Biography: Senator Maria Cantwell

Maria Cantwell (born October 13, 1958) is a representative of the Democratic party who has held the seat of junior Senator of Washington state since 2001 (Grygiel). Cantwell is the second female to hold office in the Senate for Washington state, after her Senior Senator, Patty Murray (“Election 2012: Maria Cantwell”). On November 6th of the 2012 election, Cantwell defeated her Republican opponent, Michael Baumgartner, 60.1% to 39.89% (Poligu.com). Cantwell has now commenced her third term in Senate.

Source: (“Official Portrait of Senator Maria Cantwell”)

Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, Cantwell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from Miami University, making her the first of her family to receive a university degree (Grygiel). Cantwell is a Catholic, is unmarried and has no children (Project Vote Smart). Financially, Cantwell is known to be one of the more affluent Senators, requiring her fortune while holding an executive position in the company Real Networks prior to her first bid for the Senate (The New York Times). In 1983, Cantwell moved to Washington state and currently resides in the city of Edmonds, Washington (“Election 2012: Maria Cantwell”).

Prior to obtaining a position in the Senate, Cantwell held a seat in the Washington House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993 and then held a seat in the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 1995 (Grygiel;“Election 2012: Maria Cantwell”). Cantwell first ran for Senate in 2000 and won, defeating Republican incumbent Slade Gorton by a margin of approximately 2000 votes, or 48.7% of the vote (“Election 2012: Maria Cantwell”). Again, in the 2006 election Cantwell was reelected, beating Republican primary Mike McGavick by a margin of 16%, winning 56.9% of the vote (“Election 2012: Maria Cantwell”). Throughout her 2006 campaign, Cantwell placed major emphasis on the importance of environmental issues, social services and introducing initiatives for the adoption of clean energy (Fryer). Leading up to the 2012 election, polls predicted a landslide victory for Cantwell against Baumgartner, hypothesizing a 54% win for Cantwell (Survey USA). In the end, the polls were correct in  hypothesizing Cantwell’s reelection, however the margin of her victory was larger than expected.

Past Election Results- US Senate Seat, Washington

Democrat Representative	Election Year	Republican Representative
Maria Cantwell 60% (elected)	2012	Michael Baumgartner 39%
Maria Cantwell 57% (elected)	2006	Mike McGavick 40%
Maria Cantwell 49% (elected)	2000	Slade Gorton 49%

 (Source: Poligu.com)

While in Senate, Cantwell has been spent a lot of time crafting and supporting bills, sponsoring 253 bills in her first two terms as Washington junior senator (Daily Evergeen Editorial Board 1). Of the bills Cantwell has sponsored, 21 have been passed (Daily Evergeen Editorial Board 1). Moreover, Cantwell has an excellent attendance record since she has sat in the Senate, missing less than one percent of potential votes (26 of 3,741). In comparison, Cantwell is above average in her attendance given the “median for missed votes by senators is 2.5 percent” (Daily Evergeen Editorial Board 1).

In the 2011-2012 election cycle, Cantwell campaign fundraising had a total receipt of $9,182,944 (Federal Election Commission: Maria Cantwell). Of this sum, 95% came from individual contributions (Federal Election Commission: Maria Cantwell). In comparing Cantwell’s campaign budget anNd fundraising to those of her challengers, Cantwell has financially exceeded all her opponents. For example, the total receipt of her main 2012 Republican opponent, Michael Baumgartner, amounted to mere $1,953,108 in comparison to her approximately nine million dollar account (Federal Election Commission: Michael Baumgartner). Moreover, of this nine million, Cantwell spent generously on the campaign, disbursing a total amount of $7,768,480 by the end of the election (Federal Election Commission: Maria Cantwell). In comparing, this exceeds the total expenditures of Baumgartner’s campaign by sevenfold (Federal Election Commission: Maria Cantwell).

Maria currently sits on five Senate committees, including the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Senate Committee on Finance, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (“Election 2012: Maria Cantwell”).

