Patty Murray Prevails Against Dino Rossi in Tight Washington Senate Race
After a protracted vote count that lasted into Thursday, Washington Senate candidate Dino Rossi conceded to incumbent Democrat Patty Murray on Thursday night, congratulating the three-term Senator in a speech and regretting that voters were "not quite receptive enough" to his message.
"I ran for the Senate because I believe we need a basic course correction from where Washington, D.C. has been taking us and to make sure this country is as free, as strong and as prosperous in the future as it has been in the past to preserve the best of America for future generations," said Rossi, in his remarks.
Mr. Rossi's concession came after votes from King County, home to Democratic stronghold Seattle, showed Murray pulling ahead.
According to current Associated Press vote tallies, Murray now leads Rossi by more than 46,000 votes.
In an acceptance speech on Thursday, Murray, the first woman elected to the Senate from Washington state, thanked supporters and emphasized how her years of experience in the Congressional body could serve as an advantage.
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"I have been in the minority, I have been in the majority, I've been in 50-50, I've been in both houses Republican controlled and both houses Democratic controlled," she said, according to Seattlepi.com. "I've had all the experiences. This I know...I'm always able to find... partners on the other side of the aisle...that's exactly what I intend to do."
Murray's win brings the Democratic total in the Senate to 53. The results of the Alaska Senate race, however, have yet to be determined.
Rossi, a real estate executive and former State Senator, also mounted unsuccessful bids for Washington Governor in 2004 and 2008. In 2004, he lost the contest to Governor Gregoire by just 133 votes.
