Mukilteo Republican to run against Larsen for Congress

Published 8:12 pm Wednesday, March 21, 2012

A former military man from Mukilteo launched his campaign Wednesday to unseat U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash.

Republican Dan Matthews, a retired U.S. Air Force pilot who served in the Vietnam War, kicked off his bid for the House of Representatives with a caravan through six cities in the 2nd Congressional District.

Matthews, who is an instructor pilot for the Boeing Co., teaching people how to fly the 747, started with a rally in Mukilteo at 7:47 a.m. From there he traveled to Lynnwood, Everett, Mount Vernon, Bellingham and Oak Harbor.

Matthews, a father of four grown children, is a fiscal and social conservative, according to his campaign material.

He is making his second bid for public office. Twenty-five years ago he served as an elected member of the Shoreline School Board at the same time as Patty Murray, who is now a U.S. senator.

Larsen, of Everett, was first elected to Congress in 2000. He is seeking his seventh term.