Seattle radio and newspapers are prominently covering Senator Maria Cantwell’s fundraiser Monday night with Bill Clinton at Benaroya Hall. Supporters paid $250 to $2,500 or more for the event.

But outside the hall, the campaign still hasn’t caught on. While Cantwell’s campaign is still mostly visible from occasional cable TV ads, challenger Mike McGavick is shoring up support outside the Seattle media spotlight. A report about his recent campaign appearance in Moses Lake shows how he needs to artfully criticize national Republican policies even when he’s in agreement with the incumbent. One example: Senate Republicans vetoed funding for popular veterans’ programs that Cantwell supported.

McGavick is running against D.C., not against Cantwell. If McGavick can continue to do an end run around Cantwell with his broad critique of D.C.—he could win. And Cantwell is letting this happen. She needs to make McGavick run against her—and things like her VA funding vote— if she wants to short-circuit McGavick’s charming attempt to co-opt public anger to his advantage.

Is the appearance of this analysis in one of Seattle’s liberal weeklies proof that the race is closing?