By
Shayla Miles
January 18, 2007
Dino Rossi, former Washington state senator and gubernatorial candidate discussed his new book, latest run for governor and potential to run again last night at a UW College Republicans meeting.
The College Republicans (UWCR) have been an important aspect of Rossi's past campaigns. According to him, six UWCR officers were a large contributing force in his 1996 state senate campaign.
"I wouldn't have been elected to [state senate] office if it weren't for the College Republicans," he said.
While Rossi hasn't made any official announcements to run for governor in 2008, his visit served to potentially drum up political support among University voters, as well as to promote his new book, Dino Rossi: Lessons in Leadership, Business, Politics and Life.
He encouraged his listeners to get involved in politics, and most of all, to not give up in the face of people who say you can't succeed.
"People said I wouldn't be elected governor," he said. "We did it twice ... we just didn't get to serve."
The 2004 gubernatorial election between Rossi and Chris Gregoire proved to be an extremely close and controversial election. Rossi led Gregoire at the end of the first count by 261 votes, but after a legal battle and recounts of disputed votes ensued, Gregoire was declared the winner on the third recount by a margin of 129 votes.
Rossi also addressed many problems he believes Washington state is now facing.
"The state is heading in the wrong direction," he said, critiquing many of the fiscal policies and budget decisions that are being made right now in Olympia.
The College Republicans have made their stance clear on Rossi.
He was introduced at the meeting as "should have been Governor" by UWCR President Dan Murdock.
Alicia LeVezu, president of the Young Democrats at the UW, believes Rossi's off-season speech is part of an effort to run again in 2008.
LeVezu also remarked on Rossi's "poor sportsmanship" for bringing up the 2004 election so frequently.
"The Republicans are upset over the recount with Gregoire, but the Bush-Gore recount they were fine with," she said.
When asked what his plans were for the next 22 months, Rossi replied he wasn't sure but that if he were to run, the decision wouldn't be made until the beginning of next year.
"It's not a casual decision," he said. "It is a hard thing to do with four kids."
Rossi left the meeting with a standing ovation. Between 70 and 80 people attended.
Reach reporter Shayla Miles at news@thedaily.washington.edu
2 Comments
#1 Adam Baldridge
on January 18, 2007 at 6:10 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
Poor Sportsmanship? It's all Rossi can do NOT to bring up the 2004 election. Politicans on both sides as well as the media do that enough for him as it is. I give Rossi credit for actually being a good sport about it and refraining from bashing Governor Gregoire or the election process. Of everyone who has had something to sayabout 2004, Rossi is the one who has moved the farthest past it.
#2 Jeffrey
on January 21, 2007 at 4:34 p.m.(UW Campus | Unverified Name)
Poor sportsmanship is the Dems' unfortunate trend of demanding recounts when they lose. That and their perpetual employment of the Filibuster. When did politics become a sport anyway? And just for the record, the Republicans were NOT fine with the Bush-Gore recount. I do recall Gore introducing himself recently as the man who was supposed to be President, though.
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