Rossi Campaign Cautiously Optimistic As Voter Count Continues

As of 11:57 PM, the Washington Secretary of State was reporting on its website Election Day results showing incumbent Senator Patty Murray leading challenger Dino Rossi by a razor slim margin of only 14,005 votes out of 1,430,787 counted.  At the end of the first day of counting, Murray has a lead of 50.49% to Rossi's 49.51%.  However, Rossi For Senate Campaign Manager Pat Shortridge issued a statement by Email late last night outlining some points that should have the Murray campaign sweating bullets:

• Historically in Washington, the Republican candidates improve their percentages in each county in votes counted after Election Day, usually improving their margins by 2 to 3 percentage points.

• King County, which is providing most of Sen. Murray’s margin, accounts for 30.7% of all registered voters in the state. According to County Election reports, King County only has 26.7% of the remaining ballots left to count. The rest of the state, where Rossi has a comfortable lead, will count proportionately more ballots post-Election Day.

• Spokane County, where Rossi is currently in the lead by more than 50%, still has at least 21.6% of the remaining ballots left to process, with more coming in.

• Rossi is currently leading in Pierce County by nearly 2,500 votes

• According to the Secretary of State, there are still over 508,000 estimated ballots left to process statewide.

• Again, we will know more over the next several days as ballots continue to come in and counties continue to count. We are confident that the margins we are seeing throughout Washington State, combined with the state legislative victories, will put Dino Rossi ahead by an overwhelming margin.

This election is not like previous statewide races that Rossi has run.  It is a midterm, off-Presidential cycle election.  These usually favor Republicans, that traditionally exhibit more faithful voting habits.  In addition, a Republican tidal wave is sweeping the nation, with Republicans gaining a solid majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Turnout in more conservative Washington districts is running above normal this year.  This trend is elevating Republican Party hopes, as Washington is poised to send a Republican majority of its Congressional Representatives back to D.C. come January.  Five of Washington's nine Congressional seats appear to be in Republican hands:

• District 2 John Koster is leading his opponent 50.41% to 49.59%.  This is a Republican "gain".
• District 3 Jaime Herrara is leading her opponent 52.92% to 47.08%.  This is a Republican "gain".
• District 4 Doc Hastings is leading his opponent 68.31% to 31.69%.  This is a Republican "hold".
• District 5 Cathy McMorris Rodgers is leading her opponent 64.51% to 35.49%.  This is a Republican "hold".
• District 8 Congressman Dave Reichert is leading his opponent 55% to 45%, this is a Republican "hold".

Republican gains in west-side Congressional Districts are exceeding local Party expectations.  In addition, a number of voter initiatives regarding taxes have shown a conservative voting streak.  An initiative for a state income tax has gone down in flames, while another requiring a 2/3 majority of the state legislature to raise taxes appears to be passing.  In addition, a rollback of Democratic Party approved taxes on food and bottled water appeared to be passing as well.
While the race is still too close to call, it looks like we may be calling Dino Rossi our Senator very soon.

***
Cross-posted to BLOGSUNNYSIDE.COM

Dino Rossi Rocks Silverdale

by Johnny Walker

@KingstonJW on Twitter

“Who here wants to remove Patty Murray’s tennis shoes from Washington?” The packed house roared. Classic. It was a perfect Dino Rossi moment at the Community Center in Silverdale yesterday, as Rossi supporters came together for a final dash rally in the last week of their campaign. Tightly packed into an A-frame conference room, you would never have guessed that the race to unseat incumbent Patty Murray (D) was so dangerously close.

After a short but lively introduction by Representative Jan Angle of the Washington 26^th Legislative District, Rossi charged the crowd with well timed and familiar talking points designed to keep his team passionately involved to the finish line.

Rossi championed a theme that “when government grows, your freedoms decrease,” and pounded incumbent Murray for her unapologetic authorship of massive new health care laws that are increasing costs and eroding the relationship between doctors and patients; reducing both choice and quality of services. He countered liberal rhetoric that Republicans were a “party of no” by emphasizing tax-free ways to improve health care. He cited that tort reform, competition across state lines, health care accounts, and volume bargaining by small business as ways to vastly improve healthcare without any increase of taxes.

Rossi focused on jobs, detailing his own expertise and what he has learned from business on the campaign trail. “Small business wants a modest tax, fair and predictable regulation, and then let lose to pursue the American dream,” he said. Government shouldn’t punish small businesses for being successful, but instead should enable them “so they can do it again and again and again!”

