Ron Sims

Long-serving King County Executive Ron Sims (D-Seattle) may face a challenge from within his own party in next year's race for the urban county's highest seat. The Seattle Times' David Postman reports that King County Councilman Larry Phillips (D-Seattle) has started an official exploratory committee to raise money and consider his chances for King County Executive.

"Running for County Executive is a big undertaking and one I do not take lightly," Phillips told supporters in an e-mail obtained by the Times. "I have a deep respect for the incumbent, as he's done many good things in King County, and I realize that it's hard to move on. But 13 years in office - with an unprecedented fourth term on the horizon - is a long time."

UPDATE: The full e-mail from Phillips can be seen here.

John LadenburgAt his official campaign kickoff last Monday, Democratic candidate for Attorney General John Ladenburg began his speech by talking about opening his first office as a trial lawyer in South Tacoma. He mentioned how he worked with tribes and blue collar folks from the neighborhood and boasted that he was one of the first lawyers around to work on behalf of battered women. 

Ladenburg still lives in blue collar South Tacoma, the neighborhood where he grew up. He even gets his haircut at the same barber shop on 56th and South Tacoma Way that he has been going to for thirty-odd years. It's just one of the ways that he keeps up with the local issues, and the gossip around town.

"I represented people in the neighborhood," he said.

Washington's superdelegate count stands at five for Obama, five for Clinton and seven undecided. State Republican deciders may know something the Democrats don't know, since they've been campaigning against Obama, without a single mention on Clinton in recent letters. The Republican decidee is coming to town, and you can meet him for dinner for only $33,100.

The Sierra Club, having effectively killed what was a broad compromise to build roads and transit last year, have now decided that they shall deliver the son of Proposition 1.  read more »

The state's top Democratic officials joined force today to write a letter to NBA commissioner David Stern and all of the NBA owners in an attempt to get them to remove the proposed discussion of a Sonics franchise move at their upcoming owners' meeting in light of the recent revelation of e-mails from the current ownership group which suggest they intended to move the team from the start.

Read the letter below:

SEATTLE -- Rancher Peter Goldmark kicked off his campaign for State Commissioner of Public Lands tonight at the Olympic Sculpture Park in downtown Seattle. The event featured King County Executive Ron Sims, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer and a room full of local Democratic Party dignitaries.  read more »

On the eve of the state's Democratic Legislative District caucuses, King County Executive Ron Sims was profiled by NPR's All Things Considered today because of his role as a superdelegate. The piece highlighted his unique role as an African American who supports Hillary Clinton, and as an electe superdelegate who has endorsed against the strong will of his constituents.

A visit from national League of Conservation Voters president Gene Karpinski is expected next week. Sources hope he can talk some sense into the Washington environmental movement.  read more »

King County Executive and Democratic Party Superdelegate Ron Sims said in an interview with KUOW's Steve Scher today that, while he still supported Hillary Clinton he acknowledged that circumstances might change that stance.

Slog's Sanders has a transcript here.

The basics are below.

Steve Scher: Are you still committed to Hillary Clinton as a superdelegate?

Hillary Clinton brought her campaign to Seattle last night to highlight the differences between her goals for America and those of her rivals.