Video: Senators rally in support of Boeing workers

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EVERETT, Wash. - Boeing workers on Friday celebrated a government ruling that could re-open the flow of huge amounts of cash into the Puget Sound economy.

Washington state's two U.S. senators joined workers in Everett for a rally in support of the possibility that Boeing could land part or all of a $35 billion Air Force tanker deal.

The rally follows the Government Accountability Office's announcement earlier this week. It reported "significant errors" in the Air Force's process that originally gave the contract to Boeing rivals, using an Airbus plane.

"Certainly now, at the very least the Air Force has to re-bid this contract, and that is great news for all of us. We're back in the game," Sen. Patty Murray said.

Boeing and its supporters hope the rally will build momentum as they seek to claim the thousands of jobs and ultimately billions of dollars at stake.

Everyone remembers the sad day in February when Boeing learned it didn’t get the Air Force contract.

"It was very upsetting for everybody," said Tracy Lynn Connell, 767 worker.

"I had just started, and I was all excited about the future and I wanted to be here a long time," said Tara Finegold.

But now there is hope, once again.

"If we get this thing through, it's my retirement. It'll get me there," said Chuck Denson, 767 worker. "It's that simple."

Boeing estimates the tanker contract would support 44,000 new and existing jobs with more than 300 U.S. suppliers. The new tankers, which would replace aging air refueling planes, would use a Boeing 767 airframe from Everett that is modified in Kansas.

The Air Force has 60 days to review its decision and respond.

Today workers on the 767 production line got a chance to thank Washington's two U.S. senators for working to overturn the deal.

Even before the GAO report that came out this week, Washington's congressional delegation had vowed to fight on to win this deal for Boeing, and had on its own repeatedly questioned the Air Force decision.

"After a while, you think, how could the Air Force have missed so much," said Sen. Maria Cantwell. "Miscalculated, misjudged, been so blatant in the errors."