Washington’s Rossi rejects campaign for U.S. Senate

OLYMPIA – Dino Rossi, who unsuccessfully challenged his 129-vote loss in last fall’s governor’s race, told national Republicans Friday that he won’t run for U.S Senate next year, dashing their hopes that the charismatic former state senator could knock off a vulnerable Democrat incumbent.

In a letter Friday to Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., the Sammamish Republican said that while he was flattered to be considered as a challenger to Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell, he didn’t want to disrupt his family and is focusing on working for the state from home.

“Right now, I’m committed to turning this state around, and I need to stay here to accomplish that goal,” Rossi wrote to Dole, who is chairwoman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Rossi had been touted by Republicans as the perfect candidate to take on U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, but for months he has consistently shot that idea down. Cantwell still hasn’t drawn a GOP challenger.

In his letter, Rossi points to polling that he says shows he has a 12-point lead over Cantwell, and said that while he’s not going to run, “I strongly believe we need someone new to represent Washington in the U.S. Senate.

“I think the people of Washington sense that they’re not getting their money’s worth with the incumbent,” Rossi wrote. “She has proven herself unable to work across party lines, which does our state no good.”

Cantwell spokeswoman Charla Neuman said it was no surprise that Rossi is passing on the race.

“Republicans have a tough time recruiting top tier candidates, and every quarter, Maria keeps showing more strength in fund-raising. It shows that she has spent years representing the values and priorities of Washington state,” she said.

She said Cantwell raised $1.7 million in campaign contributions in the last quarter, bringing the year’s total to more than $3.6 million, with about $3 million still on hand.

Republican state Chairman Chris Vance said he wasn’t surprised, either.

“We look forward to working with Dino with whatever he’s doing in the future,” he said in an interview. “I think this should be a catalyst for things to really get started with the U.S. Senate race.”