Oregon Public Broadcasting

Washington is usually thought of as a blue state on the electoral map -- meaning Democratic. This year it's purple. It's a toss-up.

That's because Washington's U.S. Senate race has become one of the most competitive in the nation.

With Election Day just around the corner, Democrats are working desperately to hold the seat.

This election season the First Lady, the Vice President, former President Bill Clinton and the current President himself are stumpinig in Washington. That's all you need to know to judge how high the stakes are in the Patty Murray, Dino Rossi U.S. Senate contest.

Jennifer Duffy: "This is part of what is known as the Democratic firewall.

Jennifer Duffy is with the Cook Political Report in Washington, DC. She says the White House's intense interest in Washington is no surprise.

Jennifer Duffy: "Democrats need to hold a state like Washington if they're going to minimize their losses in the Senate. So at this point it's all hands on deck."

Vice President Joe Biden was already just here for a rally in Tacoma. As it was getting started, long-time political columnist Joel Connelly of the SeattlePI.com said something that may surprise you.

Joel Connelly: "This is a swing state."

A swing state. Connelly says Washington's reputation as a blue state is a misnomer.

Joel Connelly: "Look, we had the closest gubernatorial race in the country in 2004, the closest Senate race in the country in 2000. Washington is in nobody's pocket."

At the Tacoma rally, Murray went on the attack. She blasted Rossi for saying he'd vote to repeal the recently enacted law that imposed new regulations on Wall Street.

Patty Murray: "Who would ever want to rollback the strongest protections for Washington state consumers ever passed. Well, I found him. His name is Dino Rossi."

Murray supporters may not like Rossi. But the question is how fired up are they about her. One of the voters in the crowd was Michelle Galaz. She remembers when Murray first ran 18 years ago as a mom in tennis shoes.

Austin Jenkins: "Does Patty Murray as a candidate still excite you or is this more just keeping the same person in the job because you're comfortable.

Michelle Galaz: "Probably the latter. She's done great things and we need to continue to have here in there. She's probably not as exciting as she was when she was the white tennis shoe brigade and all that."

Dino Rossi isn't exactly the new kid on the block either. This is his third go-around on the statewide ballot, after two failed gubernatorial bids. But he has that mid-term election, anti-incumbent tide on his side. Rossi's latest TV ad attacking Murray is called "Changed."

Rossi Ad: "Has Washington, D.C. changed Patty Murray? She said she was elected to cut the budget. But now the Seattle Times called her a prolific sponsor of earmarks...."

Rossi also routinely attacks Murray for her support of the federal stimulus and bailouts, the health care overhaul -- and, yes, -- that new Wall Street law.

Dino Rossi: "She voted for something that's going to kill jobs in Washington."

Rossi's rhetoric echoes that of a lot of Republicans campaigning this year. In fact, he's been criticized for running a nationalized campaign. But in interviews he sometimes presents a less black-and-white view.

For example, he says the Wall Street law should be replaced but...

Dino Rossi: "Were there some good things to it? Ya, there were. Transparency. Good. That's good. The idea that you can't taxpayer insured deposits to create hedge funds. That's good."

Rossi has a challenge in these waning days of the campaign: to embrace voters who are angry at Democrats without alienating more moderate swing voters.

Murray's job is to convince voters who turned out in force for the Obama/Biden ticket two years ago to give her a boost this year.

To be sure, this election will put Washington's blue state tendencies to the test.