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We’ve got three days left until Election Day, and every registered Washingtonian should have received their ballots. For those of you who haven’t voted, make sure your ballots are postmarked by Nov. 2nd.

But, if you’ve already mailed in your ballot for Patty, here are a couple of ways that you can help spread the word as Election Day draws near.

1. Update your Facebook profile picture or your Twitter avatar to let your social network know who you’re supporting. Click here, and upload one of these pictures as your Profile Picture or Avatar.

2. Make sure your Facebook status updates and tweets are full of support for Patty! Use our Facebook tool to automatically update your status, or use the #whyivotepatty hashtag to let us know why you voted for Senator Murray.

3. Do you miss going the the polls and getting an “I Voted” sticker? Think of this as the 21st century version. Once you’ve voted, you can get the “ivoted” twibbon to display underneath your Facebook profile picture or Twitter avatar.

4. You can spread the word about all the newspapers and organizations that have endorsed Senator Murray by visiting our endorsements page and using our Share buttons.

5. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth 100 million. Visit our YouTube channel, share the videos with your friends, or embed them on your blog or website.

On Thursday, Senator Patty Murray took a walk down Ballard’s own “Main Street” – in this case, Market Street.

On her way, Patty made several stops to small businesses to talk about ways to make it easier to get small business loans and strengthen the small shops and restaurants that make up America’s economic backbone.

MyBallard.com, Ballard’s daily news website, reported:

“The stops on the walking tour included La Tienda, Bop Street Records, Secret Garden Books, Great Harvest Bread and Cupcake Royale.”

The article continued:

“Senator Murray’s father was a small business owner and she believes the local shops are important for our economy. ‘I really believe that small businesses, just like we walked through this morning, really are the backbone of our economy.’”

The Senator made a purchase at each stop, and talked to business owners about the economy, business, health care, and their lives in general.

Watch Senator Murray outside of Cupcake Royale as she talks about her visit to Ballard below.

To read more about Senator Murray’s record on the economy and small business visit PattyMurray.com/economy.

Patty stopped by Longview on Tuesday to talk to some of our past and present servicemen and women about her fight to make sure veterans get the care and treatment they deserve.

Patty Murray has always been a strong advocate for veterans. When the Bush administration tried to close the VA Hospital in Southwest Washington, Patty fought back and made sure that we have proper care for our nation’s heroes.

Patty isn’t just improving VA care — in fact she’s worked to pass several pieces of legislation that have assisted local veterans who were affected by the economic downturn, including Wall Street Reform. Jo Brewer, a former Navy Chief who works with families facing foreclosure, said the following:

“I see firsthand every day the effect that the Wall Street crash has had on veterans in our community. Too many today are homeless, unemployed or the victims of predatory lending. It’s not right, and it’s unbelievable that Dino Rossi wants to go right back to the policies that hurt our veterans so badly. I know that Patty Murray will keep standing up to get us back on our feet. She has been a champion for veterans and for Southwest Washington, and we need to keep her fighting for us in the Senate.”

Patty’s “stand up and fight” mentality has already had an impact on the lives of Washington’s homeless veterans.

“Patty Murray has fought hard to help veterans who are struggling in this economy, sponsoring bills to help with veteran homelessness and unemployment and pushing to pass strong Wall Street reform, which includes a dedicated office to make service members get a fair deal on their financial services. She also created a HUD voucher program that is helping many veterans in the Longview area get back on their feet with housing. In fact, one veteran today came to thank Senator Murray and told her that because of her work, he was no longer homeless.”

Read more about Patty’s Stop in Longview or visit PattyMurray.com/vets to read about Patty’s record with veterans.

Patty has worked tirelessly to make sure small businesses in Washington can grow and prosper. On Friday, Senator Murray made a trip to Bellingham to talk with several small business owners to hear their views and stories. Patty met with owners of businesses including Brenthaven, Daylight Properties, and Moka Joe at Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro.

The Bellingham Herald reports:

“‘I was really surprised this was being set up,’ said Shelly Martin, owner of Zazen Salon Spa, [...] ‘It’s one thing to read blurbs in the paper and it’s another to get to hear the person talk,’ she said. ‘It’s just like any relationship – it’s easier to get your point across when you’re talking in person.’”

Senator Patty Murray has made the effort to ensure small businesses have adequate access to credit, particularly with the Small Business Lending Fund bill she fought to pass last month.

Murray said she hoped that a recently passed small-business lending bill would make it easier for businesses to get loans they need to maintain or expand their business. She also talked about Wall Street reform legislation to help prevent the kind of collapse that impacted so many businesses in the first place.

Read the entire article from The Bellingham Herald or read more about Patty Murray’s record on economic recovery at PattyMurray.com/economy.

Thousands packed the Hec Edmundson Pavilion at the University of Washington for a rally with Senator Patty Murray and President Barack Obama. It was the first visit of a sitting president to the UW campus since John F. Kennedy came to Seattle in 1961, and swarms of excited Huskies lined up for the occasion.

President Obama and Senator Murray entered the pavilion to a roaring crowd, and they both laid out clearly the high stakes of the election – and the powerful effect the students could have if they turned out the way they did in 2008.

