Dino Rossi, exit stage right

I have thoroughly enjoyed my week of being free of Dino Rossi and his crankiness and untruths. We're rid of him, for a time at least.

On June 6, Judge John Bridges basically threw out all the Republican claims of fraud and misdeeds during the November election where Christine Gregoire was elected governor. He also threw out the ridiculous proportional analysis, by which the so-called illegal votes would be deducted based on how the precint overall voted. He said you actually needed to have a vote match a voter. Best part was when Bridges deducted four votes from Rossi's total because the only felon voters to actually be matched with their votes voted for Rossi. So, now Gregoire won by 133 votes, still enough to keep this the closest governor's race in history.

The judge said to use this proportional analysis would force him to become an "activist" judge of the type so loathed today. Take that, dastardly Republicans!

So Rossi steps aside, no appeal necessary. He slams the electoral system and judicial system. He looks like a sore loser, honestly. If he had been a loyal Loganite reader, he would have seen my advice way back in January to get off the stage, save his political capital for two years and plan a run for the U.S. Senate against Sen. Maria Cantwell. Now, look what's happening. He is doing just that. I think he stands a good chance as Cantwell is not especially strong. However, if she can play her anti-Enron cards up in Snohomish County (which she had better do) and make energy her issue, I think she can win enough techie suburbanites to get re-elected. After that, she'd be there to stay. Keep in mind, Sen. Patty Murray was widely discounted for her second term as well. We'll see.

Republicans, meantime, say that Rossi is their best chance at winning. Sad. They have got to have a deeper bench. Rossi is an electable candidate, for sure, though I find him unpalatable, but the R's need to be cultivating some reasonable candidates for statewide office. They have that is Secretary of State Sam Reed, but they scolded him publicly and badly for actually following the law after the November election, and now I think it would be hard to rally around him. Attorney General Rob McKenna? Maybe, but give him a few years to make a name.

At least we have a Rossi-free summer. Viva Gov. Gregoire!

--Wenatchee, Wash.