An even dozen candidates are running for an open seat in Central Washington’s 4th Congressional District, making it the most crowded race in the state’s Aug. 5 primary.

The district trends heavily Republican, and so did the candidate filings. Eight are Republicans, with two Democrats and two independents. Under the state’s primary system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party.

Go inside the blog to see the order they’ll appear on the ballot after a drawing by the secretary of state’s office:

 

Republican Gavin Seim, a videographer from Ephrata

Democrat Estakio Beltran, a former congressional aide from Richland

Republican Dan Newhouse, former legislator and state agriculture director from Yakima

Republican Clint Didier of Eltopia, a former NFL player who has run for U.S. Senate and state lands commissioner

Independent Josh Ramirez of Pasco, who works for Washington River Protection Solutions

Republican Gordon Allen Pross, a perennial candidate from Ellensburg

Democrat Tony Sandoval, a Yakima businessman

Republican Kevin Midbust, a Rite Aid supervisor from Richland

Republican Glen Stockwell, an advocate for Columbia Basin development and perennial candidate from Ritzville;

Republican George Cicotte, a Kennewick attorney

Republican Janea Holmquist, a sitting state senator from Moses Lake

Independent Richard Wright of Kennewick, who ran for the seat as a Democrat in 2006.

Clearly Seim got the best of the draw, because being at the top is usually good for a few extra votes and Beltran has a good spot as the first Democrat on top of a pile of Republicans. Arguably Holmquist got the worst draw with the penultimate spot because last can be more noticeable than next-to-last.

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