Joyce McDonald

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.

Puyallup's Larry Platt has entered the race for State Rep. in the 25th District as a member of the Progressive Party. As TCH's Chris Mulick notes, he is also one of the founding members of the party here in Washington dating back to 2003.

The seat is open due to Rep. Joyce McDonald's retirement, and is also being sought by Puyallup Republican Bruce Dammeier.