U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers is at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center at 2 p.m. Friday for a tour. It's one of several military and veteran related events this weekend for the Eastern Washington Republican.

She was at Fairchild Air Force Base this morning for a "dirt-turner" -- the groundbreaking ceremony for a new physical fitness center. On Saturday, she's at the Veterans' and Military Families Resource Fair from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the WSU Riverpoint Campus, 412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd. There's a town hall style meeting at 10:30 a.m.

Meanwhile, would-be candidates around the state will have to make up their minds pretty soon about whether they really want to run. Really. Next week is filing week. People who have been talking about running for weeks, months or even years have to file their paperwork and pay your filing fee. Or as they say in poker, put up or shut up.

One candidate for U.S. Senate, Republican legislator Don Benton, dropped out of the race today. (See post immediately below.) Don't be surprised if more would-be's turn into won't-be's by next Friday.

---

---