Work Cited

Daily Evergeen Editorial Board. “Sen. Maria Cantwell Deserves to be Reelected.” The Daily Evergeen. October 12 2012. Web. 1 November. 2012. http://dailyevergreen.wsu.edu/read/Maria-Cantwell-deserves-to-be-reelected

“Election 2012: Maria Cantwell.” The Wall Street Journal.Web. 10 November. 2012. http://projects.wsj.com/campaign2012/candidates/view/maria-cantwell–WA-S

Federal Election Commission: Maria Cantwell. “Candidate (S8WA00194) Summary Report-2011-2012 Cycle.” The Wall Street Journal. 17 October 2012. Web. 31 October. 2012. http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/cancomsrs/?_12+S8WA00194

Federal Election Commission: Michael Baumgartner. “Candidate (S2WA00288) Summary Report-2011-2012 Cycle.” The Wall Street Journal. 17 October 2012. Web. 31 October. 2012. http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/cancomsrs/?_12+S2WA00288

Fryer, Alex. “Cantwell Cruises By McGavick for 2nd Term.” The Seattle Times. 8 November 2006. Web. 10 November. 2012. http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2003366966_wasenate08m.html

Grygiel, Chris. “Washington 2012 Election Center: Maria Cantwell.” The Washington Times. 8 October 2012. Web. 10 November. 2012. http://www.washingtontimes.com/campaign-2012/candidates/maria-cantwell-1805/

“Official Portrait of Senator Maria Cantwell.” Photograph. Google Images. 2007. Web. 10 November. 2012.

Poligu.com. “2012 Washington Senate Race- Candidates, Debates and Primary Results.” The 

Political Guide. Novemeber 2012. Web. 19 Novemeber. 2012. http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/Elections/2012/Senate/Washington/1/

Political Party Time. “Sen. Maria Cantwell: Beneficiary of 6PT Events.” PoliticalPartyTime.org. 2012. Web. 30 October. 2012.http://politicalpartytime.org/pol/N00007836/

Project Vote Smart. “Biography: Senator Maria Cantwell’s Biography.” Project Vote Smart. 2012. Web. 10 November. 2012. http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/27122/maria-cantwell#.UK0GMrThAfE

Survey USA. “State of Washington.” 10 September 2012. Web. 1 November. 2012. http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=07b89034-43b1-4d60-8d0f-2982bd314434

The New York Times. “Maria Cantwell.” The New York Times with the International Herald Tribune. 6 November 2012. Web. 10 November. 2012. http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/c/maria_cantwell/index.html

Why Maria Won

Well, it is official: Maria Cantwell has been reelected for a third term as junior senator of Washington state. Cantwell’s victory was not much of a surprise to the public, given the polls leading up the election consistently showed Cantwell winning (Survey USA). However, one thing that did come as a surprise was the margin of by which Cantwell won, which was much larger than most anticipated. One reason for Cantwell’s landslide victory is because, simply put, the public of Washington state really likes her, given she has done well in representing their interests over the years. However, putting her success as a politician aside, one must consider more deeply why Cantwell has experienced such immense success in receiving funding and in being reelected. With this in mind, the other reason for Cantwell’s continuous reelection  is the fact that she in an incumbent. Since her victory in 2000 for the seat of junior senator, Cantwell has been experiencing the positive effects of incumbency.

Source: (Irregular States)

The ‘incumbency effect’ is the advantage that Congressional incumbents have over their challengers simply because voters are more likely to support and vote for them if they have brought many benefits to the constituency during the previous term (Janda et.al 269). Not only do incumbents have name recognition working in their favor, they also have the benefits of franking privileges and are more likely to receive higher levels of funding (Janda et.al 270-271). As noted in by NPR, the incumbency effect gets voters to support their incumbent simply because “they know the incumbent [and] they haven’t heard anything bad about the incumbent. They’ve only heard positive things. That gets voters crossing party lines. You have Democrats voting for Republicans and Republicans voting for Democrats” (Wing 1). Basically, voters feel for comfortable voting for someone they already know can do the job.

