Ambassador Pat Herbold endorses Castillo.

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Former US Ambassador to Singapore Patricia Herbold has endorsed David Castillo for the 3rd Congressional District.

"His diverse qualifications make him uniquely suited to be an outstanding leader
for the people of Southwest Washington," said Patricia Herbold.

This as reported in the Seattle PI

Ambassador: Castillo should represent 3rd District

A former U.S. ambassador and high-profile Republican activist has endorsed
David Castillo in the battle for the Republican nomination to Congress in Washington's 3rd Congressional district.

"His diverse qualifications make him uniquely suited to be an outstanding leader for the people of Southwest Washington," said Patricia Herbold.

Herbold was U.S. Ambassador to Singapore during the Bush Administration. She earlier served on the President's 21st Century Workforce, and sought to rebuild the King County Republican Party during a stint as its chair.

State Rep. Jaime Herrera has seemed the GOP establishment candidate in the 3rd District race. She is supported by former Sen. Slade Gorton and U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers. Herrera is a former aide to the Eastern Washington congresswoman.

Denny Heck, an Olympia entrepreneur and co-founder of the TWV public affairs network, has locked up Democratic support in the 3rd District race.

But Castillo has waged a spirited campaign, even though the National Republican Congressional Committee began puffing a Herrera candidacy hours after incumbent Democratic Rep. Brian Baird announced that he was leaving Congress. Castillo was
already running.

Castillo is an Olympia financial adviser who held sub-cabinet jobs in the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security in the second Bush administration.

Castillo has received most genuine GOP endorsements that actually matter, such as Attorney General Rob McKenna, Former Congressman Randy Tate, Republican Leader Richard DeBolt, Dr. Rick Jackson, Rick Forcier; FreedomWorks and the National Defense PAC as well as as well as every daily that endorses in the primary.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.
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Do I detect a trend? The Longview Daily News endorses Heck... and Castillo!

In yet ANOTHER stunning blow against the Card Board cutout from Ridgefield, the Longview Daily News gives Castillo a 1.000 batting average by becoming the third out of three daily papers in the area to endorse David Castillo!

The Daily News joins with the Columbian and the Seattle Times in pointing out that Castillo should make it through to the general election. Castillo is the only candidate endorsed by all three daily newspapers. Heck has been endorsed twice, and the clueless one has been endorsed once by the Columbian for reasons that defy description.

Clearly, a pattern is emerging: David Castillo is undeniably the best Republican... who also happens to have more endorsements then any of his competitors, even for a top two primary.

Previously the Establishment Queen of Inevitability, Babs has been reduced to Court Jester in a field where at least two candidates overwhelm the field in background, education and experience.

Here's how The Daily News Put it:
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Advance Heck, Castillo in 3rd District race

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Posted: Thursday, July 29, 2010 12:15 am 1
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July 29 Daily News editorial

Color the 3rd Congressional District purple. District voters backed George W.
Bush in the 2000 and 2004 presidential races and Barack Obama in 2008. Republican Linda Smith represented the district from 1995 until she stepped down
at the end of her second term. Democrat Brian Baird claimed the open seat after
advancing from the primary to defeat Republican Don Benton in November 1998.

The 3rd District seat is again open. Baird announced last December that six terms were enough, setting off a stampede of hopefuls and instantly grabbing the attention of national Democratic and Republican party officials.

There are six candidates vying for this hotly contested swing-district seat on the Aug. 17 primary ballot — three Republicans, two Democrats and one Independent. Based on fundraising, name identification and endorsements, Democrat Denny Heck of Olympia, and Republicans David Castillo of Olympia and Jaime Herrera of Camas are the clear frontrunners.

The Daily News editorial board recommends that voters advance Denny Heck and David Castillo to the November general election. Heck and Castillo impressed us as the most capable candidates in this crowded field, and they would offer voters in a district that trends both red and blue an excellent choice come November. Both hold fast to the principles of their respective parties, but they have the maturity and experience required to understand the practical value of moderation and cooperation.