In closing remarks, Rossi left the charged crowd with two key messages. “The moral issue of the campaign” he defined as a political class that has borrowed, spent, and handed the bill off to their children. He wants to stop that. And his “final pledge” to supporters; “with your help November 2^nd, when I become your next United States Senator, I am actually going to represent Washington State and not Washington D.C.”

Some observers might have found the rally predictable, but the undercurrent in the room was a story in itself. Folks were impressively undeterred by recent polls benefitting Patty Murray after local visits by Democratic power brokers. In a matter of days, Murray held campaign events with President Obama, Michelle Obama, Vice President Biden, and prior President Clinton. “How does that happen?” said one supporter. Another spoke with cautious optimism, “we have a week to go.” It was pretty clear leaving the event that the “hoots and hollers” to carry Dino signs was not an admission of anything about the future, except for success.

In the final week of this significant election year, I trust that you all are doing your part to support the candidates of your choice. I’ve written an article on phone banking that shows how easy it is to do, and sign waving is another easy way to help and have fun at the same time. But most of all, in the final days, remember to vote and encourage the vote. This is what will ultimately prevail.

Know your candidates and issues. Vote Smart. November is almost here.

Photos top to bottom; author Johnny Walker, Dino Rossi addresses supporters in Silverdale, Rep Jan Angel introduced event, enthused Dino supporter Jo Nelson

The case for unity.

I voted for Clint Didier. He was a breath of fresh air. Someone with strong principals and an unyielding commitment to voicing them whenever anyone would listen. I like that, I respect that, and I also realized that you can’t win a statewide election in this state, at least not this year, by doing that.

Still, he got every vote in our household (including the pets, after all this is King County) because I want more people like him running, gaining name recognition, and positioning themselves for future campaigns. We knew that he had no chance to beat the "Mom in Worn Out Tennis Shoes" but this was the time to cast our "protest vote".

Now every hand (and paw) in our home is poised to vote for Dino Rossi this November. It has been a decade since a conservative in this state has had a very real chance to win a Senate race and we are not going to look back on this election with regret because we were not smart enough to do the right thing.

By nature conservatives put logic ahead of emotion. They do what needs to be done even if their heart wishes that they didn’t have to. This is called leadership. It is like the Sci-Fi movie where someone has to stuff the glove to their space suit into the hole in order to save the space ship. They know they are giving up their life but they are saving many more. As Spock put it, “The needs of the many, outweigh, the needs of the few, or the one”.

Right now our country desperately needs to reverse course. We have to shove Patty into the hole in the space ship so it can survive to win the battle with the evil alien dictator in 2012. That means we have to be smart. No matter what we are better off sending someone to D.C. that may not be what we emotionally want, but we logically need.

According to last month’s PPP poll 91% of Democrats in this state are going to vote for Patty Murray. Does that mean that 91% of Democrats like her? Of course not.
The latest Rasmussen poll shows:

• Only 12% of the people in this state are not angry with the current policies in of the Federal Government.
• Just 28% think our representatives in Congress are the best person for the job.
• Only 40% feel that their local representatives in Congress deserve to be re-elected.

So clearly most Democrats can’t stand Murray either but are voting for her because she is the only option they have.

In this state about 30% of the voters are “independent” and Rossi has a solid lead in that area. So what is going to make the difference in this election? Republicans. That same PPP poll shows that only 88% of the Republicans were committed to voting for Rossi. So while most of the polls show this as a dead heat it is a race that is in our hands, under our control, and we can win it and win it decisively not by convincing Democrats to jump ship, or away Independents into voting for Dino, but by simply understanding the simple logic that if you are a Republican you need to step up and do the right thing and leave your emotions at home.

Your “protest vote” was cast in the primary, but come General election anything but a Rossi vote is a vote for Murray, and to continue the course of the Obama agenda.
So for the first time in 10 years the race will be won or lost by how intelligent Republicans are. Some call Dino a RINO, but I contend the real RINO’s are anyone that isn’t smart enough to realize that a vote that isn’t for Rossi is a vote for Murray. Don’t look back on this opportunity with regret. In 2 years Clint Didier can run against Cantwell, or someone else may step up to replace her, but that election will be easier to win if we fire Patty in November.

So join me now in voting for Dino Rossi. He may not be the first choice, but he is the ONLY choice.

