EVERETT - Washington state's two U.S. senators told cheering Boeing workers Friday that they expected the Air Force will ultimately award a $35 billion contract for next-generation air refueling tankers to the Boeing Co., once the contract is rebid.

It was the first visit by U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to the Boeing 767 line since a government report, released Wednesday, said the original Air Force tanker bidding process was fatally flawed.

Boeing machinists cheer Sen. Patty Murray as she discusses the likelihood of an Air Force tanker project being rebid.

The lucrative contract originally was awarded to Northrop Grumman and EADS, the parent company of Airbus. But since the Government Accountability Office's report issued its report on errors in the bidding procoess, there have been numerous calls for the contract to be reopened.

Departing Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne was the latest to weigh in, saying Friday he believes the service is likely to reopen the bidding even though that would probably delay the delivery date of the planes past the target year of 2013.

During a meeting and rally with Boeing machinists, Sens. Murray and Cantwell told workers they will settle for nothing less than a Boeing win.

"We're going to win this bid and those tankers and those military tankers will be built right here in Everett," Murray told workers. "We are back in the game."

The Air Force has two months to review the government report and decide whether to reopen the bidding.

Cantwell says she's prepared to block the Northrup Grumman contract in Congress if the Air Force doesn't reverse its decision.

"We are not going to, with all the errors that have been made in this calculation by the Air Force, let them move ahead without rebidding the process," she said Friday.

If the Air Force balks, then the Senate could even hold up the appointment of the next Air Force secretary to replace Wynne, Cantwell said.

"We can force them to rebid (the tanker contract) through legislation, and we can also block the Air Force secretary's nomination," she said.

The upbeat mood at the Everett plant and union hall was a stark contrast with the shocked resignation two months ago when the initial contract results were announced.

Boeing 767 Program Supervisor Leonard Wright, who has worked 30 years for Boeing, said he's proud of his work and hopes the Air Force sees the strength in the workers.

"We know how to build them, we know how to deliver them, and we can get it right," he said.