Oregonian backs Gregoire

Gov. Chris Gregoire picked up another newspaper endorsement today, this time from The Oregonian which, though based out of Portland, Ore., is widely read across the Columbia River in Southwest Washington.

The paper mainly praised Gregoire for her record on the issues of education, economic and the environment, but unlike many Washington papers they also brought up the notion of bitter feelings from 2004.

See their words on that topic below.

"To a large number of Washington voters, the 2008 election for governor isn't a 2008 election at all. It's a continuation of the 2004 election.

...

"Dino Rossi can point to solid records in business and in the state Senate, and would provide a certain shaking-up as the first Republican governor since John Spellman left office in 1985. But his campaign has also raised some doubts about his appeal.

...

"Rossi's arguments, and the voice he would provide to an element of the state that too often feels unheard, don't outweigh Gregoire's impressive first term.

"Washington voters should give her another."

The Portland paper joins the Columbian, the Tacoma News-Tribune, the Olympian and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in backing Gregoire.