If Washington used an Electoral College to elect its governors, Dino Rossi would be the winner.

He’s been trailing in the popular vote behind Democrat Christine Gregoire. But he is winning in 31 counties to her eight.

The mathematical problem is that she leads in the place that matters most, King County, the overpopulated island of unapologetic liberals that picks state leaders by virtue of its sheer bulk of like-minded humanity.

The results would be different if an electoral counterweight existed to ensure Okanogan County a more equal voice to the king of counties. Maybe someone should ask Tim Eyman to run an initiative on this. He could call it “Just Treat Us the Same.”

A Rossi win in this close race would make it a moot point. A loss would leave him outside the governor’s mansion feeling that he deserves to be inside because he did a better job selling himself statewide.

That effort shouldn’t surprise anyone.

In June, I argued that he could not be taken lightly. He was raising wads of money, had a simple theme and clear message, and a salesmanlike smoothness to communicate well in every medium.

Meanwhile, in August, I ventured that Gregoire might not be gearing up for the challenge because her victory over Ron Sims was a cash-laden campaign that at times lacked soul or sense.

Her brain trust apparently didn’t see it the way I did. By the end of September, leading by about 20 points in various polls, her campaign momentum stalled.

Gregoire seemed infected with John Kerry Syndrome. She talked too deeply on too many topics. She had an indecipherable message and an indiscernible theme.

Then more polls – there are plenty of them in a campaign – started showing voters liking Rossi more than her. Ouch.

I always expected to see Gregoire in commercials talking about her childhood, her defeat of Big Tobacco and her fight against sex predators, Internet pornographers and schoolyard bullies.

Maybe even a commercial with her daughters talking about anything. Such an ad was done and canned. Focus groups didn’t like it. And they liked what did air?

In the meantime, Rossi and Co. ran a textbook campaign. He demonstrated incredible discipline to his simple message as an agent of change. He never wavered despite repeated questioning on what precisely would be that change.

He kept the fog of other issues from his campaign. Voters couldn’t be confused. Then Rossi sold them on it. Every night, and seemingly every hour in the final nights, he showed up on TV in casual dress and with a calm voice asking voters to join him in making change.

Political junkies bemoaned the missing parts of his political personality, but voters, especially young ones and new ones, found him charming. On Election Day, in most of the state, they voted for him.

A Gregoire victory may mute the critics but not the criticism. She will lead a state where many people felt her opponent won.

Maybe it’s like having an Electoral College after all.

Reporter Jerry Cornfield can be reached at 360 352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.