The 16 female senators in the 110th US Congress. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To exemplify, in the 2008 US election, incumbents received approximately 60 percent of contributions and endorsements (Janda et. al 271). Because incumbents receive such a high level of financial support, it is difficult for challengers to overthrow them (Janda et. al 271). Challengers therefore need to have strong financial backing in order to face an incumbent, because without the necessary means to fund a campaign, challengers have little to no chance of winning a seat in Congress. For Cantwell, this is exactly how she beat out incumbent Slade Gorton in 2000.

Prior to entering the bid for Senate in 2000, Cantwell sat as an executive for Real Networks during the company’s most profitable era and, when she finally left the company, Cantwell had an estimated worth of 40 million dollars (The New York Times). It was this money that allowed Cantwell to personally contribute 10 million dollars to her own campaign (The New York Times). Not only has Cantwell been able to personally support her campaigns financially, she has also been heavily supported financially by numerous corporations and organizations supporting democratic candidates, female candidates and pro-choice candidates (“Election 2012: Maria Cantwell”). EMILY’s List is an example of such an organization, given it has funded Cantwell in all her Senate reelection campaigns ( Federal Election Commission: Maria Cantwell).

Source: (Edward Headington)

However, regardless of the fact that Cantwell undoubtedly has enjoyed the political gift of being an incumbent, she should not be robbed of the credit for the effort  that has brought her to the position she is in today. Throughout her twelve years in office, Cantwell has come to be known as a “fundraising machine” (Wing 1), working long hours to rally funds for her campaign. In addition this title, Cantwell has also acquired a reputation for being a “workhorse who is happy to tackle complicated legislation dealing with campaign finance reform” (Wing 1), a quality that many voters continue to regard as admirable and worth voting for. Cantwell has exhibited that she will put her political dignity and pride aside and team up with Republican senators if it means it will achieve what is necessary to protect the Northwest and its interest (Pope 1). Cantwell has been successful in representing the Northwest because she tries to “make things about policy, not politics [even though] the administration has often pushed people to focused on the political instead of focusing on the policy” (Pope 1). Even though some may not like the crossing of party lines, Cantwell has demonstrated that this is what Senators need to do in order to get things passed in a minority government.

In turn, it is not only Cantwell’s incumbency and affluence that won her a third term in Senate, it is also her perseverance and determination to stand up for the issues she feels strongly for that has gotten the attention of voters. Regardless of whether or not people think the incumbency effect and the use of finances is democratic in becoming reelected, it appears to be working.

Work Cited

Edward Headington. “Cartoon of the Day-Incumbency.” 2010. Photograph. Photobucket. Google Images. December 2010. Web. 10 November. 2012. http://www.headingtoncabal.com/2010/12/cartoon-of-day-incumbency.html

“Election 2012: Maria Cantwell.” The Wall Street Journal.Web. 10 November. 2012. http://projects.wsj.com/campaign2012/candidates/view/maria-cantwell–WA-S

Federal Election Commission: Maria Cantwell. “Candidate (S8WA00194) Summary Report-2011-2012 Cycle.” The Wall Street Journal. 17 October 2012. Web. 31 October. 2012. http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/cancomsrs/?_12+S8WA00194

Irregular States. “Re-elected Maria Cantwell Campaign Button.” 2012. Photograph. Cafepress.com. Google Images. 5 November. 2012. http://www.cafepress.com/irregularstates.405616562

Janda, Kenneth, Jeffery Berry, Jerry Goldman and Kevin Hula.  The Challenge of Democracy in American Government in Global Politics.  Boston: Wadsworth, 2012. Print

Pope, Charles. “Election 2006: Cantwell Touts Victories Amid Contradictions.” Seattle Pi. 18 October 2006. Web. 15 November. 2012. http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Election-2006-Cantwell-touts-victories-amid-1217610.php#ixzz2CsNV4Oj9

Survey USA. “State of Washington.” 10 September 2012. Web. 1 November. 2012. http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=07b89034-43b1-4d60-8d0f-2982bd314434

The New York Times. “Maria Cantwell.” The New York Times with the International Herald Tribune. 6 November 2012. Web. 10 November. 2012. http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/c/maria_cantwell/index.html

Wing, Jennifer. “Maria Cantwell vs. Michael Baumgartner for U.S. Senate.” NPR KPLU 88.5. 28 October 2012. Web. 30 October. 2012. http://www.kplu.org/post/maria-cantwell-vs-michael-baumgartner-us-senate

