Candidates for governor trade jabs in first debate

By Andrew Garber
Seattle Times staff reporter

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Gregoire, the state attorney general, attacked Rossi's record in the Legislature, criticizing votes on health care and teacher pay. She told the audience of business people attending the Association of Washington Business (AWB) event she was proud of her government career. "I chose public service, and I don't regret it."

Christine Gregoire

Dino Rossi

Last night's televised debate, which can be seen tonight on TVW, was the first of four to which the candidates have agreed. It took place at an AWB summit at the Semiahmoo resort. The organization is widely expected to endorse Rossi.

The AWB billed last night's gubernatorial debate as a fight on the cover of its monthly magazine, showing mug shots of Gregoire and Rossi in a mock boxing poster and the headline: "The fight for the governor's office."

The candidates mixed it up several times during the hourlong event, trying to draw sharp distinctions between themselves.

One of the more heated exchanges came when Gregoire asked Rossi if he would support an effort to make Washington a leader in stem-cell research.

Rossi responded that Washington's biotech strengths were in diagnostics and therapeutics and that it didn't make sense to use state money to try to compete with stem-cell research efforts in a state like California.

"We'd lose that battle," he said, noting that he wasn't sure where Gregoire would come up with the money. "You promise things to almost every group you go to."

Gregoire said the money would come from tobacco-settlement funds and would help create thousands of new jobs in the state. "I'm not willing to give jobs to California," she said.

In another exchange, the candidates repeatedly argued over a vote Rossi took in the Legislature dealing with health insurance. Gregoire contended Rossi proposed cutting 40,000 children from state health-care rolls. Rossi said he actually worked to provide health care to several thousand additional children.

And on it went with the candidates, trading other jabs throughout the debate.

Gubernatorial debate TVW, the public-affairs channel for state government, will air the Christine Gregoire/Dino Rossi debate at 8:30 tonight. Andrew Garber

Gregoire commented at one point that Rossi, a real-estate salesman, was a self-made millionaire. "I'm not a rich person. I'm not a millionaire. I don't have a lot of money, but I'm rich inside and proud of what I've accomplished," she said.

Rossi said Gregoire has spent the past 12 years writing rules and regulations that helped make Washington the "fifth most regulated state in the nation."

"You're going to have to pick," he told the audience. "Who do you think will turn this business climate around?"

The debate was the first time voters have had a chance to compare the candidates side by side: Gregoire the state attorney versus Rossi the real-estate salesman and former state senator.

Republicans view Rossi as their best shot in decades to take the governor's office, in part because of stage presence.

There was a distinct difference in style — Gregoire intense and combative, Rossi more laid-back and conversational, even when attacking. He made small jokes along the way, such as, "I think it's her turn to beat on me."

Audience members were told to remain quiet, and, for the most part, they were. But it was clear they were sympathetic to Rossi, breaking out in scattered applause at his comments.

Gregoire entered the debate knowing it was Rossi territory.

"It's definitely his crowd," said Morton Brilliant, a spokesman for Gregoire's campaign.

While the candidates tried to highlight their differences, the two aren't that far apart on some core issues on the minds of the AWB crowd.

Both oppose new taxes, both say the economy and jobs top their priority list and both talked about the need to improve the state's education system.

Rossi highlighted his plan for improving the state's business climate by streamlining government regulations. He wants to create a Cabinet-level "regulatory reform office" modeled after a program started by New York Gov. George Pataki. The office would weed out unnecessary regulations, Rossi said.

He also wants state agencies to apply a cost-benefit test to new major regulations to make sure they won't harm businesses.

Gregoire has touted her plan to create 250,000 jobs over the next four years and says one of her first actions would be to create a $1 billion Life Sciences Discovery Fund. She's described it as a public-private partnership that would be financed with tobacco-settlement money. The money would be used to finance research aimed at fueling jobs in the biotech industry.

Both candidates have raised almost $4 million each and picked up big-name endorsements.

Gregoire has racked up labor endorsements, including the Washington Education Association and the Washington State Labor Council, as well as other interest groups such as the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs.

Rossi's endorsement list is heavy with business groups, including the Associated Building Contractors and National Federation of Independent Business, as well as the Washington State Medical Association.

Andrew Garber: 360-943-9882 or agarber@seattletimes.com

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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