Carlson won't run in 8th District

Conservative radio talk-show host John Carlson, a Republican, took himself out of the wide-open race for Congress from the 8th District yesterday and endorsed King County Sheriff Dave Reichert, an unannounced but likely candidate.

Reichert, 53, whose office is non-partisan but who says he is a Republican, is acting as though he is preparing to run to succeed Rep. Jennifer Dunn, R-Bellevue. After 12 years in office, she surprised the local political community Friday by announcing at a Mercer Island reception that she isn't seeking re-election.

The sheriff has scheduled a noon news conference in Bellevue tomorrow to announce whether he will run to succeed Dunn. That isn't the way a politician typically announces he isn't a candidate for another office.

Carlson, the GOP's unsuccessful nominee for governor in 2000, was one of a horde of Republicans who have been considering running in the suburban, Republican-leaning 8th District. But he said in an interview that his radio career and family considerations prompted him not to do so. He is the married father of two sons, ages 8 and 6.

Carlson announced his decision on his afternoon talk show on KVI radio yesterday. He told listeners he had a high regard for Reichert as well as another potential candidate, King County Republican Chairwoman Pat Herbold of Bellevue, but he told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in an interview that he was endorsing Reichert.

Carlson also told Reichert he was endorsing him, the sheriff said.

Of Reichert, Carlson told his radio listeners, "I'd like to see a compassionate, conscientious cop looking out for the 8th District and staring down Osama" bin Laden.

But Carlson also said: "If you're looking for a Margaret Thatcher of the Pacific Northwest, that's Pat Herbold. ... She, too, has got what it takes."

"I think I could be the next congressman in the 8th District," he said on KVI. "Jennifer Dunn also thinks I could win it and she would love to see me succeed her." But he added, "The timing for this run is not good, not for me, not this year."

Carlson considered running for the 8th District seat in 1992 but stepped aside for Dunn, his political mentor, who won the office that year. He also considered running in early 2001 -- had the seat become vacant -- when Dunn was rumored to be in line for a Cabinet job in the Bush administration. She wasn't offered one.

"It's very tempting, but at this time I feel comfortable if a bit regretful in letting this opportunity pass by," Carlson said in the interview.

He said serving in Congress, which pays $154,700 annually, would mean a drop in income from his KVI job.

GOP leaders urged Reichert to run for governor, and he spent nearly a year giving trial-balloon speeches to Republican and civic audiences around the state before opting out.

He said one of the reasons he didn't run was that he wanted to see the Green River serial-murder investigation through to its end.

"I think Dave Reichert is very, very popular with the voters and with the Republican Party right now," state Republican Chairman Chris Vance said. "And I think he'd be a tremendous candidate. There are several Republicans I think would make tremendous candidates."

Of Carlson's decision, Vance said, "He would have been a great candidate. He would have brought a lot to the race. But as a father of young children myself, I can certainly respect his decision."

In some ways, Reichert is a dream candidate for the Republicans: a handsome, silver-haired, bodybuilding lawman awash in favorable national publicity -- and possibly even a TV movie -- about his 21-year pursuit of Green River killer Gary Leon Ridgway. He also has no voting record for an opponent to attack.

As Ridgway was sentenced Dec. 18 to 48 consecutive life terms in prison, TV viewers nationwide watched the sheriff consoling the victims' families.

Reichert has spent his entire 32-year career in the Sheriff's Office. He was appointed sheriff in 1997 and won election that fall and in 2001. Some observers have speculated that he might run for King County executive in 2005.

Of Dunn's decision not to seek re-election, Reichert said, "I was as surprised as everyone else was, and of course my phone began ringing over the weekend and into today. As I've always said, I would evaluate (political) opportunities as they presented themselves, and this is one of those opportunities that I didn't anticipate but has certainly presented itself."

The only announced Democratic candidate for Dunn's seat is former RealNetworks executive Alex Alben of Mercer Island, who has been running for about six months.

Potential Republican candidates besides Reichert and Herbold include state Sens. Luke Esser of Bellevue, Pam Roach of Auburn and Cheryl Pflug of Maple Valley; King County Councilman David Irons Jr. of Sammamish and Republican national committeewoman Diane Tebelius of Bellevue, a former assistant U.S. attorney.

P-I reporter Neil Modie can be reached at 206-448-8321 or neilmodie@seattlepi.com

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