Candidates Had Fair Weekend West of Cascades

It has to be hard competing for attention against the likes of Glen Beck, Sarah Palin, and Alveda King. The Restoring Honor Rally in Washington DC dominated twitter yesterday and was the big story on national news. But it was a different story west of the Cascades as local candidates pressed palms and worked hard to get their messages out at the Kitsap County and Evergreen State Fairs. They seemed more energized and focused than ever.

I found the Kitsap County Republican Women staffing the Party booth in Bremerton on Friday afternoon and Pete DeBoer (R) for Washington 23rd was eagerly working the crowd. Pete was feeling optimistic after two important events last week; his first public debate with Representative Sherry Appleton (D) and an editorial board interview with the Kitsap Sun. Things were moving fast for Pete and you could tell he relished greeting new faces at the fair.

Traveling over to Monroe on Saturday, the weather was prime for the town’s parade where I quickly shook hands with Senate candidate Dino Rossi (R) along the parade route. He had just given a keynote at the State GOP meeting in Seattle but no less for wear, he was still zig-zagging the asphalt at full speed making his message personal with curbside observers. The man was on fire and the story was all about jobs in this blue collar – agricultural based community. James Watkins (R), candidate for Congressional District 1, followed Rossi and at one point I observed him answering a Mexican-American family’s question about jobs. Clearly, if this community is any measure about what America is looking for right now, the number one issue remains jobs and there is a strong sense from voters that government isn’t going in the right direction.

I caught up with Watkins later on at the Snohomish County Republican Party booth and asked him about his campaign’s progress. He feels things are moving “great” with an expected post-primary increase of volunteers and donations. He thinks his hardest challenge at the moment will be reaching out to newer or inexperienced voters and those that don’t hold politics as part of their daily life. On the upside, he mentioned the possibility of an upcoming head to head debate with incumbent Jay Inslee (D), something he has been eager to do from the onset of his candidacy. He feels on track holding Inslee to just over 55% in the primary and is now hard at work shifting swing and independent voters in his direction. Watkins expects to get some criticism from the right as he carefully balances his message to court moderates, but emphasizes the diversity of the district. Watkins remains confident his campaign’s outreach to Tea Party conservatives will keep him out of trouble there.

As an independent-minded columnist, I strive to be fair in my approach so I made sure to touch base with the Democrat Party booths at both Fairs. I asked them how they were feeling about going in to November. The Kitsap contingent gave me the tired old story of blaming Bush, “If you want the same old thing and the Party of no, then… [blah, blah, blah];” nothing new here and voters should just trust them that $13 trillion in debt will turn out OK even as joblessness remains high. On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised at meeting a firebrand write-in candidate at the Snohomish Fair that is sure to give incumbent Norma Smith (R) for 10^th Legislative District more than hard time.

I’m not sure if write in candidates are anything more than noise in the system, but Laura Lewis (D) isn’t going to let incumbent Smith, who ran uncontested on the primary ballot, have the seat for free. “You don’t have to be a conservative to be fiscally conservative,” she said, and believes “there are a bunch of people in office that aren’t working for us.” I can’t say I disagree with that particular message, and the died-in-the-wool Vice Chair of the SDCC went on to lambast the lack of collaboration in Olympia. When she exclaimed, “I want people to be fair and work together!” I immediately envisioned my own grandma pulling a belt strap out of the closet. Uh oh. When we talked about the potential for less government, she said, “I don’t agree that government services can always be done better in the private sector.” About liquor retail for instance, “Why should the State give up the profits? The State can run it like a business and keep both the taxes and the profits.” What do you think Norma? I’m not sure Laura Lewis will make much of a dent this year, but I don’t think she is going to go away quietly.

All in all, it was a Fair weekend in the west, and candidates are knuckling down to get their messages out for what many analysts believe will be a tipping point in American governance. Which way are you leaning?

November is coming.

Photos: top left Pete DeBoer at the Kitsap Republican Party booth at the county fairgrounds, Bremerton, WA; center right Dino Rossi working crowd at Monroe Fair Days parade; center left James Watkins at Fair Days parade; lower left Laura Lewis at Democrat booth, Evergreen State Fair.

Rossi Ready To Grill Patty Murray

U.S. Senate candidate Dino Rossi recently challenged 18-year incumbent Patty Murray to a series of debates. Murray responded to the Rossi campaign by offering to debate only two times, and only in late October, just prior to the election.

Rossi has suggested that they have a total of six debates, to cover all the major media markets in Washington, with an additional debate in Seattle and also on national TV. Murray is refusing to go around the state to discuss issues with Rossi, despite this being the fourth time she is running a Senate race.