Related articles

• Cantwell and the Fight for Women: A Pro-Choice Advocate (adriennespoli323.wordpress.com)
• U.S. Senate: Maria Cantwell (columbian.com)
• Sen. Cantwell re-elected to third term (kxly.com)
• As expected, Cantwell breezes to a third term in the U.S. Senate (seattletimes.com)

Cantwell on Abortion (Wikipedia Post)

Historically, Washington is a state that has legislatively supported the pro-choice position. In 1970, during an era when America’s legal position on abortion was still being heavily debated in court, the state of Washington had already passed a legislateively-reffered state statue to legalize abortion (Connelly). Three years after Washington passed this statue, the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade (1973) declared the Texas law restricting women from accessing abortion unconstitutional (Janda et. al 426). It was determined by the court in Roe v. Wade that states could only restrict abortions if the fetus was viable and the pregnancy did not threaten the female’s life or health (Poligu.com).

Cantwell’s ideology surrounding the issue of abortion and women’s reproductive rights has been clear and stable since she first entered politics, given she has always asserted herself as an advocate and a fighter for women’s rights, freedoms and privacy (On The Issue 1). As senator of Washington and even prior to her position in Congress, Cantwell always held the ideology of “100% pro-choice” (On The Issues 1). Since 1995, Cantwell has consistently received a 100% rating by pro-choice organizations such as the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, Planned Parenthood and the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws (NARAL) for her support of pro-choice legislation (Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings). The list of examples that display Cantwell extending her support to pro-abortion legislation is extensive.

Supporters of Planned Parenthood (Source: S.MiRK)

To begin, in 1993 Cantwell co-sponsored the Freedom to Choice Act, a bill that protects the reproductive rights and freedoms of women by disallowing the state from “restricting the right of a woman to choose to terminate a pregnancy before fetal viability or at any time, if such termination is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman” (On The Issues 7). In recent years, Cantwell has fought against the erosion of the Roe v. Wade decision, stating she “fundamentally believes that private medical decisions should be made by women in consultation with their doctors — not politicians. And this includes the methods by which a physician chooses to treat his or her patients” (Poligu.com). Along with the fight to uphold pro-choice abortion laws, Cantwell has also taken a strong stance against the minimization and privatization of women’s sexual health medication such as birth control and emergency contraceptives.

Cantwell has fought against Conservative attempts to restrict Planned Parenthood services and funding (On The Issues 7). In 2007, Cantwell co-sponsored the Prevention First Act, a bill that seeks to increase national access to family planning and preventative methods as a means to reduce unwanted pregnancies (On The Issues 7). This includes providing  females with access to the emergency contraceptive known as Plan B as well as expanding family planning to be covered under Medicaid (On The Issues 7) (Wikipedia Post). As a major advocate for increasing the number of avenues that one can access family planning and sexual health education, Cantwell also argues that increasing sex education is necessary to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies (Poligu.com). Cantwell not only advocates for women’s reproductive freedom but she also recognizes the need for implementing bottom up approaches that allow adolescents to access more affective ways to learn about sex, pregnancy and choice.

See Wikipedia Post Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Cantwell#Tenure

Cantwell is heavily endorsed by pro-choice political action committees such as EMILY’s List and NARAL (Project Vote Smart: Campaign Finances). In her 2012 campaign, Cantwell received significant financial support from EMILY’s List because of for her position on women’s reproductive rights and freedoms. EMILY’s List is currently Cantwell’s second highest corporate contributor, donating $78,300.00 in 2012 alone (Project Vote Smart: Campaign Finances). Other pro-choice organizations, such as NARAL, also endorse Cantwell because of her voting record on abortion issues. Cantwell has consistently received 100 percent ratings from NARAL as well as Planned Parenthood (On The Issues 4-5).

