Marko Liias joins race for Congress
Published 12:01 am Wednesday, August 3, 2011
EDMONDS — State Rep. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, announced Tuesday he is running for Congress next year, pledging to be the torchbearer for the state’s middle class on the floor of House of Representatives.
“I really feel like middle-class families from Washi
ngton state don’t have a voice in Washington, D.C.,” he said.
Congress isn’t focused enough on helping them find jobs and put their children through college, he said.
“They are focusing on ideological battles and issues that are not relevant to Washington families,” he said.
Liias, 30, a native of Edmonds, is vying for the 1st Congressional District seat held by Rep. Jay Inslee. Inslee is not seeking re-election in order to run for governor.
A former Mukilteo city councilman, Liias was appointed to the Legislature at the start of 2008 session to succeed Brian Sullivan following his election to the Snohomish County Council. Voters elected Liias to a full term in November 2008 and re-elected him in 2010.
Liias, who would become the state’s first openly gay member of Congress if elected, is the fifth Democrat in the race.
On Monday, state Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, announced his candidacy. Also in the race are state Rep. Roger Goodman and former state lawmaker Laura Ruderman, both of Kirkland, and Darshan Rauniyar of Bothell.
Republican James Watkins, also of Kirkland, is the only GOP candidate to declare.
More Democrats — and possibly Republicans — may get into this contest when the final lines for the congressional district are drawn through redistricting later this year.
Among the potential candidates is Suzan Delbene of Bellevue, the director of the state Department of Revenue. In 2010, she lost to Republican Dave Reichert in a battle for the 8th Congressional District seat. It is possible she’ll wind up in a revamped 1st District when boundaries are adjusted.
“I think it’s great voters will have a lot of choices,” Liias said of the growing crowd of hopefuls.
Liias’s decision means his legislative seat will be up for grabs in 2012 but not before. He said he intends to serve out his term.
“I asked for this job,” he said. “I made a commitment that I will serve this term and I don’t anticipate breaking that commitment.”
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
