Inslee decision still days away

Exactly when will U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., reveal whether he’s running for governor?

Not today or tomorrow because the U.S. House of Representatives is in session.

And not likely this week, according to a close political adviser.

So, looking at the House calendar, when could it be?

If he doesn’t do it this weekend – it is Father’s Day and all – then it seems most likely he would do it after the House begins its scheduled 11-day break on June 25.

That would provide him time to organize a big kick-off with all the Democratic Party stars he can round up. Plus he’d have a few days left over for other events or to work on organizing a statewide campaign. He hasn’t done one of those since he tried for governor in 1996.

Inslee’s entry into the race is expected, whenever it comes. He’s been chatting about it for awhile. And his fund raisers got way out ahead of him earlier this year by mentioning the contest in a solicitation letter to potential donors. I’ve attached a copy of that February email though I blacked out the identity of the recipient.

Waiting for Inslee is Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna, who declared his candidacy last week. The two figure to be the marquee names in what observers predict will be one of the nation’s featured gubernatorial races in 2012.