MINNEAPOLIS - Kicking off today's delegate luncheon was a who's who of Washington state Republicans from the past two decades, constituting the party's past and its future.

Long time Secretary of State Ralph Munro, U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Spokane) and Party Chair Luke Esser all gave thanks to the party staff and delegates for their hard work and commitment to coming out to Minnesota to make the convention work.

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Gorton, who represented the state from 1981-1987 and 1989-2001, went further than that and predicted great things for Republicans in the week ahead.

"I wasn't at all sure I would attend another one of these national conventions," Gorton said adding, "this one is going to be the best of all of them."

He said that after Friday's selection of Alaska governor Sarah Palin, "We are all tremendously enthused. [The convention] is going to be one that is going to be extraordinarily successful and I am now convinced that we are going to win in November."

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