Alternatively, anti-choice organizations such as the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC),  has given Cantwell a score of zero percent, given she goes against the organization’s attempts to “restore legal protection of innocent human lives” (On The Issue 7). Cantwell’s position in supporting universal access to emergency contraceptives, including to females under the age of sixteen without the need for a prescription or parental consent, has been a stance that has been heavily criticized by organizations such as NRLC as well as by Republican opponent Michael Baumgartner.

Baumgartner has argued that because Cantwell is an unmarried woman without children, she does not have the authority to state what the appropriate level of parental involvement in   children’s sexuality is or what level of autonomy children should have in reproductive decisions (Terkel). Baumgartner states that Cantwell has “frequently voted to undermined the role of parents in child-rearing’” (Terkel) because of her lack of parental experience and, for this reason, someone with family experience should instead be speaking on behalf of Washington’s parents. In reflection of Baumgartner’s comment on Cantwell’s supposed inability to speak on behalf of females and mothers given she herself is not a mother or wife, is nonsensical. Not only has Cantwell been a strong advocate for women’s rights since she first entered office but she has been hailed by organizations such as Planned Parenthood for “standing up for American women…time and time again” and for always advocating for women’s health (Cantwell, Maria). Simply because Cantwell does not engage in child-rearing does not mean she herself cannot represent female’s reproductive rights and decisions. If Baumgartner’s own logic was applied on himself, it could be argued that he is not fit to represent females either because he himself is not of the female sex. In turn, Baumgartner’s own logic is internally incoherent, given it cannot be applied to himself without creating an obvious contradiction in this argument.

During the Bush era, the U.S experienced a slow but steady decrease of abortion services, dropping from 2,680 in 1985 to 1,787 in 2005 (Enloe and Seager 69). Although we have seen slight improvements since Obama has taken office, anti-choice measures are still being enacted, “inculding 29 in 2009 alone” (Enloe and Seager 69). Still to this day, those in the military are not able to access abortion services even if the “pregnancy resulted from an act of rape or incest” and in eight states a women still needs to acquire “written consent from, or give notice to, her husband prior to receiving abortion care” (Enloe and Seager 69).

In a time where American is seemingly going backwards, rewinding the clock to an era of anti-choice rhetoric and female patriarchal enslavement, I argue that having a strong female representative such as Cantwell in Senate is absolutely necessary in order to protect the rights and freedoms of women. So, if you are making the vote based on women, vote Cantwell.

Watch Here: Planned Parenthood Representative Discuss Cantwell’s Success in Advocating for Women’s Health (Source: Maria Cantwell)

Screen Shot of a section of my post on Wikipedia 

Screen Shot of My Wikipedia Post. Source: (“Maria Cantwell”)

Work Cited

Cantwell, Maria. “Maria Minute: Supporting Women’s Health.” YouTube. 4 October 2012. Web. 15 November. 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfdpRdJ3jcs&feature=plcp

Connelly, Joel. “Baumgartner: Abortion Only For Mother’s Life, But Won’t Try to Change Law.” SeattlPi. 29 October 2012. Web. 15 November. 2012  http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2012/10/29/baumgartner-abortion-only-for-mothers-life-but-wont-try-to-change-law/

Enloe, Cynthia and Joni Seager.  The Real State of America Atlas: Mapping the Myths and Truths of the United States.  Penguine: New York, 2012. Print.

Janda, Kenneth, Jeffery Berry, Jerry Goldman and Kevin Hula. The Challenge of Democracy in American Government in Global Politics. Boston: Wadsworth, 2012. Print

Maria Cantwell. “Maria Minute: Supporting Women’s Health.” Youtube. 4 October 2012. Web. 5 November. 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfdpRdJ3jcs&feature=plcp

“Maria Cantwell.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 November 2012. Web. 22 November. 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Cantwell

On The Issues. “Maria Cantwell on Abortion.” ontheissue.org. 8 June 2012. Web. 15 Novemeber.2012.  http://www.ontheissues.org/social/Maria_Cantwell_Abortion.htm

Poligu.com. “Maria Cantwell on Abortion.” The Political Guide. 22 October 2012. Web. 19 Novemeber. 2012. http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/Profiles/Senate/Washington/Maria_Cantwell/Views/Abortion/

