Cruz will quit, endorse Rossi [for WA governor]

Seattle Times ^ | January 24, 2004 | Times staff and news services

[JohnnyZ]

OLYMPIA — Dr. Federico Cruz, director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, will drop out of the governor's race and endorse Dino Rossi for the Republican nomination, sources told The Associated Press yesterday.

Rossi, front-runner for the GOP nod, and Cruz, who has been running a low-key campaign since late July, scheduled a joint news conference today in Olympia.

Republican sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said Cruz will defer to Rossi.

Others said Rossi is definitely picking up Cruz's support and would solicit his help in wooing Hispanic voters.

[JohnnyZ]

Cruz wasn't going to give Rossi a real challenge in the primary anyway, so best he drop out so as not to be a distraction. Rossi can concentrate on his general election message.

[Impy]

I think there's a fair chance we could win this one. Gregoire seems to be annoited Steve Largent style.