Nominees

Sen. Patty Murray (D), incumbent
Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992, the "mom in tennis shoes" began her political career in 1980 as a community college teacher fighting to keep the state from cutting her class out of the budget. In 1988, she ran a strong grass-roots campaign for the state Senate, where she served for four years. In Congress, Murray has focused more on issues affecting her home state than on national affairs and has supported environmental protection programs, abortion coverage in federal workers' health insurance, and 24 hours unpaid work leave for parent-teacher conferences. Murray also favors strong trade ties with China and more relaxed export restrictions on encryption technology – policies good for Boeing and Microsoft, both headquartered in her home state. EMILY's List counts her among its top priorities for 1998.
Campaign Web site
E-mail: campmail@pattymurray.com

Rep. Linda Smith (R)
A two-term U.S. House member from the 3rd Congressional District, Smith has departed from the GOP party line on two high-profile occasions: She supported campaign fund-raising limits opposed by Republican leaders and voted against Newt Gingrich when he sought a second term as speaker of the House. At home, Smith is one of the most popular Republicans in her state. Smith's conservative record, which includes her opposition to abortion, has garnered her support from conservative Christians.
Campaign Web site
E-mail: Linda@LindaSmith.com

Primary Contender

Christopher Bayley (R)
Bayley, who calls himself a "Reagan conservative," served as King County prosecutor for two terms during the 1970s after heading then-Attorney General Slade Gorton's consumer protection division. Bayley left politics for law and business nearly 20 years ago. He also became a political and public affairs consultant, and served as a fund-raiser for the 1994 campaign of Rep. Rick White (R) and the 1996 gubernatorial bid of Republican Dale Foreman. Bayley opposes abortion rights and supports Washington's Initiative 200, which eliminates statewide affirmative action programs. A free-trade supporter, Bayley focused on overhauling the tax code, keeping the federal government out of local schools and boosting the mission of and respect for the military.
Campaign Web site
E-mail: BAYLEY98@cm2.com