Rossi Comes To Dayton

DAYTON - Republican candidate for U.S. Senator Dino Rossi was welcomed with open arms Saturday morning by local supporters in Columbia County. The eyes of many not only here but around the nation are on the race between Rossi, a Republican making his third run for statewide office after unsuccessful campaigns for governor in 2004 and 2008, and 18-year incumbent, Patty Murray, a Democrat.

Washington's vote could determine which party con­trols the Senate. About 35 people attended the Rossi rally at Country Cupboard bakery in down­town Dayton, and their en­thusiasm matched that of vot­ers in the county this August when they chose Rossi over Murray by overwhelming numbers. "Historically Columbia County has been a Repub­lican leaning county," said Dayton resident and precinct committeeman Bill Warren. "But really there are a lot of people who are moderate." Warren introduced Rossi to the group Saturday at the request of state representa­tive Terry Nealey, who had planned to officiate but had been called away on other business over the weekend.

Rossi opened his speech with a fiery sermon about the fate of our state if left in incumbent Democrate Patty Murray's hands.

"America's in trouble," Rossi proclaimed. "Yes!" came the reply from the au­dience.

"Let's get Senator Mur­ray's sneakers out of Wash­ington, D.C.!" Loud ap­plause.

Rossi stressed to support­ers Saturday that a vote for him was a vote for freedom. "We need to change what's wrong with Wash­ington, D.C.," he said. "Our ancestors came to America for options, freedoms and choices. That's what's being taken away from you. As government grows, it takes more of your money and with that it takes your freedom."

He recommended repeal­ing the healthcare bill and "replacing it with something that works," to the approval of Saturday's audience. And he stressed that Murry's ideas about economic develop­ment aren't working. "We can't spend our way to prosperity," he said. "Think about what our par­ents and grandparents did: worked, produced, saved. This generation is borrow­ing to consume and handing the bill to our children and grandchildren." In a series of debates broadcast in the last week between Murray and Rossi, Murray highlighted the fed­eral money she's secured for projects all over the state and blamed Wall Street for the recent economic collapse. "I will take on anyone, even the most powerful, to make sure you have a seat at the table," she said. Nationally, Democrats are taking the Rossi-Murray campaign seriously. Murray will have campaign vis­its from President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, former President Bill Clinton and First Lady Mi­chelle Obama this month.