Akers endorses Rossi

Republican Paul Akers, who finished a very distant fourth in last week’s U.S. Senate primary, is endorsing Dino Rossi in the race against Patty Murray.

“We have an unusual opportunity. The wind is at our back. We must unite and not allow our opponent to have even one more day to relish in any division that is amongst us,” he said in a press release issued Tuesday morning.

Akers is doing it without pre-conditions, unlike third-place finisher Clint Didier, who last week said he’d like to endorse Rossi, but first Dino would have to make an unequivocal statement against abortion, sign a pledge not to raise taxes and promise not to increase federal spending. Rossi’s campaign said he’s not going to “submit to a list of demands” from anyone, even someone he generally agrees with.

Of course with just 2.56 percent of the vote, one might argue that Akers is hardly in any position to issue demands.

And for those curious about the latest count in the Senate primary:

Murray   46.32%
Rossi     33.34%
Didier    12.68%
Akers      2.56%

11 other people split the rest