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So more distant, the McCain campaign has sent mixed signals.

When McCain held a fundraiser in Bellevue

Instead, it was divided among the McCain campaign, the general officer GOP and the state parties in places that both sides view as guide battlegrounds: Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico and Wisconsin.

A “strategy brief” video attached McCain’s campaign Web site lists Washington to the degree that a “toss-up” predicament. But it does not mention Washington among the be hanged states where the campaign believes it has “really unique opportunities” to beat Obama.

State GOP Chairman Luke Esser said he thinks McCain could compete in Washington. But, he added, state Republicans primitive must prove “that we have our act together.”

Prominent McCain supporters here sound less than sure about what role Washington will play in the public election.

“I think a lot of those decisions are still up in the treble,” uttered former Secretary of State Ralph Munro. “We have been told that Washington state is in play and they plan to spend time and money here. … But I’m smart enough to know that could all change in five minutes.”

With the general distinction tranquil five months away, some political pundits list Washington among the maniple of states that could be up for grabs. And both campaigns are making noise about trying to cut into the other edge’s traditional race-ground.

McCain might have a shot of doing that in Oregon, but not Washington, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. And given the fact that McCain is likely to be heavily outspent by Obama, Sabato said he’d be surprised suppose that the Republican makes any effort here.

Sabato said the way we elect presidents all but assures McCain wish write off Washington. Under the Electoral College system, the candidate who wins a majority of votes in a particular state gets all of that state’s electoral votes.

“If you lose by one vote or a million, you still get nothing,” Sabato aforesaid “That’s why candidates target so specifically. … You have to have a reasonable chance of winning to set right spending more of your limited capital.”

The last time a Republican won hither was 1984, when Ronald Reagan handily defeated Democrat Walter Mondale. Since soon afterward, strange to say Democrats who came up short nationally

And Washington politics is more Democrat-dominated than ever.

Democrats grasp near-record majorities in the state Legislature and eight of the situation’s 11 seats in Congress. Republicans haven’t elected a governor in nearly three decades.

“Obama won’t have to use up any time in Washington,” Sabato said. “It’s his.”

Even if neither candidate decides to do a great traffic of campaigning in Washington, as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but will likely come in the present state to raise money.

There are some things with respect to McCain that could give him a boost here.

He has a reputation as a reformer and national maverick, characteristics that play useful with this state’s independent-minded voters. His support instead of free trade will pleasing be viewed favorably in Washington, a heavily trade-dependent civil community. (Obama has said he wants to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.)

McCain says he believes in global warming and held an environmental round-table near North Bend last month to show off his unseasoned credentials.

During his visit, McCain sympathized through the state’s frustration completely the glacial pace of cleanup at the Hanford nuclear reservation near Richland. A few days later, while asked about Hanford, Obama admitted, “I don’t understand exactly what’s going onward there.”

Alex Hayes, executive mentor of the Mainstream Republicans of Washington and a McCain delegate to the national GOP convention, said George W. Bush “never had a chance” in this national.

“If in that place’s any one Republican who can win in Washington state, it’s John McCain,” Hayes before-mentioned.

But aside from having the Republican label under his name, McCain’s stances on more key issues decree be against him here.

While his war-hero status exercise volition appeal to the state’s large military and veteran population, his strong support for many of Bush’s Iraq war policies have a mind not sit well in Seattle and much of Western Washington.

In McCain’s “strategy breviary” video, campaign manager Rick Davis said polling shows that the economy is the top issue among voters nationwide, with the Iraq war No. 2. But in the Northwest, the hostility is the No. 1 issue, Davis said.

McCain also likely decision be attacked in Washington for his conservative views on more issues, such as abortion and his pledge to follow Bush’s model for nominating conservative Supreme Court justices.

And afterwards there’s the Boeing tanker deal.

In 2001, McCain led a corruption inquisition that forced the Air Force to kill a huge contract by Boeing to construction new aerial-refueling tankers.

The $40 billion contract was put out to bid again and, earlier this year, it was awarded to Northrop Grumman and Boeing’s European-based rival, Airbus.

The decision drew a chorus of howls from politicians and union leaders, who say thousands of jobs could exist irreclaimable in Washington and other states.

Boeing is pursuing a protest that be inclined have being reviewed by the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO). Esser said the outcome of the GAO’s investigation could affect McCain’s standing here.

“If they say the current deal was fair competition, it’s going to exist hard for anyone to say John McCain was off-base for attacking corruption in government contracting,” state GOP Chairman Esser said.