This Patty Is Done

Putting Patty Murray on a stage with Dino Rossi is probably the last thing her campaign wants to do. They know that Patty will be cooked, if she has to actually think about what she is saying without consultants providing a script for her.

Breaking: Palin to Tame "Papa Grizzly" Didier?

Highly placed sources have informed me that efforts are underway to have Sarah Palin intervene in the current squabble between former Washington U.S. Senate candidate Clint Didier and Republican Senate nominee Dino Rossi.

Palin, if you recall, endorsed Didier just prior to Rossi's entry into the race in May.  SarahPAC gave Didier $5000 and Palin recorded a robo-call for Didier, but she did not campaign in the state for him.

Didier has declined to endorse Rossi in the Senate race until Rossi agrees to meet three specific demands.  Rossi has refused.

Republican state party officials and electeds are busy behind the scenes trying to repair the rift.  A close election between Rossi and Democratic incumbent Patty Murray is expected, and Didier's 12 percent primary vote might be crucial.

More details as they become available.

Didier Favors Impregnation By Rape

Didier Speaking at a Tea Party Event in Yakima, July 2010

As recently as May 28th, Clint Didier was touting how he was a team player, and would support whoever faced off with Patty Murray this November.  This is what he said on the David Boze radio show:

"If it is Patty Murray and whoever - it's whoever. Vote against Patty Murray. And we gotta stimulate this movement in the state of Washington that whoever comes out of that primary we gotta get behind. And believe me, if it's not me, whoever it is, I'm gonna get behind them. I'm gonna work as hard for them as I did for me. Because it's not about me. It's about our kids, our grandkids, and assuring they have that same shot at the American Dream. It's about America."

Following the primary election however, Didier reversed course and refused to endorse Dino Rossi, who will face off with Murray.  Didier instead drew up a list of demands for Rossi to sign, before giving an endorsement.  These demands include having Rossi sign a pro-life pledge, and promising to vote against increased spending and taxes.

Nevermind that these are things that Rossi has stood for all along.  In fact, he has a legislative voting record of balancing the state budget, and holding the line on taxes.  He introduced legislation to protect the unborn while in the state senate, and is a Roman-Catholic.  Rossi is on record as having said that abortion is morally wrong.

Near the end of the primary campaign, Didier attempted to smear Rossi as pro-abortion.  His evidence for this consisted of one vote Rossi took in the state senate.  The vote was to allow women who are victims of rape, to take the morning-after pill.  By opposing this, are we to assume that Didier is in favor of impregnating women by rape?  If we follow the logic of the Didier campaign, this is the case.

Rossi might make exceptions for women who are victims of rape and incest.  Didier is making clear he favors impregnation by these methods.  I would expect better of a farmer from eastern Washington.

Rossi is a bona-fide fiscal conservative.  He has signed the Tea Party backed "Contract From America."  He has a voting record in the state senate that showcases his philosophy.  In addition, his two statewide campaigns for governor have gotten voters acquainted with him.  Now that he is the top dog for the U.S. Senate race, Didier is showing us how much of a sore-loser he is.

Didier is also showing how dishonest he is, not only in trying to paint Rossi as a tax and spend politician, or questioning his pro-life beliefs, but also breaking his own promise to support the Republican facing Patty Murray in November.

As a person who is pro-life, I would rather have Dino Rossi in the Senate, than Patty Murray.  What's wrong with you, Clint Didier?

References:

Palousitics: Didier: "Whoever it is (who wins the primary), I'm gonna get behind them"

NWDigest.com: Fuiten: Dino Rossi IS Pro-Life

Red County: The President, Patty and the Primary

Have You No Sense of Decency Sir, At Long Last?

Conservative Christians who voted for Clint Didier may be experiencing some buyer's remorse right about now. Foul-mouthed Didier spokeswoman Kathryn Serkes told Publicola yesterday:

So is Dino saying, "Fuck you" to those people [who supported Didier]? "Fuck you, I don’t need your votes? I can win with 33 percent"

This was the second incident of F-bombing by the Didier campaign in the last few weeks.  During the botched Didier-Akers joint webcast, staffers could be heard on-air referring to a "clusterfuck."

Rossi, of course, said no such thing. He is simply refusing to submit to a laundry list of demands that Didier says Rossi must meet before Didier will endorse him.  Rossi understandably rejected those demands. Can you think of any other candidate that polled just 12% of the vote that successfully made any demands on a victorious candidate? This is not Czechoslovakia and Rossi isn't Neville Chamberlain. 

