Nethercutt Still Looking At Senate To Make Decision After August Recess

Contrary to some reports, Rep. George Nethercutt has not pulled himself out of the 1998 Senate race. Nor has he decided to get in.

Nethercutt said this week he won’t decide whether to run for the Senate or seek re-election to the House until after Congress’ August recess.

He’ll spend part of that time in Eastern Washington, talking to key advisers about a possible run for the seat held by Democrat Patty Murray.

Murray is running for re-election, and GOP Rep. Linda Smith of Vancouver has declared her candidacy for Murray’s seat.

On Thursday, Rep. Jennifer Dunn of Bellevue was elected to a high position in the GOP caucus and officially pulled out of the race.

After that announcement, Pierce County Executive Douglas Sutherland said he was setting up an exploratory committee - a move that allows him to raise money without officially entering the race.

An Associated Press report of Dunn’s decision quoted unnamed Republican officials as saying Nethercutt has decided against the Senate race.

“That is inaccurate,” Nethercutt said late this week.

The Spokane Republican has twice postponed deadlines he set for announcing his decision. Initially he said he would decide by mid-June, then postponed the decision until mid-July. He said this week he would not set a new deadline.

Some political observers say those delays mean he’s not going to run.

But in 1994, Nethercutt postponed his decision to enter the U.S. House race for several months while he talked to a widening circle of potential supporters. He didn’t enter the campaign against then-Speaker Tom Foley until April of that year.

, DataTimes