FROM THE ARCHIVE
Did the anti-Gorton effort have an effect?
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NOVEMBER 21, 2000 While the Washington Senate race won't be certified for some time, preliminary results reveal that an anti-Slade Gorton campaign mounted by tribal leaders and others may have paid off in some counties. But Senator Gorton's win in many others shows that the "Dump Slade" movement can't claim a victory in an important part of the state. Gorton has overwhelmingly carried Eastern Washington, where the issue of dam breaching resonates strongly with Indians and non-Indians. There, Gorton's opposition to removal of dams on the Columbia/Snake River basin appears to have paid off. In Okanogan County on the upper Columbia River, Gorton has more than 10,000 votes compared to Cantwell's 4,200. Along with Ferry County, Okanogan is home to the second largest tribe in the state: The Confederated Colville Tribes. With about 8,400 members, according to enrollment figures obtained from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the tribe has potential to affect the outcome of political races. Not all tribal members live on the reservation or are of voting age, however. Cantwell's criticism of Gorton for supporting an open-pit gold in Okanogan didn't appear to have an effect, so tribal voters aren't deciding the race alone. But in neighboring Ferry, the margin between Gorton and Cantwell is less than 1,000 votes, indicating the role tribal members can play in a close race. Yakima County on the lower Columbia River is home to the largest tribe in the state, the Yakama Nation, with over 8,600 members. Gorton's lead there is about 14,000 votes, again showing the potential for tribal involvement. Along the Snake River, where environmentalists and tribes have targeted four dams for removal, Gorton's win has been dramatic. There aren't significant Indian populations in these counties, however. In heavily-populated Western Washington, Cantwell's campaign had greater success, but tribes there are small. Some, like the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, with less than 500 members, endorsed Cantwell. Still, tribes like the Makah Nation and the Tulalip Tribes, have large enough numbers to affect races. In Whatcom County, home to the Lummi Nation, Gorton leads by less than 3,000. The tribe has more than 3,600 members. Statewide, the Indian population is less than 2 percent, according to the latest numbers from the Census. Get the latest numbers:
Washington State General Election (Washington Secretary of State) Related Stories:
Gorton still in lead (Politics 11/20)
Final results on Gorton expected (Politics 11/17)
Gorton's lead grows (Politics 11/16)
Dispute over elections continues (Politics 11/15)
Gorton is likely winner (Politics 11/10)
Nation awaits fate of races (Politics 11/9)
Gorton clinging to lead (Politics 11/8)
Campaign Watch: Washington (Politics 11/6)
Voters' Guide: Washington State (Politics 11/1)
Races close in Washington (Politics 10/26)
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