NPI's Official Blog is reporting news of a very interesting development in the Washington U.S. Senate race:
In a sign of Democratic unity, Mark Wilson will tomorrow officially endorse Maria Cantwell and announce his intention to campaign for the Senator full time, NPI has learned.
The news, which may come as a surprise to many in the state's political circles, is a great sign that the State Democratic Party is quite healthy going into the 2006 midterm elections. While we Democrats prize dissent and the freedom to speak our minds, we also know how important it is to be united.
We can't win and become the majority party in Washington D.C. if we are fractured and splintered. Mark Wilson knows that the Bush administration and its cronies in Congress are slowly wreaking havoc on this country.
It is absolutely critical in 2006 that we mount the strongest effort possible to win back control of the Congress. And we can't do that if we're not united.
More below the fold.
UPDATE: CONFIRMED here.
I was surprised by this development, but delighted. I'm not sure exactly what it means (guess I'll find out tomorrow when I read about the press conference) but it sounds like the rift is closing (meaning, the rift between Democrats who support Cantwell despite her imperfections and those who do not.) Our state party is becoming more unified. That's always a good sign.
UPDATE: For those of you not in WA, Mark Wilson is (was) one of Cantwell's opponents in the upcoming WA primary to be held this September. The filing date for the primary is at the end of this month, hence Wilson is calling it quits now.
More about the race from Wikipedia.
Thoughts?