Senator in deep-blue state no longer a lock, polls show
Washington GOP Senate candidate Tiffany Smiley discusses her gains against Democratic opponent Patty Murray and argues voters are excited for change.
A reliably blue Senate seat has begun shifting in the other direction, with Republican candidate Tiffany Smiley making gains against longtime Washington Democrat Sen. Patty Murray, with only days until the midterm election.
Murray, who has held the state's Senate seat since 1992, was originally projected to solidly win. New Fox News Power Rankings, however, show the vote has shifted from "Solid D to Likely D," with Smiley cutting into Murray's lead.
Smiley told "America’s Newsroom" Tuesday that she is pulling Democratic voters because she’s connecting to them on common ground.
"These issues aren’t Democrat or Republican, they’re American issues," she told hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino.
Washington State Republican Senate nominee Tiffany Smiley meets with voters in Kirkland, Washington, on July 22, 2022. (Tiffany Smiley campaign)
"I’m meeting with voters who did vote for Joe Biden and are voting for me."
Smiley said she’s heard from Democratic, independent and undecided voters who are excited to see someone new in the office.
"The groundswell is real. People are excited, they want change," she said.
She noted that her campaign has far out-fundraised her competitor, and she has seen hundreds of supporters attend her events and rallies. Her strategy, she said, is to focus on universally important issues.
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Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) speaks during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies hearing to discuss President Biden's fiscal year 2023 budget request for the National Institute of Health on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 17, 2022. (Anna Rose Layden/Pool via REUTERS)
"In every crowd, I say, ‘We are more alike than we are different.’ It is time for unity," she said. "This is about the future of our children in this country."
Smiley called out Murray for basing policies on a "tired" playbook from the Democratic Party that focuses on intentions rather than execution.
"We need to base policy on results," she said.
Smiley argued she is the candidate offering solutions. For example, she pushed for America’s energy independence while focusing on environmental protections.
She said her proposal to offer a clean-energy approach would immediately lower costs for American families.
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"So there are solutions. Senator Murray does not have them."
"This isn't just about Washington state. This is about the United States of America," she said. "We will send a shockwave all the way to Washington, D.C. for this great state."
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