Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi has criticized Gov. Chris Gregoire's plans for flood control projects in Lewis and other southwest counties hit by last year's floods. But as Brad Shannon writes at his Olympian blog, it is not clear what Rossi would have done with the flood bill signed by the governor.

His spokeswoman Jill Strait declined to say which way Rossi would have gone today, and Rossi was unavailable to comment himself — because his schedule didn’t allow. He was “tied up,” Strait said by telephone.

...

“He believes the final bill is better than what was originally proposed. The compromise to give $2.5 million to local groups was good but not enough,’’ Strait said.

Shannon points out that Rossi has called for more leadership on flood recovery issues.

But when asked if that meant he would favor more state spending on the problem, Strait refused to say. She also refused to say if more local spending was needed.

He just thinks the parties need to focus on what is the “best option” to reduce flood threats in the whole basin, Strait said.

Congressional Quarterly’s experts say Democrats Gov. Chris Governor and 8th District congressional candidate Darcy Burner are “increasingly better positioned” than their Republican opponents. Gregoire almost lost to Republican Dino Rossi four years ago and Burner came close to Congressman Dave Reichert, R-Auburn, in 2006.

But analysts now say that the Democrats have upped their chances of winning as the state GOP party faces structural problems and GOP efforts to appeal to the state’s large number of moderate voters have been hampered by their strong conservative base.

CQ Politics is now changing its rating of the Washington state Governor’s race from No Clear Favorite to Leans Democrat and Washington’s 8th District rating from Leans Republican to No Clear Favorite.

There are more details here.