Asked whether Murray is likely to continue to bring home record-breaking amounts of cash, Glenn Reynolds, founder of Porkbusters.org, a Web site specializing in publicizing government waste, says simply: "People closest to the trough tend to do especially well," a reference to the powerful Appropriations committee. But earlier this month, lawmakers in the House and Senate announced a plan to cut earmarks to a level half that of fiscal 2006— about $8.5 billion for fiscal 2010. Lawmakers who request earmarks would have to explain on their Web sites the purpose of the earmark and why it would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds.
"I think they've laid out some good goals for all of us to reach," Murray says of the proposal. However, she's also quick to defend the money she brings home. "I work hard to make sure I take care of the people in my state. We are 2,300 miles away from this capital. I get up every day, I find what people need in every corner of my state, and I come back here and fight for them."
Charles Steck
Says former Congressman Al Swift of Murray: “I can’t think of many I’ve watched grow like she has.”
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Though Murray is cagey about her future ambitions, based on her progress over the past 17 years, few think she'll do anything but continue to try and increase her stature (so to speak). But she may ultimately be stymied, if only by seniority.
For example, she'd hoped to chair the Veterans' Affairs Committee (she was its first female member) this year. This appointment would have required Democrats to kick "Independent Democrat" Joe Lieberman of Connecticut out of their caucus, which would have set in place a musical-chairs rotation of committee heads that could have landed Murray the job. But the Dems kept Lieberman, and Murray—unless there's some grand wave of retirements—may be stuck for years to come as third, fourth, or fifth in line on the committees on which she serves.
The same holds true for Senate leadership. Though this session started shakily with the Burris imbroglio, Majority Leader Reid likely isn't going anywhere anytime soon, nor are Durbin or Schumer. "I wouldn't be surprised to see her move up," says Swift. "But she's going to have to wait around for a while."
In the meantime, Murray must avoid making the mistake of so many who become important in the other Washington and forget where they're from. "That old aphorism that power tends to corrupt and absolute power tends to absolutely corrupt has borne itself out to be true in more cases than not," says UW's Olson. "She's handled herself well up to this point. But she needs to be watchful." One has only to look at Murray's friend Stevens for an example of a hard worker eventually brought down by corruption.
But Murray's humble persona seems to be holding. And it doesn't hurt that she comes home to Whidbey every weekend, where it's not unusual for people who see her on the street to bend down and give her a hug, says spokesperson Alex Glass. "It always throws us off a little," Glass admits. "I mean, people don't hug Harry Reid when he goes home."
Yet there remains an obvious contradiction between being the underdog everyone's pulling for and being the person in power, with notorious friends like Stevens and countless others lining up with their hands out.
"You can't be a back-bencher/outsider looking in if you're in leadership," says Zuckerman. "But I think she'll always have that [down-home] side of her. It's very genuine. She came to this position because there was a moment in time when she was the perfect candidate. She was very smart about that opportunity. [She] played it perfectly— just like Obama did."
Comparing her to a famous Jimmy Stewart character, a Boy Scout leader who suddenly becomes a senator, Inslee says Murray's had an "interesting Senate career, a sort of 'Mrs. Smith Goes to Washington,' with a happy ending."
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