The still-emerging Democratic primary in Washington's 1st district looks like ever-more of a hot race.
The latest indicator is the entry today of Darcy Burner, who ran two losing but strong - very well organized and financed - campaigns for the U.S. House in the current 8th district. Anticipating her home turf will be in the new Washington 1st, she's throwing in.
But she's by no means the only strong Democrat in the field. There's
Laura Ruderman, a former legislator and former statewide candidate, and highly capable as well. (Last finance reports - Receipts: $182,675. Disbursed: $33,881.)
There's Roger Goodman, an incumbent legislator. (Receipts: $162,127. Disbursed: $102,220.) And two more incumbent legislators: Steve Hobbs (Receipts: $53,674. Disbursed: $4,672) and Marko Liias (Receipts: $48,887. Disbursed: $23,463), all three successful vote-getters.
And Darshan Rauniyar, who notes that of the candidates as of the last reporting period, he raised the most from individual contributors (Receipts: $110,982. Disbursed: $11,044).
Given Burner's powerful fundraising track record, none of this is to suggest that she's going to run uphill - she may not have to. But this does look like a highly competitive contest.
UPDATE A commentary from the liberal Daily Kos site, of the Burner entry: "she's setting herself up for a very difficult primary where there are already four big names, and where her entry seems likely to only further dissipate the liberal vote shared with state Reps. Marko Liias and Roger Goodman, increasing the odds that sorta-moderate ex-Rep. Laura Ruderman or moderate-to-the-point-of-being-major-pain-in-the-ass state Sen. Steve Hobbs gets through."