This post has been updated with comments from the GOP frontrunner Jaime Herrera's campaign:

“If you look at it from the voters' point of view," Casey Bowman, Jaime Herrera's spokesman, said, "at least Craig Pridemore was clear on where he stood. Heck’s been less clear, voters are going to have tougher choice there in supporting someone who’s been a little more vague.”

"We’re not going to change what we’re going to talk about anyway. Obviously Heck has the money and the establishment support, that’s going to be tough."

Bowman concluded with this zinger: "We welcome the campaign against Denny Heck. He's been part of the establishment since before Jaime was born." Herrera is 31.

Original Post:

Partisan Democratic blog HorsesAss has  the scoop: State Sen. Craig Pridemore (D-Vancouver), the liberal in the de facto Democratic primary in the race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA, 3), is withdrawing from the race.



We're a bit stunned here in the Cola newsroom. Pridemore, while certainly the underdog against front-running establishment Democrat Denny Heck, seemed buoyed by the recent news that he got the Washington State Labor Council's sole endorsement .

Goldy at HA attributes Pridemore's apparent decision to Heck's giant fundraising advantage—around $570,000 to Pridemore's $83,000—and to the buzz that the Washington Education Association was going to endorse Heck, a strange development given Pridemore's antagonism to the Obama/Duncan program and Heck's openness to reform.

Pridemore's consultant Christian Sinderman says the extended  legislative session in Olympia (legislators aren't allowed to raise money during session) put Pridemore "too far behind, and he couldn't catch up." Sinderman says the fundraising problem turned into a Catch-22—his lack of money prevented him from convincing donors to give him money. According to Sinderman, Pridemore's May fundraising numbers, available in a few days, weren't an improvement.

He adds that a costly primary between two Democrats wasn't a good idea when "we want to keep the seat in the Democratic column."

Here's Pridemore's official statement:

“I want to first of all thank all of the individuals and organizations who supported my campaign. I am so grateful to have earned your trust, and look forward to continued service in the State Senate.  I am especially humbled by the endorsements of organizations and friends who have rallied in recent weeks, knowing that we left the session with a steep hill to climb.  Thank you.

I regret the need to exit this race, but it is clear to me that the long session placed our campaign at a clear disadvantage.  While I wish I had been able to focus on my campaign earlier, I am proud that my focus this winter was where it needed to be: addressing the real issues facing the working families and small businesses of Southwest Washington.  I entered politics to excel at public service, not the other way around.

I also want to congratulate and offer my immediate and full endorsement to Denny Heck, who is now in the best position—and is the best candidate—to win the seat in November.  Denny is a bright, hard working and authentic SW Washington leader and we need his broad experience working for us in Congress. I encourage my supporters to help him and Senator Patty Murray in their elections this November.”