brian baird

Republicans see nothing but opportunity in southwest Washington. When six-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Brian Baird announced he would retire at the end of his term, national Republicans turned their attention to the 3rd District, a seat they hadn't spent much effort on in more than a decade. The district spans southwest Washington from Olympia south to Vancouver and from the Cascade Mountains east to the Pacific Ocean.  

This is the second in a series of interviews with candidates for the 3rd District congressional seat, which represents Southwest Washington and which six-term incumbent Brian Baird is vacating. An interview with Olympia Republican David Castillo ran Friday. Today we profile Olympic Democrat Denny Heck. Up Monday: Camas Republican Jaime Herrera. •  

Color the 3rd Congressional District purple. District voters backed George W. Bush in the 2000 and 2004 presidential races and Barack Obama in 2008. Republican Linda Smith represented the district from 1995 until she stepped down at the end of her second term.  

Ballots for the August primary election will be mailed out Friday, according to the Cowlitz County Elections Office. Ballots must be postmarked by Aug. 17 to be counted. Voters will narrow down the field of candidates in at least two statewide races — a U.S. Senate seat now held by Democrat Patty Murray and the 3rd Congressional seat U.S. Rep. Brian Baird is vacating at the end of the year.  

Democratic Rep. Brian Baird created some headaches for his party during the recent health care reform debate when he voted against the House plan last November and then remained on the fence about the Senate bill, which he eventually supported. Nonetheless, his decision to retire at the end of the year is a significant blow to House Democrats fighting to keep control of the chamber in a cycle where every seat will count. His departure gives Republicans their best opportunity to pick off a seat on the West  

Democratic strategists see a path to retaining their House majority.  

The Columbian is profiling the six candidates who are running for the open 3rd Congressional District seat.  

President Obama on Thursday signed a six-month extension of emergency jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed, hours after the House approved the measure.  

Kennedy Space Center's pitch for a retired shuttle orbiter ran into turbulence Thursday.