Kids looking for a summer job might want to consider running against Maria Cantwell.
Not only will you find employment and receive a high salary, but the work is seasonal, meaning you'll be at your desk when the first bell of the school year rings in November.
Two former challengers for this September's Democratic primary have ended their campaign, and the next thing they knew had a job on Cantwell's payroll.
Mark Wilson who has been running for the past 18 months is now the campaign's outreach director, making $8,000 a month.
Dal LaMagna went from handing out 'Be a Pal, Vote for Dal' buttons to Cantwell's co-campaign chairman.
Both of the candidates decided to take on Cantwell because of their frustration over her position on the Iraq War, which, by the by, we hear is going swimmingly.
Her I-voted-for-the-war-and-I-stand-by-that-vote stance has irked many lefties in the party, causing her campaign to stumble and sputter. The campaign and former rivals claim that they can do more good running with her, rather than against her.
This leaves three hold outs: Green Party candidate Aaron Dixon, Democrat Hong Tran, and Republican Mike Mc!Gavick.
Of the three Tran will be the hardest to hire. She has apparently been contacted by LaMagna about joining Cantwell's team, and has expressed no interest. Perhaps the biggest potential hire is Mike Mc!Gavick. The former campaign manager had to leave his phone center job at Safeco in order to campaign full time, and may be finding that life as an unemployed stay-at-home dad isn't all it's cracked up to be.



Libertarian Bruce Guthrie is also in the race, and also against the war in Iraq. I think it a safe bet that Cantwell will not be able to buy him off.