James Postma

The filing deadline for Washington's candidates for public office ended last Friday afternoon. The full list of filers can be found here at the Secretary of State's website. The Tacoma News-Tribune has also compiled the same list, but theirs is worth including because they denote the incumbent in each race, if applicable.

As with any filing period, there are a few surprises in terms of candidates who filed without formally announcing beforehand, but nothing major. Gov. Chris Gregoire is still seeking re-election, and Dino Rossi is still challenging her for a second time. Attorney General Rob McKenna and Democratic challenger John Ladenburg both remembered to get their paperwork in well before the deadline. The top races in the state before last week will remain the top races going forward.