Republican Clint Didier, former NFL star, challenges Democratic Sen. Patty Murray for her U.S. Senate seat

Published 10:50 pm Monday, January 11, 2010

EVERETT — Pledging to restore what he said is a country in dire straits, Clint Didier on Monday announced his campaign to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray in 2010.

Didier, 50, is a Pasco Republican who won two Super Bowl rings as a tight end with the Washington Redskins and the Green Bay Packers during the 1980s.

Murray is serving her third term.

In front of about 30 people at Everett Station, Didier touched broadly on his main campaign themes of limiting federal power, supporting both a strong military and the right to bear arms, and reining in uncontrolled spending in Washington, D.C.

“We have, essentially, placed our succeeding generations into a position of economic servitude,” he said.

He also advocates term limits for senators, a freeze on Congressional salaries, lower taxes, and a balance between business needs and environmental regulations.

“My playbook is the American Constitution,” he said.

Didier is a married father of four who runs a 1,000-acre farm near Pasco. He participated in Washington Tea Party rallies last year.

In an interview, Didier said businesses have been crippled by environmental regulations he believes have gone too far.

“In my neck of the woods, it’s the salmon and steelhead,” he said.

Other Republicans who have challenged Murray include Sean Salazar, a chiropractor from Mountlake Terrace; Craig Williams, an energy trader and real estate agent from Vancouver, Wash.; Arthur Coday, a physician from Shoreline; Rod Rieger, owner of a security systems company in Marysville; and Chris Widener, a motivational speaker from Preston.

Oscar Halpert: 425-339-3429, ohalpert@heraldnet.com.