Project Vote Smart. “Interest Group Ratings: Abortion.” Project Vote Smart. 2012. Web. 19 November. 2012. http://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/27122/maria-cantwell#interpret

Project Vote Smart. “Campaign Finances: Top Contributors.” Project Vote Smart. 2012. Web. 19 November. 2012.http://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/27122/maria-cantwell#.UK12pbThAfF

S.MiRK. “Supporters of Planned Parenthood.” 2011. Photograph. Flickr. Wikipedia. 21 February 2011. Web. 10 November. 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Planned_parenthood_supporters.jpg

Terkel, Amanda. “Maria Cantwell’s Martial Status Used by GOP Opponent in Political Attack.” The Huffington Post. 16 December 2011. Web. 10 November. 2012. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/16/maria-cantwell-married-washington-senate_n_1154024.html

Cantwell: The Environmentalist

Every election, there are a core set of issues that candidates choose to highlight and address in their campaigns. These issues are often chosen because they are the most pertinent concerns of the public at the time of the election. In this year’s U.S election, it is clear that candidates have strategically focused on the economy, addressing issues such as unemployment and job creation, given almost all Americans have been affected by recent economic recessions and the growth of national debt. Unlike the 2008 U.S election, one topic that has received considerably less attention is the environment. The issue of conservation and climate change has more or less been left alone and when the topic of environment has been mentioned, presidential candidates have only addressed one concern: the future of energy, both in terms of its source and its consumption. However, regardless of the fact that energy, instead of conservation, has taken a spotlight in the presidential debates, it is clear through Senator Maria Cantwell’s voting record and legislative efforts that she remains dedicated to prioritizing the issue of environmental protection and climate change.

Throughout Cantwell’s time in Senate, she has focused on six main environmental issues: the first being the protection of washington’s natural habitat and environment; the second being to ensure that drilling is continually banned in the West Coast; the third being to continually preserve the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; the fourth being to protect the region of Washington from detrimental oil spills; the fifth being to improve Washington’s fisheries as well as reduce overfishing; and the sixth being to restore the previous population of salmon within the Washington region while also continually protecting their natural habitat (“Issues: Environment”).

In protecting the environment and natural habitats of Washington, Cantwell has passed numerous bills and legislations that have sought to preserve, expand and improve numerous parks and forests within the state. For example, Cantwell has expanded the territory of Mount Rainier National Park and preserved hiking trails such as the Pacific Northwest Scenic Trail (“Issues: Environment”). Not only that, but Cantwell has “passed a bill to protect 100,000 acres of land near Mount Baker” (“Issues: Environment”) as well as two million acres of Washington’s National Forests. The second issue that Cantwell has stood up for is the protection of Washington’s coast against offshore drilling. In 2010, Cantwell brought forward a legislation with the help of Washington’s senior senator, Patty Murray, that placed a ban on offshore drilling near the coast of Washington, California and Oregon (Puget Sound Business Journal 1). Cantwell has urged Congress and President Obama to protect Washington against the possibility of an oil spill disaster, given it would devastate the coastal economy of Washington as well as destroy and reverse recent conservation efforts toward restoring salmon populations (“Cantwell Introduces Bill to Bring Oil Spill Response into 21st Century”).

Cantwell notes that Bush’s decision to dissolve the ban on offshore drilling in Washington in 2008 was a “mistake” and she argues it is “simply unacceptable to risk irreparable harm to our coastal communities, economies and ecosystems just to feed our oil addiction with a short-term fix – especially when new technologies are emerging that give us real alternatives” (Puget Sound Business Journal 1). In consideration of the recent BP oil spill disaster, I think Cantwell has a point. The number of jobs and ecosystems would are at risk in the Washington era are immense and an oil spill would ultimately devastate this region both environmentally and economically for a long time.

Source: (SilentPatriot)

Cantwell recognizes that she may not always be successful in boycotting offshore drilling near Washington state in the future and, as a result, as been active in planning for the potential of an oil spill. Displaying her strong sense of foresight and determination to protect her state against a environmental disaster, Cantwell introduced the Oil Spill Research and Technology Act in 2012 as a means to increase support and funding toward developing more effective oil spill response mechanisms and technology (“Cantwell Introduces Bill to Bring Oil Spill Response into 21st Century”). Not only is Cantwell seeking to prevent the onset of oil spills near the coast of Washington as well as California and Oregon by banning offshore drilling in these regions, she is also being proactive in preparing these regions for the unlikely event of natural disaster.

