EVERETT, Wash. -- The Boeing rally in Everett Friday was part celebration and part pep rally as Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray promised Boeing workers they'll keep fighting for a fair shake at the Air Force tanker deal.

"I don't know anyone in Washington who knew the GAO was the Government Accountability Office, but in a lot of Washingtonians’ eyes they are heroes today for standing up for the American taxpayer," said Cantwell.

Friday afternoon the senators walked the 767 assembly plant to talk to workers. It was a very different mood than three months ago, when Boeing lost the $35 billion contract to rival Northrop Grumman and Airbus.

"We should have gotten the contract to begin with, so the fact that they pushed and pushed and pushed and realized that this is our airplane and we should be building it right here," said Boeing employee Sue Fulcher.

"It's been a dark cloud the last 100 days, just a dark cloud with the uncertainty, the unfairness of it all," said Boeing employee Steven Morrison

Outgoing Air Force secretary Michael Wynn said the Air Force will likely reopen bidding on the air tanker deal, after the GAO decided earlier this week the previous bidding process was flawed.

The Air Force has 60 days to respond to the GAO ruling, Boeing workers are optimistic it will go their way.