After passing on bids many times, ex-congressman finally runs for governor

Former Rep. Dave Reichert announced Friday that he was coming out of retirement to run for governor of Washington, a decision that gives Republicans the most prominent candidate they could have landed this cycle for an office they last won in 1980. Reichert, who has famously flirted with running statewide for over a decade but had never done so until now, kicked off his first race since his 2016 reelection by telling KING 5 that he still opposes abortion rights while insisting he wouldn't try to change the state's pro-choice policies.

It remains to be seen, though, if Reichert will be the only former GOP congressman competing in the top-two primary to succeed Democrat Jay Inslee, who is retiring after three terms. Jaime Herrera Beutler, who served alongside Reichert for eight years, reportedly has been considering her own campaign for months, though we haven't heard anything about her deliberations since May.