Support and endorsements for Cantwell from environmental agencies and organizations have been extensive. Since 2006, Cantwell has been supported by the League of Conservation Voters, noting her as one of the nation’s “strongest environmental leaders in Congress, fighting every day for the health, quality of life and pocketbooks of Washington families, willing to stand up to big corporate interests, and working tirelessly to protect our wild places for future generations” (League of Conservation Voters). Cantwell has also been publicly endorsed by the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, calling Cantwell a “wildlife hero” in her recent reelection campaigns for her efforts in protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund). Moreover, in 2011, both Environment America and the League of Conservation Voters gave Cantwell a lifetime score of 100% for her endorsement and concern for environmental protection (Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings). In the 2012 election cycle, the League of Conservation Voters is the third highest contributor to Cantwell’s campaign, donating 40,200.00 (Project Vote Smart: Campaign Finances).

 Click Here to See All of Cantwell’s Interest Group Ratings

In comparing Cantwell’s objectives with that of David Suzuki Foundation, they are very similar: focusing on the protection of salmon stocks, advocating for the use of clean energy, and protecting wildlife and habitats from the encroachment of industrial development (David Suzuki Foundation). As someone who is widely respected for his position on the environment, I think Suzuki would gladly support Cantwell’s environmental agenda in the Senate.

Video: Watch Senator Maria Cantwell Help Strike Down Legislation to Open Up Artic National Wildlife Refuge and Coastal Offshore Drilling.

Source: (SenatorCantwell)

Work Cited

“Cantwell Introduces Bill to Bring Oil Spill Response into 21st Century.” Maria Cantwell:United State Senator for Washington. Maria Cantwell. 15 June 2012. Web. 10 October. 2012. http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=707fda1b-2646-4b3b-b671-ef7a85b37c1d

David Suzuki Foundation. “Issues.” n.a. 2012. Web. 5 Novemeber. 2012. http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/climate-change/

Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. “Press Release: Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund Endorses Senator Maria Cantwell in her 2006 Re-Election Campaign.” Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. 17 July 2006. Web. 10 Octoober. 2012. http://www.defendersactionfund.org/releases/071706c.html

“Issues: Environment.” Maria Cantwell:United State Senator for Washington. Maria Cantwell, n.d. Web. 20 Nov 2012. http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/environment

League of Conservation Voters. “League of Conservation Voters Endorses Senator Maria Cantwell  for Reelection.” League of Conservation Voters. 29 August 2005. Web. 15 October. 2012. http://web.archive.org/web/20061102053550/http://www.lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/page.jsp?itemID=27813202

Project Vote Smart. “Interest Group Ratings: Environment .” Project Vote Smart. 2012. Web. 19 November. 2012. http://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/27122/maria-cantwell#interpret

Project Vote Smart. “Campaign Finances: Top Contributors .” Project Vote Smart. 2012. Web. 19 November. 2012. http://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/27122/maria-cantwell#.UK2GG7ThAfF

Puget Sound Business Journal. “Cantwell, Murray Want Wash. Coast Oil Drilling Ban.” Puget Sound Business Journal. 13 May 2010. Web. 10 October. 2012. http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2010/05/10/daily36.html?page=all

SenatorCantwell. “Cantwell Helps Stop New Arctic Drilling Plan.” Youtube. 7 February 2012. 10 Novemeber. 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLtOqj6sq2I&feature=player_embedded

SilentPatriot. “President Bush Lifts Off-Shore Ban, Blames Democrats For Energy Crisis.” 2008. Photograph. Crooks and Liars. Google Images. 13 July 2008. Web. 10 November. 2012. http://crooksandliars.com/2008/07/14/president-bush-lifts-off-shore-drilling-ban-blames-democrats-for-energy-crisis

