PORT TOWNSEND — Washington state is going to get a second chance, Republic candidate Dino Rossi told a packed house Saturday afternoon.
“We are going to finish what we started in 2004,” he said at the Jefferson County Republicans’ Lincoln Day luncheon at the Elks Club in Port Townsend.
“We are going to win again.”
In 2004, Rossi led in the first two counts of votes for governor.
But additional ballots were discovered, and Rossi lost to his Democratic opponent, Chris Gregoire, by 129 votes in the third recount.
“Everyone in this room knows 129 people,” Rossi told the Port Townsend crowd in his first North Olympic Peninsula campaign appearance since he announced he was in the race in October.
“There are enough people in this county — enough people in this room — to help win this election.”
Rossi also spoke at the Clallam County Republicans Lincoln Day dinner in Port Angeles at 6 p.m. that night.
Eighty people had made reservations for the meal at Elks Naval Lodge, 131 E. First St.
Rossi said that the implementation of a statewide voting database makes voting more fair and accurate.
“It’s a different playing field this time around,” Rossi said.
“I wouldn’t put my family through this again if it were going to be the same as 2004,” Rossi said.
