ARLINGTON — United States Senate hopeful Dino Rossi spent the majority of his time listening during a recent tour of Cascade Valley Hospital.

Rossi, a Republican who is campaigning against incumbent Democrat Patty Murray, joined U.S. Congress candidate John Koster, also a Republican, at the Arlington hospital on Thursday, Sept. 16.

Rossi and Koster were greeted in the hospital lobby by Dr. Monroe Whitman III, a surgeon at Cascade, and assistant administrator Heather Logan, who guided the candidates through the facility.

The candidates checked out the ground floor first. There, they saw the emergency room and imaging areas before making their way up to the third floor to look at the critical care portion of the building.

Rossi and Koster then walked through the operating room and through acute care, eventually walking down the street to nearby Diversified Clinical Services’ space.

That facility, which operates under a joint venture with Cascade Valley Hospital, specializes in wound care and hyperbaric medicine.

Rossi spoke with Nancy Roach, a hyperbaric technician who treats diabetic foot ulcers and other ailments using the clinics’ chambers, and Dr. Peter Wolff, another Cascade surgeon.

Logan said that hospital staff offer tours to anybody who asks, and that Public Hospital District No. 3 does not have a position on the November election.

Logan added that it’s not uncommon for public officials to tour the building, which opened earlier this year.

“Usually it’s a small group, not a group this big,” Logan said, referring to the number of campaign staff and media members following Rossi around during his tour of Cascade.

After Rossi’s tour concluded, the U.S. Senate candidate praised the staff who work for both the hospital and the clinic.

“What a gem in this community,” Rossi said.