Maria in the Media: The Sexualization of Female Candidates

Media coverage of Senator Cantwell has often been gendered. Since holding a seat in the Senate, attributes such as being single, attractive and without children have made Cantwell an ‘easy’ target for media sources to objectify. Almost every year, Cantwell is deemed the “sexiest senator on Capitol Hill” and is continually applauded in fashion sections of reputable newspapers, such as The Huffington Post, for her wardrobe choices (Tanabe 1). Articles trivialize Cantwell’s political efforts by focusing on details such as how she sometimes chooses to wear a “turtleneck for good measure” (Tanabe 1) and how she always looks “sexy in her own right” (Tanabe 1). In media coverage such as these, Cantwell’s political presence in Senate is reduced to a spectacle. She is objectified and her political authority is seemingly stripped from her, given her physical image is made to be a scopophilic pleasure for the gaze of men and women voters. It is not her efforts in protecting the environment or mobilizing job creation that are considered; no, instead, it is whether or not she is sporting something stylish the day of legislation. A second type of media coverage that has not been kind to Senator Cantwell is the article that have revealed the name-calling that occurs in Congress. Republican comments have surfaced regarding Cantwell’s personality or demeanor, nicknaming Cantwell things such as Senator Cant-speak-well and Senator Cant-smile.

Source: (Electionsmeter)

Regardless of these unfair judgments made on Senator Cantwell’s appearance or personality, it could be said that Cantwell is fighting back using her gender as a weapon within policy making. Cantwell, along with her senior senator Murray, have been working hard in recent years to mobilize women’s issues onto the Senate’s agenda, continually fighting for the accentuation of women’s rights and equality (Raftery 1). In Washington, Cantwell is a key agent in the mobilization and liberation of women in politics and in the state at large, supporting the move away from patriarchal structures such as pro-life agendas and hyper-conservative healthcare programs that would ultimately disenfranchise women (On The Issues 7). Cantwell is functioning in congruency with Childs and Krook critical actor theory that suggests that women who are in positions of power, like Cantwell, need to utilize their power and be substantive in their representation in order to maximize the benefits of their position (Childs and Krook 126-127).

Simply occupying positions of power is not sufficient enough for women to be emancipated from gendered and biased ideology of political media coverage. Senator Cantwell has exhibited that although the media may exploit the female body, the mind and voice of the female can overpower it. The strength of women in politics is not just in their descriptive representation but also their substantive representation. Instead of being pushed out of the public sphere, Cantwell exhibits the importance of projecting women’s voice and ideas into the political atmosphere so critical actors like Cantwell can invigorate the future generations of women politicians to come.

Source: (Underhill)

Work Cited

Childs, Sarah and Mona Lena Krook. “Analyzing Women’s Substantive Representation: From Critical Mass to Critical Actors.” Government and Opposition 44.2 (2009): 125-145. Web. 8 November. 2012.

Electionsmeter.”Senator Maria Cantwell.” 2012 Photograph. electionsmeter.com. Google Images. Web. 10 November. 2012.

On The Issues. “Maria Cantwell on Abortion.” ontheissue.org. 8 June 2012. Web. 15 Novemeber.2012.  http://www.ontheissues.org/social/Maria_Cantwell_Abortion.htm

Portero, Ashley. “More Women Than Ever Elected to Congress in 2012 Election.” International Business Times. 8 November 2012. 10 November. 2012. http://www.ibtimes.com/more-women-ever-elected-congress-2012-election-864978

Raftery, Isolde. “What Gender Gap? Washington State Has a History of Women Who Lead.” The New York Times. 25 March 2012. Web. 5 November. 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/26/us/politics/washington-state-has-a-history-of-women-in-government.html?_r=2&ref=mariacantwell&

Tanabe, Karin. “The Seven Unsung Heroes of Washington Fashion.” Huffington Post. 9 January 2009. Web. 5 Novemeber. 2012. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karin-tanabe/the-unsung-heroes-of-wash_b_271709.html?utm_hp_ref=maria-cantwell

Underhill, Lara. “Why Isn’t Every Year the Year of the Woman?” 2012. Photograph. The Seattle Times. Google Images. 11 May 2012. Web. 10 November. 2012.

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