And by the way Ms. Potty Mouth, Dino doesn't have just 33%:

The first KING 5 Senate poll for the 2010 general election shows Republican Dino Rossi is actually ahead of Democratic incumbent Patty Murray, 52% to 45%.

In most polls leading up to this week’s primary election and on primary night, Murray was in the lead. Primary election results placed Murray 13 points ahead of Rossi, but Rossi splitting the Republican vote with Clint Didier who got 12%, and Paul Akers, with 3%.

Oops.

I agree with Caleb Hannan at the Daily Weekly.  Rossi is better off ignoring Didier's demands.  In any case, this cannot end well for Didier and his Super Bowl ring-sized ego.  And if Rossi loses a very winnable election with the U.S. Senate at stake, Didier may want to consider growing alfalfa in Uzbekistan.

Finally, here's some advice to the Washington Campaign for Liberty, whose supporters campaigned so vociferously for Didier.  I generally respect the membership of the C4L, who other than a few crazies, are very thoughtful and intelligent.  They realize, no doubt, that they can only advance their causes by forming coalitions with other groups. 

Didier's high school jock testosteroning, as echoed by cheerleader Jerkes, is making him radioactive.  Take care you don't get contaminated yourself.

Rossi Challenges Murray To Debate

Dino Rossi speaking at the 2010 Washington State Republican Party Convention

Dino Rossi is challenging Patty Murray to a series of debates to be held in Washington in the weeks leading up to the November general election.  This is according to a letter that Dino Rossi sent to Senator Patty Murray:

Dear Sen. Murray:

The U.S. Senate race is one of the most important elections in the State of Washington in 2010.  Given the importance of this election, and the desire for voters to make an informed decision this fall, I propose we hold five debates in Washington State, in addition to one nationally televised debate.  I further propose we hold one debate in each media market hosted by local civic organizations, with two debates in the Seattle area. 

The five debates in Washington State would be Lincoln-Douglas style, in which we would be allotted equal time to make opening statements, ask questions of each other, introduce new ideas, or defend policy positions.  A timekeeper would ensure each side adheres to time limits which are mutually agreed upon.

This is an opportunity for us to question each other on various policy positions in a manner which allows the public, not the press or interest groups, to dictate the issues covered. 

In order to ensure the maximum number of voters see the debates so they are able to make an informed decision, we should invite television stations in each market to broadcast the debates.  Additionally, as there is limited time before general election ballots are mailed, I propose that we hold one debate a week beginning the week of September 6, 2010.

 Will Patty Murray accept the challenge?  Stay tuned...

Didier: "Whoever it is (who wins the primary), I'm gonna get behind them"

Now that their guy lost Tuesday's Primary to Dino Rossi and Patty Murray, some Clint Didier supporters are acting as if they want to take their ball and go home and not let anyone else play! Clint himself gave a very "poor loser" message Tuesday night on KTTH's election show. I somewhat can understand, as I too would be very emotional after a loss, and things that come out of your mouth before you have a night to sleep on it might sound very different the next day. But I sure wish Clint would have heard Paul Akers on the radio prior that evening. Paul gave a very gracious message about the race and about losing, ending with saying emphatically he was "100% behind Dino Rossi!" 

As Clint is preparing to make an announcement Friday at 3:00 about his campaign and about Rossi, I would like him to listen to what he said on KTTH's David Boze Show on May 28 - two days after Dino Rossi announced his candidacy, bringing the number of candidates to around 17.  Today's David Boze Show replayed that May 28th talk with Clint, and here is what Clint said:

"If it is Patty Murray and whoever - it's whoever. Vote against Patty Murray. And we gotta stimulate this movement in the state of Washington that whoever comes out of that primary we gotta get behind. And believe me, if it's not me, whoever it is, I'm gonna get behind them. I'm gonna work as hard for them as I did for me. Because it's not about me. It's about our kids, our grandkids, and assuring they have that same shot at the American Dream. It's about America."

You can listen for yourself at the 36:00 mark of today's Boze show:
http://icestream.bonn...

Clint, you did an excellent job motivating conservatives over the past eight months. Thank you for all the time and heart you put into your candidacy. You are a patriot for wanting to serve your country! Now it's time to keep to your word while continuing to motivate your supporters. But this time the motivation is to get them to work hard - as hard as they did for you - to help get Dino Rossi elected. After all, it's all about defeating Murray.

