So, earlier today, I noted that Paul Akers has entered the US Senate race against Sen. Patty Murray, joining an incredibly packed field.

It has since been noted that I left him off of my list of strong contenders for the seat (I pretty much talked about actual and could-be contenders Hutchison, Reichert, Rossi and Widener). But, it turns out, Dick Morris was hyping Akers on Hannity and the audio is now up on YouTube for all to hear:

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I hear Akers himself has been touting this mention, and he's right to. He's got a lot of work to do to convince party activists, leaders and the grassroots that he's the right one to take on Murray, and one mention from Dick Morris (or, frankly, 25 mentions plus a bunch of other stuff) isn't enough to do it. However, this lends a small bit of credence to the idea that Akers might be someone to look at as a serious candidate. I'll reserve judgment on that until I see the following from him:

- evidence of a solid campaign structure, involving credible staffers with a track record of success;

- more particularly, a new media presence that covers the basics at least adequately: A fuller website, social networking presence, online advertising (note to Paul, when I search "Paul Akers" your Senate website isn't even one of the top ten results), etc.;

- also, a robust communications effort-- because Murray has the ability to get press for doing just about anything, and she'll need to be rebutted;...

You know Washington's Senate race? The one where the Republican field already seems about as packed as the Brady house?

Well, get ready... that Brady house is about to morph into the Waltons. Bellingham businessman Paul Akers has entered the race against Sen. Patty Murray. From his statement on his website:

I am not a politician. I've never run for public office before. Instead, I have spent my career serving as a teacher, a contractor, an inventor and now as an entrepreneur and small businessman.

I've decided to run for the U.S. Senate because I have had it. I'm tired of career politicians who go to Washington to spend other people's money too easily and have lost touch with the folks back home. Unfortunately, these career politicians do not know what it takes to create a job, make a payroll, or worry about sitting down with their spouse at the kitchen table to figure out how to make ends meet. [intro]

It's time we have real leaders who will make bold decisions... people who understand what it takes to run a business, make payroll, create jobs and get our country out of this recession by unleashing the genius of the American People.

As a businessman, I'm proud of the business my wife and I have created, starting out in our garage 12 years ago.

FastCap is an industry leader in providing manufactured products to people all over the world. We do it right here in Washington State with some of the finest employees on Earth. After beginning with a product that I invented, our company now works with other inventors to creatively develop and market their ideas around the world. We are successful competing with the likes of China, Korea and Japan, and we're winning....

Via @nansen, I learn that Jaime Herrera has scored a big get in the WA-03 race: The endorsement of former Sen. Slade Gorton, who said today confidently: "Jaime Herrera will win this election."

Gorton, many will remember, narrowly lost to Sen. Maria Cantwell back in 2000.  He's a Seattle Republican, considered to be a moderate.  And my sources tell me that Herrera opponent David Castillo has been hitting Herrera for garnering "out-of-district endorsements" just like this one (and including it, says one).  To be fair, Seattleites aren't generally the objects of affection in the Vancouver area, and many of those active in the Republican base in Washington, as in other states, can be less than enthusiastic about moderation in their (Republican) elected officials and party elders.

However, Gorton is a heavy-hitter and with bigger names like Dino Rossi and Susan Hutchison and Rep. Dave Reichert rumored to be considering a run against Sen. Patty Murray and presumably wanting to avoid picking a side between Herrera and Castillo (or indeed ruffling feathers by backing a different candidate altogether) if they do, this is an important endorsement for her.  It is worth noting that a lot of Rossi folks do seem to be backing Herrera privately, however.

Added political trivia tidbit: Against Cantwell in 2000, Gorton carried Clark County, the population center of the district, with 69,265 to Cantwell's 58,971.  He's probably got some advice that Herrera will find beneficial as the year moves forward. [intro]