Republican Dino Rossi is coming back to the Legislature.

Tuesday afternoon, he’ll take the oath of office as the state senator for the 5th Legislative District, a job he held before quitting to make his run for governor in 2004. It’s not likely, however, that the Legislature will meet during his interim tenure.

You know the story. He lost a nail-biter to Democrat Chris Gregoire then lost their 2008 rematch and then made an unsuccessful attempt to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray in 2010.

But those setbacks haven’t stemmed Rossi’s appetite for politics.

On Tuesday, he’ll be appointed to fill the vacancy created when Republican Cheryl Pflug resigned to accept an appointment from Gregoire to the Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board.

The Metropolitan King County Council chose Rossi this afternoon in what may stand as his least expensive political victory. He will serve until the winner of the Nov. 6 election is sworn into office.

Could that be Rossi?

He did not file to run for the seat so his name is not on the primary ballot. But there’s always the write-in path.