EXPLAIN HOW PATTY MURRAY HANGS ON IN THAT CLIMATE?:

Wash. state income tax loses support (JOHN MAGGS | 11/2/10, Politico)

Support for the initiative started out strong, and polls remained close all summer, with a “yes” to the so-called millionaire’s tax leading 41 percent to 39 percent as recently as Oct. 3.

But as advertising on both sides began in earnest in mid-September, the “no” side began pulling away.

A University of Washington poll conducted Oct. 7-28 found the initiative failing by an 11-point margin. And a Survey USA poll released Friday showed it going down by 22 points. Washington’s mail-in balloting makes the timing of the shift hard to judge, but a majority of votes are expected to be cast in the week before Election Day.

Most of the gains seem to be among undecided voters.