GOP chairman says Rossi could challenge Cantwell in 2006

OLYMPIA – If Dino Rossi doesn’t become governor through court action, he would be the best Republican to challenge Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., state GOP Chairman Chris Vance says.

In an interview Wednesday with the Olympian, Vance said he still expects the case pending in Chelan County Superior Court to end up with invalidation of the 129-vote victory margin for Democrat Christine Gregoire and eventually a new election Rossi would win.

“Yes, Dino has said he’s committed to the governor’s race, but for obvious reasons the national party and Republicans in the state are going to turn to Dino if – for whatever reason – he doesn’t become governor and ask if he’d be willing to run for U.S. Senate,” Vance said on the newspaper’s online Capitol Chat.

Not likely, said Mary Lane, a spokeswoman for Rossi.

“Dino is not running for U.S. Senate in 2006,” said Lane. “He has young, school-age children. At this point, he has no interest in disrupting his family.”

Vance said he might consider running against Cantwell “if the Republican team, including Dino, asked me.”