Stealth supporters?

Tonight in SeaTac, Republicans will gather for a $100-a-head fall dinner themed “Run, Dino, Run.” Speaking will be Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, chairman of the Republican Governors Association. The AP’s Dave Ammons, via the Seattle P-I, had a good preview here.

State GOP Chairman Luke Esser says he doesn’t expect any candidacy announcement from Dino Rossi, who narrowly lost to Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire in 2004. But he turned down requests by me and at least one other reporter to cover the event.

“We have decided to have it closed to press, no offense,” Esser said last night. He said he didn’t want to risk giving any fodder to the “frivolous” complaint by state Democrats that Rossi is already a de facto candidate whose appearances around the state amount to a stealth campaign.

“We just want to keep it in the family,” Esser said of the event.