The three best known Republican candidates for U.S. Senate filed Thursday.
Dino Rossi, Clint Didier and Paul Akers submitted their paperwork to run against three-term incumbent Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. Murray filed earlier this week.
Today is the final day candidates can sign up to seek local, state and federal offices in the 2010 elections.
Qualified candidates will appear on the Aug. 17 primary ballot and the top two vote-getters will then advance to the general election in November.
Rossi filed at about 9 a.m. then issued a statement by e-mail.
“I’m running for the U.S. Senate because our country is in trouble,” the statement read. “The massive increases in spending, debt, and government are threatening our state and our country. If we don’t reverse this trend, if we don’t control all this spending and debt, the next generation is going to have fewer opportunities and more messes to clean up.”
Didier arrived at the Secretary of State’s Office about 3 p.m. After writing out a check for the $1,740 filing fee, he talked about the coming campaign in which he will be trying to distinguish himself from the better-known and better-financed Rossi.
“The thing that separates me from him,” he began, “is that he is the GOP establishment candidate and I am what the Founding Fathers call a statesman.”
Didier said former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will be coming to Washington to help the campaign. Palin, who endorsed Didier before Rossi entered the race, is expected at two fundraisers, though specific dates have not been confirmed, he said.
Here are names of those who signed up Thursday.
Information on how to file and a complete list of candidates in each race can be found at www.snoco.org/elections.
U.S. Senate
Paul Akers, Bellingham, Republican Party; Charles Allen, Seattle, Democratic Party; Bob Burr, Bellingham, Democratic Party; Clint Didier, Eltopia, Republican Party; Dino Rossi, Sammamish, Republican Party.
U.S. Congress: 2nd District
North Snohomish County, part of King County and all of Island, San Juan, Whatcom and Skagit counties.
John Carmack, Bellingham, Republican Party.
Legislative districts
1st District
Mountlake Terrace, Bothell, Lynnwood.
Representative Position 1: Sandy Guinn, Bothell, no party preference;
Representative Position 2: Heidi Munson, Bothell, Republican Party.
10th District
Camano and Whidbey islands, part of Skagit County.
Representative Position 1: Norma Smith, Clinton, Republican Party.
21st District
Mukilteo, Lynnwood, part of Edmonds.
Senate: David Preston, Edmonds, Republican Party.
38th District
Everett, Tulalip, part of Marysville
Senate: Nick Harper, Everett, Democratic Party.
39th District
Arlington, Monroe, Sultan, Gold Bar, Index and parts of Whatcom, Skagit and King counties.
Representative Position 1: Dan Kristiansen, Snohomish, Republican Party; Eleanor Walters, Granite Falls, Democratic Party.
44th District
Lake Stevens, Mill Creek, Snohomish and part of Marysville.
Senate: Lillian Kaufer, Snohomish, Democratic Party.
Representative Position 2: John Boerger, Snohomish, Democratic Party.
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