The Puyallup Tribe hosted a rally for Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire (D), who has accused her Republican rival's supporters of running "racist" ads against Native people.

Puyallup leaders said Gregoire understands their issues and is always willing to meet with them. "Gregoire just gets the tribes," said council member David Bean, The Tacoma Weekly reported.

Gregoire's opponent is Dino Rossi, whose mother is part Tlingit. His supporters have criticized Gregoire for accepting donations from tribes after signing a gaming compact they favored.

In a letter to Indian Country Today last week, Lummi Nation Chairman Henry Cagey, a Democrat, and Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Chairman Ron Allen, a Republican, slammed Rossi for his "desperate attacks against Indian people." "We’ve seen two Dino Rossis in this campaign: one who claims Native heritage and tribal values; another who uses attacks on Native people to further his political agenda," they wrote.

Get the Story:
Gov’s track record gets her support from local tribes (The Tacoma Weekly 10/30)

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Colville Chair: Ads unfair to Washington tribes (10/9)
Editorial: Attack on Washington compacts absurd (9/15)
Editorial: Tribes the latest scapegoat in Washington (9/9)
Washington governor slams anti-gaming ad as racist (8/7)