WA-09: Desperate Smith Goes Negative on Muri

There’s no other way to explain this; Adam Smith is desperate:

Smith’s pollster put out an internal poll showing his candidate safely up 19 points.

Even some conservative bloggers acknowledge Muri is likely a longshot.

So why risk going negative? Obviously, Smith’s people are worried about Democrats and Independent voters buying Smith’s supposed “moderate” credentials for the umpteenth time. Republicans will vote for Dick Muri, a well-known local GOPer who does retail politicking like no other. But those swingy types — Smith either wants them back safely in his column or staying home altogether.

The sad thing? Smith promised Muri personally that he’d “keep it clean” and focus on the issues.

Lesson: career politicians say the darndest things. Oh, and ones like Adam Smith who vote in lockstep with Nancy Pelosi will say or “do” anything if they find themselves in political peril. Desperation has a strange way of doing that.

We have an email in to the Muri camp requesting comment.

UPDATE: Muri’s campaign manager Josh Amato responds:

“The ad is so misleading, so poorly researched, and so easily refuted, that I have to wonder if they let an intern write it.

“Smith should apologize to the voters for its content – and then ask his campaign manager for a refund.”

Muri further rebutted the ad with this statement through a spokesperson:

“Americans have learned to set a very low standard for honesty from Congressmen – yet Adam Smith still manages to sink even lower.

“The Pierce County budget is balanced.  The U.S. budget faces record deficits.

“Pierce County prioritized spending and protected public safety.  The county did make cuts, but they were smart cuts and left intact public services more effectively than the state legislature or King County. Adam Smith and Nancy Pelosi have forgotten how to balance a budget. He spends so freely that he voted to increase the U.S. debt ceiling to a record $14.3 trillion.

“In terms of pay raises, I’m amazed Smith wants to bring attention to the fact that members of Congress benefit from automatic pay raises every year. Since being elected, his pay has increased 34% and now tops $176,000. To put that into perspective, Smith’s increase in salary since 1997 is just shy of his average constituents’ income.”

WA-09: Adam Smith, Proud Democrat? Not Today!

It looks like Adam Smith forgot something in his latest ad:

Smith’s Republican challenger, Dick Muri, must be getting a little too close for comfort in the polls.

Or perhaps it’s the unpopularity of Nancy Pelosi, the healthcare takeover he voted for, and all the rest of the failed Democrat policies he’s rubber-stamped?

“Independent Voice”? Don’t make me laugh.

“Common Sense”? More like lapdog for Nancy Pelosi.

But the most laughable of all? “Fiscal Hawk.” Right, like supporting the “engine to nowhere” while lining his pockets with special interest money.

Adam Smith is no moderate. He’s as liberal as they come. Smith only pretends to be “mainstream” and “moderate” when he’s running for re-election. Nowhere is that more fully on display than this fluff-filled ad.

Don’t be fooled, folks!

WA-09: Poll Shows Adam Smith in Trouble

A KING5/SurveyUSA poll reveals that 14-year incumbent Adam Smith (D-Tacoma), may be facing a stiffer challenge than expected from Pierce County Councilman Dick Muri.

Smith’s lead (49%) is within the poll’s margin of error, and only 3 points ahead of Muri (46%). That seems to meet the textbook definition of “within striking distance.”

Expect more independent polling to be conducted in WA-09 to either buttress or contradict the SurveyUSA result.

If Washington Democrats aren’t panicking yet, they’ve got to be awful close to the brink. With a competitive U.S. Senate race rated by many pollsters as a tossup, and two to three Congressional races trending Republican — 2010 may start feeling like 1994 all over again.

More: FrumForum.com and Campaign Spot.

Rick Larsen Picks a Fight with the Tea Party

And it’s not pretty:

This video (h/t: SoundPolitics.com) seems to signal a leftward lurch in Larsen’s re-election strategy. To be sure, it wasn’t all that long ago that Democratic incumbents like Brian Baird, Adam Smith, and Jay Inslee would go to great pains to play up their “moderate” credentials.

The above, however, is more reminiscent of a segment on MSNBC — or something scripted with the help of the increasingly notorious JournoListers.

Whatever the thinking behind the ad, something tells us Rick Larsen just put a down payment on an interesting August recess…

Muri Hits Smith on “$3 Billion Boondoggle” in New Ad

Ouch:

And it turns out Rep. Smith is deep in the pocket of a GE lobbying firm. Picking up on that lead, our very own Tom Forbes broke more news on the Adam Smith story right here at NWDIGEST.COM in mid-July.