Tea Party activists endorse Dino Rossi

Despite Republican Clint Didier’s statement that “his people” would not support Republican Dino Rossi, Tea Party activists in Seattle today are giving their support to Rossi.

A letter signed by nine top leaders within the Tea Party movement urges other activists to unite in support of the the Rossi campaign.

“Patty Murray has been in office for 18 years – it’s way past time for her to receive a pink slip. Dino Rossi offers a sharp contrast to the tax and spend policies supported by Patty Murray. And, in 2010, Patty Murray (who ranks #4 in the Democratic Senate leadership) is more vulnerable than ever,” the statement says.

Friday Didier, who finished a distant third in the Primary Election with about 12 percent of the vote, said he wouldn’t endorse Rossi unless he promised to be more conservative on taxes and federal spending and on the issue of abortion.

Keli Carender, the Seattle woman credited with starting the Tea Party movement, says Clint Didier shouldn’t have been so quick to speak for others within the party.

“One of the characteristics of people in the Tea party movement is that they really don’t want people to speak for them,” Carender says. “I think they’ll make their own decisions.”

The letter Carender signed says, “Those of us who supported other candidates in the primary are, of course, disappointed that our favorite candidate did not make it past to the general election. But we unite to support Dino Rossi as absolutely superior in comparison to Patty Murray – even though he may not have been our initial favorite.”

They admit they don’t agree with Rossi on every issue, but what they are committed to is “repeal of Obamacare, limited government, lower taxes, and reduced spending.”

Related:

Election 2010: Tea Party impact