An Associated Press story on the Cantwell-McGavick race has gotten heavy play in recent days around the country. The piece by Dave Ammons, dean of the state political press corps, focuses on unhappiness with Cantwell from anti-war Democrats.

It includes this line:

Republicans clearly relish the schism, with Cantwell's main GOP opponent, Mike McGavick, saying, "The senator and I agree on Iraq."

Not really, though. I can see how if that were the case it could be beneficial to McGavick in Washington state. And it may have been true, in a generic way, when McGavick said it. But that was before last month's Senate votes on troop withdrawal resolutions. Cantwell voted for a measure calling on the Bush Administration to start bringing troops home by the end of the year. McGavick spokesman Elliott Bundy said McGavick opposed that move. Cantwell's position on Iraq still doesn't satisfy anti-war activists in her party. But there is a difference between her position and McGavick's.