Unlike some of his fellow candidates, Rossi was also the first candidate to call for the repeal of the 2010 financial regulatory reform law, arguing that it "created six super banks and left Fannie [Mae] and Freddie [Mac], which were at the epicenter of the problem, out of the deal."

After a polarizing 2004 defeat to Gov. Chris Gregoire (D), Rossi announced his 2010 Senate bid "to help make things right" while criticizing the "the trillion-dollar budget deficits, the wasteful stimulus packages and the bailouts for Wall Street." He emerged from a non-partisan primary as Murray's challenger.

In His Own Words

"I ran for the Senate because I believe we need a basic course correction from where Washington, D.C., has been taking us and to make sure this country is as free, as strong and as prosperous in the future as it has been in the past to preserve the best of America for future generations," Rossi said in the statement.

"That was a message that found a very receptive audience all across this state, though not quite receptive enough," he said.

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