Helen Sommers

Yesterday while most of the political news in the state was focused on John McCain's visit, two new candidates for state Representative emerged. Mulick's Olympia Dispatch has the word on a couple of entries in Western Washington.

In Seattle's 36th, where Democrats Reuven Carlyle and John Burbank are engaged in a high profile battle for retiring Rep. Helen Sommers' seat, Republican Leslie Bloss has joined the fray. She is a former Boeing employee and a real estate agent, not to mention one of the very few Republicans in the 36th LD.

Then in Pierce County's 25th LD Fife City Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Robert Cerqui, a Democrat, has filed to run for the seat of retiring Rep. Joyce McDonald (R-Puyallup). He joins Republican Bruce Dammeier and Progressive Laurence Pratt, both of Puyallup.

Rep. Helen Sommers, the long-serving Democrat from Seattle's 36th District, will retire at the end of her term, the Seattle Times is reporting.

Sommers, who has served in the legislature for 36 years, has been mum on her widely expected retirement until today. 

A February 14th article at the Politicker stated that "Reuven Carlyle of Seattle will challenge Rep. Helen Sommers this year in the 36th."