Former state Rep. Laura Ruderman announced today she is running for the 1st Congressional District seat.
That is, unless the person now sitting in it, U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wa, decides he wants to keep it.
“Starting today, I am
taking on a new challenge: I am running for a seat in the United States Congress in 2012 in Washington State. I am running to serve as a common-sense, effective voice for suburban families like yours and mine, and to help fix the outrageous mess in Washington, DC. I would be proud to be the next Democratic Representative from Washington State in Congress,” begins Ruderman’s statement posted online.
Farther down, she notes:
While I will not run against Representative Jay Inslee should he decide to seek reelection, I am ready and prepared to run if he seeks another office.
Ruderman, a Democrat, served three terms in the state Legislature then made an unsuccessful bid for Secretary of State in 2004. She lost that race to Republican Sam Reed.
She’s been mentioned often as a potential candidate in the 1st Congressional District should Inslee vacate the seat to run for governor. And that will only happen if Gov. Chris Gregoire decides not to seek a third term which she has yet to decide.
Ruderman was one of those visited earlier this year by leaders of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
So too was state Rep. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, who last month formed an exploratory committee for a possible run.
And also talked about as potential candidates are U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, should he relocate to Washington, and former Congressman Brian Baird, who now lives in Edmonds. Baird has consistently said he’s not considering a return to Congress in 2012.
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