Republican Dino Rossi conceded defeat this morning.

At a press conference in Bellevue, he said he'd called Chris Gregoire to congratulate her on victory, adding that he'd pray for her and hoped Washington voters would hold her to her no new taxes and fees pledge.

He noted that he'd run ahead of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, even more than he'd outpolled George Bush in 2004. "But it wasn't enough," he said.

He also managed a reference to 2004 when he said he was "certified twice as the winner." But as everyone learned that year, it was the third one -- the hand recount that put Gregoire ahead -- that counted

Gregoire has a noon press conference scheduled in Seattle.

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