why can't Mike McGavick get a little love from the GOP?

The Olympian reports that Mike McGavick, described as the GOP's "hand-picked" candidate in the senate race against Maria Cantwell (and let's not forget Bruce Guthrie, Aaron Dixon, and that other person I can't remember), isn't going to receive any GOP love in the form of television commercials in the run-up to November 7.

Cantwell isn't getting any cash from the Dems, either, but she holds a commanding double-digit lead, and a healthy $1.4 million in her war chest. Remarkably, the GOP still sees Cantwell as "vulnerable," leading to speculation that...

1. The Republicans have given up on McGavick.

or

2. McGavick wants to extinguish any perception that he might be a GOP tool, and is willing to go it alone.

or

3. The GOP is just biding its time, a foolish strategy, since most people will mail off their ballots well before the 7th.

I'm calling this race for Cantwell, by at least 7 points. I'm not yet convinced that Cantwell, who performed rather blandly in last week's debates, is going to trounce McGavick, especially with wildcards like Guthrie and Dixon, who are bound to siphon off a few votes from the disgruntled on either side of the aisle. Still, Cantwell has the numbers and the advantage of incumbency. Cantwell 53, McGavick 47.