Washington state Republican Senate candidate backs Lieberman

OLYMPIA, Wash. --Sen. Maria Cantwell joined her Democratic colleagues in dropping support of Sen. Joe Lieberman, but her Republican challenger endorsed Lieberman's independent Senate bid over the GOP candidate in Connecticut.

Lieberman, the Democrats' vice presidential nominee six years ago, lost his primary on Tuesday and many of his fellow Democrats, including the Senate Democratic leaders, endorsed winner Ned Lamont, the anti-war challenger.

Cantwell, D-Wash., followed suit on Wednesday.

"I respect the decision of the Connecticut Democrats in choosing their nominee and I will support him," she said Wednesday in a two-line statement released by her campaign.

Cantwell has her own problem with anti-war Democrats but is expected to blow past four little-known challengers in next month's primary.

Her likely GOP rival, former Senate aide and business leader Mike McGavick, endorsed Lieberman, a friend and ally of McGavick's old Senate boss, Republican Slade Gorton, over Alan Schlesinger, who won the Republican nomination in Connecticut.

In an interview, McGavick, former chief executive of Safeco Insurance, said he and his wife are sending Lieberman's campaign $1,000 from their personal bank account.

"I like the man and I like his civility and his bipartisanship," he said. "He's one who is willing to stand apart and oppose rank partisanship."

McGavick said partisanship is poisoning the well in Congress, blocking progress on everything from tort reform and immigration legislation to last week's vote on sales tax deductibility, the minimum wage and inheritance tax cuts.

"The latest victim of partisanship is Sen. Joe Lieberman," he said. "I don't agree with Sen. Lieberman on most issues but, as the senator said in his concession speech last night, it's time for our elected leaders to stop playing political games so that we can get things done for this country.

"Sen. Lieberman's message of independence and bipartisanship is right for our country."

McGavick said he would love to work across the aisle with a newly re-elected Lieberman this winter, although some Washington Republicans may be unhappy with him endorsing a high-profile Democrat over a GOP nominee.

"I'm not going to be a straight party-line senator," McGavick said.

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On the Net:

Cantwell campaign: http://www.cantwell.com

McGavick campaign: http://www.mikemcgavick.com