Koster running again, may challenge Cantwell

  • Jerry Cornfield
  • Thursday, May 5, 2011 12:25pm
  • Local News

Republican Snohomish County Councilman John Koster announced online today that he is mounting a third try to become a member of Congress.

He just isn’t saying for certain if it will be for a seat in the House of Representatives or the Senate.

Koster, who lost to Democratic U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen in 2010, spread the word of his new campaign in an email to supporters and a press release on his 2010 campaign website.

“John Koster announced today that he is launching a campaign for a seat in the United States House of Representatives,” begins the release.

And Roll Call considers it will be against Larsen.

But he cracks open the door to a Senate bid with the passage:

With Koster’s strong showing against Congressman Rick Larsen in November of 2010, many supporters have urged him to consider a run against United States Senator Maria Cantwell. While Koster has not ruled out the possibility, he has made it clear that pursuing a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is “where his heart is.”

Koster lost to Larsen by roughly 6,500 votes in 2010. It was the second time he had lost to his fellow Arlington native, the first coming in 2000.

With the announcement, Koster can be expected to start raising funds for a campaign though he won’t need to decide on a race on which to spend it until 2012.

Koster isn’t targeting Larsen in his announcement and probably hopes that redistricting will put the two in different congressional districts.

Meanwhile, as Cantwell awaits a Republican challenger, she’s stockpiling money. She had $1.3 million in the bank as of March 31.

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