Optimistic Republicans

Maybe it was just political rhetoric but state Republicans are confident going into this election year.  All statewide Republicans, all three of them, were at the kickoff breakfast for Gary Alexander, legislator from the 20th District; and all of them spoke with confidence about this election year.

Land Commissioner Doug Sutherland, Attorney General Rob McKenna and Secretary of State Sam Reed, joined 250 attendees at the Worthington Center this morning to tout Alexander’s record and to assure the gathering that Republicans can hold back the Democratic tide and even make additional gains.

I’m not certain that anyone really believed them, but their words brought real applause.

The three statewide officials talked about the great number of people attending Republican functions across the state and talked about the quality of candidates under the Republican banner.  They also mentioned that Governor candidate Dino Rossi had raised more money for his 2008 campaign already than he had during the entire period in 2004.

McKenna and Reed received recognition for their efforts in getting approval of the “Top Two” primary from the United States Supreme Court, telling me that those at the kickoff breakfast were not rockrib Republicans but probably tended to lean to the right.  Party hacks are not in support of the new primary. 

Emceeing the event was Thurston County government’s only elected Republican office holder, Auditor Kim Wyman.