Fuiten: Dino Rossi IS Pro-Life

Washington conservative Christian leader Joe Fuiten, pastor of Cedar Park Assembly of God in Bothell, founder of Positive Christian Agenda, and a director of the Family Policy Institute of Washington, has sent the following letter to reassure pro-life voters that Dino Rossi is indeed on their side.  Rossi has been the target of ads from the Washington Life Coalition, an organization allied with the Clint Didier campaign, (and which is not a registered PAC, hello PDC?) that claim the Republican Senate candidate is soft on abortion.

You can read Fuiten's letter below the jump:

OVERlution: Murray 41%, Rossi 33%, Didier 11%, Akers 5%

A KING5/SurveyUSA poll conducted just as Washington voters have "top two" primary ballots in their hands (all but one of 39 counties are vote-by-mail) finds incumbent Patty Murray and Republican challenger Dino Rossi poised to move ahead to the November U.S. Senate general election by wide margins of 41% and 33% respectively .

Self-appointed Tea Party candidate Clint Didier only garners 11% total support, with a mere 24% of those with a favorable opinion of the Tea Party backing Didier, versus 56% for Dino Rossi.  Rossi also leads in Didier's native Eastern Washington by a 35%-21% margin.

Didier's "running mate," Republican Paul Akers only polls 5%.  The "joint campaigning" idea that Didier and Akers announced a couple of weeks ago does not seem to have produced any results, other than, as predicted, splitting the vote between the two men.

Didier's lurch to the far right libertarian policies of Ron Paul has alienated many traditional conservatives in both the Tea Party movement and Eastern Washington who favor free trade, a strong national defense, and victory in the War on Terror.  And Didier's "angry white man" routine has turned off voters, as expected, in more urban Western Washington, where he only receives 8% support.

Efforts by the sham pro-life Washington Life Coalition to smear Rossi as soft on abortion have also failed, with Rossi garnering 52% of the pro-life voter support, versus just 17% for Didier.  Ironically , that is the same amount for strongly pro-choice Patty Murray.

Dino Rossi's TV ad

Dino Rossi recently released his TV ad, Wisely. It gets to the heart of the matter- core issues with the economic mess in DC and Dino's promise to lead- wisely.



Enjoy and remember to vote Rossi for Senate now through the August 17th Primary!

Clint Didier: Liar and Hypocrite

Self-proclaimed champion of the Tea Party, Clint Didier has consistently proclaimed that he is the opposite of the "politics as usual" that have so many Americans frustrated and angry. So in a fitting epitaph to his failed U.S. Senate campaign, Didier has just released a negative video ad attacking fellow Republican Dino Rossi so full of lies and half-truths, it would warm the heart of the most left-wing Democrat:



Even the Seattle Times had to rebut this nonsense:

The piece is pretty blatantly misleading on one of its main contentions.

It claims Rossi didn't cut spending to deal with a budget deficit - that he instead "raised taxes" - referring to a five-cent gas tax increase approved that year.

But the gas tax isn't even part of the general state budget that Rossi was charged with crafting. The state gas tax is dedicated to a separate roads budget. Rossi did vote for the nickel increase that year, along with many Republicans -- it marked the first time the gas tax had gone up in a decade.

And the budget Rossi helped write - he had to compromise with then-Gov. Gary Locke and Democrats who controlled the state House - did cut make cuts to state spending.

Will Dino Rossi counterattack? No. He told a group in Pullman on Friday that he doesn't run against Republicans. He is a firm believer in Reagan's 11th Commandment.

So is this what the Tea Party has come to? More of the same old negativity? Devouring our own while the leftists sit back and laugh? Didier has just proven himself to be like every other politican, willing to do or say anything to get elected.

Goodbye Clint. And good riddance.

In Washington's Poorest Neighborhood, Rossi Receives Rock Star Reception

Patty Murray is in big trouble.

The Hillyard section of Spokane was built to house workers of the Great Northern Railway.  As a result, it acquired a reputation as a rough neighborhood that it maintains to this day.  Per capita, Hillyard is the poorest neighborhood in Washington state.  The decaying buildings have changed little since the Great Depression.  It almost feels like a movie set.

Hardly the place you would expect to find the man described as a heartless millionaire real estate broker and the tool of wealthy Washington, DC/Wall Street fat cats.

But on Saturday morning, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dino Rossi walked in the parade that was part of the 99th annual Hillyard Festival.  No other Senate candidate was on hand.

