Hastings, Reichert to skip convention

[The Blue Flower]

Hastings, Reichert to skip convention
Washington state Reps. Doc Hastings and Dave Reichert are the latest Northwest Republicans to announce they are skipping the Republican...

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Washington state Reps. Doc Hastings and Dave Reichert are the latest Northwest Republicans to announce they are skipping the Republican National Convention.

Hastings and Reichert said through spokesmen Thursday that they will not be attending the four-day convention.

GOP gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi also is skipping the convention to campaign in a close race against Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith, locked in a tight battle with Democrat Jeff Merkley, also is skipping the convention.

A spokesman for Hastings said the veteran congressman will be campaigning in Central Washington, while a spokeswoman for Reichert said he will be on an overseas trip.

Amanda Halligan, a spokeswoman for Reichert's campaign, said the two-term congressman will be leaving on a long-planned overseas trip. She declined to give details.

Democrats say Rossi's absence is a clear sign he is trying to hide his party identity in a blue-leaning state. Rossi's campaign disputes that.

"There's no votes in Minnesota," spokeswoman Jill Strait said last week. "We felt his time would be better spent on the ground here in Washington state."

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008145825_mcwash29.html

[AlCzervik]

1. omg Rossi is running against Gregoire again?

[Fenris]

3. Yep. He's pretending he's for change just like Obama.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Guess it would be easier to list those that are coming. It is a shorter list.