Watch the video and look through the pictures below. We had a fantastic day and we’re looking forward to spreading the word and getting out the vote for Patty!

President Bill Clinton had a strong message for young voters in Washington State. Last year, Patty Murray voted for legislation that can save individual students $1,300 on every $10,00 spent on student loans. However, many Republicans running for office in this election have promised to repeal that law and put student loans back in the hands of the big banks. President Clinton has a simple remedy for this problem: Vote for Patty!

“If you want America to go back to number one [in the percentage of adults with 4 year college degrees], and you don’t ever want to see another young person drop out of college because of debt, then you have to vote for Patty Murray!”

At a 3,000-strong “Get Out The Vote” rally in Everett on Monday, President Bill Clinton joined Senator Patty Murray and urged Washington’s youth to play a role in this year’s election.

Clinton “issued a plea” to young college students from institutions like Western Washington University, the University of Washington, and Washington State University to flex their political muscle this November. He added,

“If every student or prospective student in America knew about [student loan reform] it would add 2,000 to 10,000 votes in every congressional district in America, and this would be a very different election because the voters would look like America’s future.”

If you’d like to know more about Patty Murray’s work to improve our nation’s education, visit PattyMurray.com/issues.

Senator Patty Murray and Republican challenger Dino Rossi squared off again last night in a debate televised on KOMO 4, as well as CSPAN.

It was obvious as the hour-long battle went along that Patty Murray is the right choice for Washington State.

Campaign manager Jeff Bjornstad chimed in via PattyMurray.com after the debate, saying:

“Tonight’s debate again displayed the stark differences between United States Senator Patty Murray and 18 year candidate Dino Rossi. Senator Patty Murray continues to fight for Washington state communities and the middle class [...] Voters need a Senator with an in-depth understanding of the issues facing our state and the guts to go to bat for the solutions. Tonight’s debate proved conclusively that Senator Murray is the right choice for Washington State.”

Senator Murray focused on her track record of helping people and solving problems, such as repairing the Howard Hanson Dam and replacing the South Park Bridge – projects that have created jobs for Washingtonians and benefited the local economy.

Watch the full debate on KomoNews.com, or read more from Jeff Bjornstad’s statement here.

If you’d like more information about Senator Murray’s stance on the issues, visit PattyMurray.com/issues

We’ve just received word that The Olympian has officially endorsed Senator Patty Murray’s campaign for re-election! The support of the paper is a great boost as we move towards Election Day.

The Olympian pointed to Murray’s work to protect Washington’s workers and America’s veterans as reasons to vote for her:

“When it looked as though Boeing would lose the military’s air-tanker contract to Airbus from Europe, it was Murray who sprang to Boeing’s defense and insisted on a level playing field. When she saw how veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were being treated when they returned home, it was Murray who led the charge for improved conditions.”

The editorial continues:

“Murray passionately fights for Washington residents in the other Washington.”

Read more about The Olympian’s Endorsement, or click here to see all of the organizations that have endorsed Patty Murray so far.

In the first Washington Senate debate last night in Spokane, Senator Murray was sharp, calm, and educated on the issues most important to Eastern Washington and the state as a whole.

But you don’t need to take my word for it – if you missed the debate, you can check out the whole thing online on the KXLY website.

Our fearless campaign manager Jeff Bjornstad had this to say after the debate:

“Tonight, the choice facing voters was clear.  Senator Murray once again showed herself to be a fierce advocate for our state.  In every one of her answers, Senator Murray showed her understanding of issues facing Washington state.  From Hanford to creating jobs to making sure local communities have the investments they need to grow and thrive – Senator Murray is fighting for middle class families in this state.”

Thanks again for all who tuned in – our second and last debate is this coming Sunday in Seattle.

Thanks,

Doug

It’s clear that Patty’s record of helping people and solving problems in our state has made a strong case that she is the right voice for Washington state families.

Since October 3, newspapers representing the Seattle, Tacoma, Everett and Clark County regions have all stepped forward to endorse Patty Murray in her bid for re-election this November.

The Seattle Times said:

“Murray has guts and principles. She works doggedly on behalf of average citizens in every corner of the state. Re-elect Patty Murray, a solid, conscientious senator.”

The News Tribune further praised Senator Murray, saying:

“This state needs a scrappy defender looking out for it. Murray is that person, and The News Tribune endorses her for re-election.”

The Everett Herald chimed in as well:

“Her deep understanding of the issues important to Washington citizens and businesses, combined with the political clout she has forged over three terms, put her in a better position to make a positive difference.”

Finally, The Oregonian made the case that she is the right choice for Southwest Washington, saying:

“In a time of war, Murray, daughter of a wounded World War II veteran, deserves considerable credit for her tenacity on behalf of veterans…Washington voters should re-elect Murray, and keep both her influence and her values in the U.S. Senate.”

To read the full endorsements from each news outlet, click on the links below:

Seattle Times Endorsement – The News Tribune Endorsement – The Everett Herald Endorsement

The Oregonian Endorsement