Rossi, dressed casually in jeans, worked the crowd like a man running for city council, not the Senate.  Walking from one side of the street to the other, Rossi extended his hand to everyone he could get to and greeted them with, "Hi, I'm Dino."

No introduction was necessary.

People instantly recognized the two-time gubernatorial candidate.  They were surprised he was there in person, not just being represented by flunkies.  I overheard people saying, "That's really him," "Look, it's Dino," and "I can't believe he's here."

And how did the the crowd in this largely Democratic community react to Dino Rossi?

Like a rock star.

Breaking: Rossi Outraises Murray Last Month

Breaking news from the Associated Press:

Republican Dino Rossi raised nearly double the amount of money that Democratic Sen. Patty Murray did last month, but he still has less in the bank in his effort to oust the three-term incumbent.

New campaign finance reports released by his campaign Thursday afternoon show Rossi raised $573,672 last month, compared to the $293,486 raised by Murray during the same period.

Murray, who is seeking a fourth term in the U.S. Senate, spent about $3.9 million last month, most of it for advertising. Rossi spent about $152,000 in July.

Rossi has about $1.8 million in the bank, compared to Murray's $3.2 million.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to travel to Washington to raise money for Murray on Aug. 17, which is primary election day.

Rossi raised more than $517,000 in individual contributions, and brought in an additional 56,500 through political committees. Murray had only $265,000 in individual donations, and another $37,000 from political committees.

It's probably worth pointing out again that Rossi raised almost as much in one month as his Republican opponents Clint Didier and Paul Akers have during the entire campaign.

Didiakers Follow Through on Promise to Jointly End Political Careers

As promised, Washington U.S. Senate candidates have followed through on their promise made last week to start running joint "Didiakers" radio ads spreading unsubstantiated conspiracy paranoia about Republican frontrunner Dino Rossi.  Here it is:



The Odd Couple allude to how "Washington, D.C. and special interests are dumping millions of dollars into our opponent's campaign war chest," yet mysteriously Dino Rossi's latest FEC report only shows around $200K in PAC contributions.

Didiakers speak of how voters are "frustrated with party politics as usual," yet Akers himself has raised only a little over $45,000 in individual contributions.  Where is HIS grassroots support one might ask?  Didier has been endorsed by two of the leading Republican rebels in the country, Sarah Palin and Ron Paul, and yet his second quarter fundraising was less than than what he had raised prior to those endorsements.  Who exactly is to blame here?

And somehow, the duo claim, nefarious Republican "insiders" want you to believe "only their guy can win" and "they don't want you to know the polls show we can beat Patty Murray," despite the fact that Public Policy Polling, a left-leaning pollster has just released a poll of the August 17 "top two" Washington U.S. Senate Primary that has incumbent Patty Murray at 47%, Rossi at 33%, Didier at 10% and Akers at 4%.  This poll matches almost exactly the results of previous "top two" primary polls taken by Survey USA and Elway.  It's even more ironic when you consider that Akers' campaign was inspired and announced by the ultimate GOP insider, Dick Morris.

There's no point in reiterating what every political strategist says is the fatal mistake of both candidates remaining in the race to split what little support they have instead of pooling it together to go after Rossi by having one bow out of the race and endorse the other.

Didiakers are right in that this is unprecedented.  The self-immolation of two public figures has never before been broadcast so willingly and widely.  Sad really.

And is it just me, or does the red background they use in the video remind anyone of the Black Lodge from Twin Peaks?  Seems fitting, as both Didier's and Aker's political futures have disappeared along with Agent Cooper.

Patty Murray Launches Negative Primary Ad

Patty Murray, 18 year Senate veteran, has launched a negative ad against Dino Rossi, even before the primary election has been held.  This is in contrast to Dino Rossi, who launched a positive ad today, calling for change in Washington D.C. that will actually help people in the state of Washington.

US Senate Candidate Dino Rossi

During a press conference today, Dino Rossi said that the functional unemployment rate in Washington is 17.4%.  This number includes those receiving unemployment, people giving up looking for work, as well as underemployed skilled workers that are delivering pizzas.

Rossi said that two out of 10 Washington workers being functionally unemployed is too high.  As he goes around the state, talking with people and business owners, they talk about being worried about making their mortgage payments, and feeding their kids.

He went on to discuss how the healthcare reform is a tax and spending bill, with a little healthcare sprinkled on top.  Murray’s 60th, and deciding vote on this has killed jobs in Washington.

“Even the Chinese government is telling us we are spending too much money” said Rossi.

