Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) says 60 percent of our oil is imported.

"That amount that's going out on a daily basis is hemorrhaging our economy," he said. "We are paying out more daily for imported energy that any nation in the world."

Stevens was on the Seattle waterfront Tuesday checking security on Terminal 18 and promising the federal government will make ports safer.

But, Stevens has another agenda opening ANWR to drilling, which he says can be done environmentally and which will create money for additional oil and gas exploration.

He got a drilling bill into the military budget, only to have Washington Senator Maria Cantwell and others block it.

"We've waited 25 years for that," Stevens says of that defeat last December. "It's a political nightmare."

Cantwell is running for re-election. Last December, the Alaska Republican warned anyone who voted against his bill that he would go to their state and tell voters what their senators did.

He added this message for Senator Cantwell: "The senator of Washington will enjoy my visits to Washington, because I'm going to visit there often."

During Stevens' visit to the waterfront, KOMO 4 News asked if he's here to get Cantwell this election year.

Stevens reply: "No, no, no, no. I don't remember campaigning against anyone in this state. I've campaigned for people. But I've never campaigned against anyone in this state."

Asked if that could change this year, Stevens answered: "No, I don't seen why it should."

Stevens will raise money for Cantwell opponent, Mike McGavick. He's got a pricey fundraiser for McGavick Thursday in Alaska. News reports indicate it could raise as much as $500,000.

McGavick's campaign has estimated at least $100,000 will be raised. And as he promised, Stevens is expected back in Seattle -- next time to campaign.