cheney is scheduled to make campaign appearances Monday in Everett for House candidate Doug Roulstone and in Spokane for Senate candidate Mike McGavick, who is challenging U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.

President Bush and Cheney lost Washington state in both the 2000 and 2004 elections, mostly due to lopsided support for Democrats in the liberal stronghold of greater Seattle. But Cheney is expected to raise plenty of money for the GOP candidates.

“The fact of the matter is he is still the vice president,” said McGavick spokeswoman Julie Sund. “We are happy to have the support of Republicans across the board.”

Cheney will stump for McGavick at a $500 per person reception at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane. Contributors can pay $2,100 apiece to attend a private reception and have their photo taken with Cheney, she said.

At those prices, only about 100 people are expected to attend, Sund said.

Cheney has already made some 50 fundraising appearances for Republicans in this election cycle.

Sund said McGavick has some differences with Bush, who nationally is suffering the lowest approval ratings of his presidency at around 30 percent.

That isn’t flying with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in Washington, D.C.

“Dick Cheney has found yet another rubber stamp for the Bush agenda in Mike McGavick,” said DSCC press secretary Karl Frisch. “Unfortunately for McGavick, Cheney is about as popular in Washington state as a root canal without pain killer.”

Democrats argue that bringing Cheney to the state belies McGavick’s campaign pitch that he is a moderate.

“He is bringing the most divisive American politician in American politics to Spokane,” state Democratic chairman Dwight Pelz said.

Cheney will appear at a luncheon Monday in Everett to support Roulstone, who is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen in the 2nd District. The cost is $250 per person, and the Roulstone campaign expects about 200 people, campaign manager David Hoffman said.

“The vice president is going to help move this race onto the national stage,” Hoffman said, rejecting the notion that being associated with Cheney might hurt Roulstone with moderates.

Roulstone was contacted by Cheney’s office about having the event, Hoffman said, and did not hesitate to accept.

“As a former naval captain, having the vice president out is a big honor for Doug,” Hoffman said.

Monday afternoon, Cheney will fly to Fairchild Air Force Base outside Spokane to participate in a rally with airmen. U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris, R-Wash., and U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., both up for re-election this year, will also appear with Cheney.

The Peace and Justice Action League plans to demonstrate at the hotel, perhaps wearing hunter orange vests, spokesman Wil Elder said.

Elder said the fact that McGavick is bringing Cheney in will hurt his candidacy.

“It’s pretty desperate when you ask for a guy with an 80-plus disapproval rating to come campaign for you,” Elder said.

Sund said they are hoping to get President Bush to campaign for McGavick this summer.

Bush campaigned in 2004 for Republican George Nethercutt, who still lost badly to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

Campaign finance reports show McGavick, a former chief executive officer of Safeco and chief of staff to former Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash., has raised more than $1.4 million, with nearly $860,000 still available.

Cantwell, a former legislator and software industry executive finishing her first term, had raised nearly $6.8 million and had more than $5 million in the bank at the end of 2005, when the most recent campaign reports were available.

April 17, 2006 | Filed Under DSCC, News Mentions 

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