“We need private sector jobs”, explained Rossi, “instead of more government spending.”

Rossi called for extending all tax cuts enacted under the previous administration, and simplifying the tax code to make it fair and predictable so small businesses can hire more people.

He noted that in Murray’s ad, she is criticizing some of the same legislation that she voted for, such as bailouts of failed businesses.

Rossi said that Murray has not had a private sector job in her adult life, and does not understand entrepreneurs willing to risk it all in order to chase after their dream of making a better life in America.

When asked about energy policy, Rossi responded by saying we need an “all of the above approach”, which includes wind, solar, and even nuclear power in order to achieve energy independence.  He specifically called for continuing to use the vitrification plant at Hanford to turn radioactive sludge into a glass product that can be safely stored at Yucca Mountain in Nevada.  Murray has remained silent on Senator Reid’s attempts to shut that down, until Rossi made it an issue in his campaign.

Dino Rossi’s Ad:




Patty Murray's negative ad attacking Dino Rossi:

Murray Jumps the Shark

Last week, former Republican U.S. Senate candidate Chris Widener tweeted that Clint Didier and Paul Akers had "jumped the shark" with their joint announcement last week to campaign together against the "establishment" conspiracy to ensconce Dino Rossi as the party's nominee.

Now, Patty Murray has also jumped the same shark by resurrecting the moldy old bogeyman of Dubya, DUBYA!, who hasn't run for anything in six years, to go after Dino Rossi in a new TV ad:



And in case you were wondering, Bush Derangement Syndrome is SO 2008. A new poll by Third Way reveals that:

...just 25% of Americans say that the GOP's return to power in Congress will mean a return to those unpopular Bush policies. Fully 65% believe a GOP Congress would promote "a new economic agenda that is different from George W. Bush's policies."

Murray, as usual, missed what the real concerns of Washingtonians are. It's the economy, stupid. And Bush is all you can talk about? Lame.

And allying herself closely with Obama is not not going to help Murray win a fourth term. As Third Way found, just 48% of independent voters think Obama has an economic agenda at all, let alone one that's working.

UPDATE: The Washington State Republican Party in a new press release notes about Murray's new ad:

It's a bizarre attempt to link a challenger to special interests when the bail-out supporting Senator's largest donors, as the Seattle Times reports, are lobbyists.

Patty Murray, in her career has taken over $500,000 from the Securities and Investment industry, and is one of the Top 10 Senators who take contributions from lobbyists according to the Center For Responsive Politics (www.OpenSecrets.org).

Publicola also has more. Patty was for Wall Street bailouts before she was against them.

Dino Rossi Tele-Town Hall

Unlike the joint Didi-Akers "town hall" PR disaster last week, Washington state U.S. Senate hopeful Dino Rossi's tele-town hall tonight resulted in no confessions from the leading Republican of a murky conspiracy to rig the election by the Trilateral Commission and the Rothschilds.

Instead, Rossi did a little old-fashioned stump politicking.

In opening remarks, Dino said that Patty Murray is very, very worried. That's why she is bringing in the President to campaign for her on August 17. Also, he stated new negative TV ads will be starting tomorrow. But Dino isn't worried. He's seen it all before.

This was Rossi from 2004; calm, confident, engaging, approachable, and listening to the worries of everyday Washingtonians. There was the commercial fisherman anxious over declining private sector jobs, the immigrant small businessman fretting over government regulations, the veteran asking about health care reform, and the independent logging trucker concerned about rising taxes.

Dino related how that we have a lot more government than we can afford. He stated how we need predictable taxation and fair and predictable regulation so that small businesses can grow, as it is small business that generates most jobs. Rossi pointed out that Patty Murray has never held a private sector job and how he understands what it takes to be successful, as he has signed the front side of a paycheck before.

Rossi shared his ideas of how to lower the national debt and talked of how he had done it before at the state level. Dino would repeal and replace ObamaCare with a system that reduced costs and increased access. He said that DC needs some adult supervision for a change.

Concerning the controversial Arizona immigration law that is on appeal, Rossi said it demonstrated that the federal government has made a complete travesty of its duty to protect the borders for national security reasons. He reiterated his stance on no amnesty for illegal immigrants. But he did advocate for a "virtual Ellis Island" to allow immigrants like his grandparents to legally come and pursue the American dream.

Rossi concluded the tele-town hall by asking for listeners' help, as it's "only the future of free world at stake." And he said that help would be needed not just during the campaign, but for the six years that he is in the other Washington.