OLYMPIA – The board of directors for Washington’s largest statewide business association has voted to endorse former State Sen. Dino Rossi, G.O.P., in the 2008 race for governor. The decision was made Friday during a meeting of the board of directors of the Association of Washington Business during its 19th Annual Policy Summit in Blaine, Wash.
“We were fortunate to have both gubernatorial candidates join us for our Policy Summit debate last Thursday in Semiahmoo and to have them share their spirited responses to questions brought forward by our members from around the state. Friday’s Board meeting also included some equally spirited discussions about our endorsement,” said AWB President Don Brunell.
“The current financial climate in our state, let alone the nation, will require some tough budget decisions this winter to keep Washington competitive. In the end, our board of directors felt Dino Rossi would be the best candidate to support the interests of business as governor,” he added.
“Every one of our members, from the biggest company to the smallest, has a stake in the upcoming election. We are encouraging all of our members to get registered to vote, and to exercise their right on Nov. 4.”
The board, representing large and small businesses statewide, also voted Friday to endorse Republican Rob McKenna in the race for attorney general, nonpartisan candidate Terry Bergeson in the race for superintendent of public instruction and Republican Doug Sutherland in the race for public lands commissioner.
On ballot measures, AWB will oppose the traffic measure known as Initiative 985, as well as Initiative 1029, the home health care worker measure.
AWB’s legislative endorsements are determined in one of two ways. Lawmakers scoring higher than 80 percent on AWB’s legislative scorecards for 2007 and 2008 received automatic approval, while others went through an endorsement process involving members around the state. Participating members then made recommendations to AWB’s Governmental Affairs Council and board of directors.
A complete list of AWB’s endorsements in all statewide and legislative races is attached as a PDF and is also available on AWB’s Decision 2008 elections Web site.
About the Association of Washington Business
Formed in 1904, the Association of Washington Business is Washington’s oldest and largest statewide business association, serving as both the state’s chamber of commerce and the manufacturing and technology association. While its 6,500 members include major employers like Boeing, Microsoft and Weyerhaeuser, 90 percent of AWB members employ fewer than 100 people. More than half of AWB’s members employ fewer than 10. For more about AWB, visit www.awb.org.