Heck has been successful in both the public and private sectors. He entered the public sector at an early age, winning election to the state House of Representatives at 24. Heck represented Clark County's 17th District for 10 years, rising to House majority leader. He later served as Gov. Booth Gardner's chief of staff. After leaving politics, Heck co-founded TVW, a statewide public affairs television network similar to C-SPAN. He's also helped start up several successful businesses, including the digital entertainment company RealNetworks and a business that provides electronic medical records to health care providers.

Castillo, who declared his candidacy for the 3rd District seat well before Baird announced that he wouldn't stand for re-election, also has worked in both the public and private sectors. Following service in the Navy and earning a bachelor's degree at the University of Washington and master's from Gonzaga University, Castillo went to work in George W. Bush's administration, where he served as deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Veterans Affairs. He later worked in the Administration's Office of Operations Coordination, helping to organize the Department of Homeland Security. In Washington state, Heck has served as chief of staff for the House Republican Caucus. Castillo currently works in the private sector as a financial advisor for Edward Jones.

Both Heck and Castillo recognize job creation and economic growth as the district's top priorities. And they — more than any of the other candidates in this race — appear to possess the knowledge, skills and temperament needed to help advance those priorities.

So... what does these papers see in Castillo that they don't see in the Empty Suit from Ridgefield? Perhaps what they see is... well... the Empty Suit from Ridgefield has, well, an empty suit.

Well done to David.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.

Seattle Times endorses Heck.... and Castillo!!!!

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The true test of anyone's intelligence is typically that degree to which they agree with you.

The Seattle Times passed over Ridgefield Barbie and endorsed Denny Heck.... and David Castillo!

This is a STUNNING blow to Babs, who seemed to think that Cathy McMorris's effort to make her the "Anointed One" by bringing her corruptive influence to the other side of the state from her own district doesn't, in fact, mean anything CONstructive as much as it has been DEstructive.

Running the empty suit like Obama doesn't mean that people won't see through that.

We've been there. We've done that. And we've got the t shirt, a horrific mountain of debt, Obamacare and a foreign policy that looks like an early Keystone Cops movie... all voted for by Baird, and none of which Herrera found fault with.

Denny Heck and David Castillo the primary picks in the 3rd Congressional District

The Seattle Times editorial board endorses Denny Heck and David Castillo in the primary in Washington's 3rd Congressional District race in Southwest Washington.

ONE incontrovertible truth about Washington's 3rd Congressional District is it is a swing district in the fullest sense of the term. President Obama won there, as did President George W. Bush.

Whoever represents Southwest Washington in Congress must be an independent thinker willing to buck his or her political party. With that in mind, The Seattle Times endorses Denny Heck, Democrat, and David Castillo, Republican, to advance to the general election.

Both have worked in the public and private sectors and have a strong grasp of the challenges facing the district, most notably its unacceptably high unemployment rate. Both appear creative enough to tackle tough issues from an independent vantage point.

The need for jobs and an improved economy overshadow most other issues. Heck touts the need to proceed with a new Columbia River crossing as an economic stimulator and the need to keep Washington ports humming. Castillo emphasizes the needs to improve infrastructure, including flood areas along Interstate 5, and create enterprise zones to help economically distressed counties.

Heck began his political career at age 24, and was elected to five terms in the state House of Representatives. He served as House Majority Leader, and later, as chief of staff to Gov. Booth Gardner.

Castillo, too, showed early interest in public service and worked for George W. Bush, including a stint as a senior official at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Castillo is currently a financial adviser, and was the first challenger in the race, before the incumbent, Brian Baird, decided not to seek re-election.

Heck is an innovator as evidenced by the fact that he was an early investor in RealNetworks, a digital-entertainment company, and co-founded TVW, the C-SPAN of Washington state — a triumph of achievement for transparency in state proceedings.

Both men are levelheaded about wars America can no longer afford. Both realize the U.S. may not know what success looks like in Afghanistan, and if the vision remains too foggy, are willing to move to the end game.

On numerous issues ranging from financial reform to federal spending, Heck elevates the discussion with his vast knowledge and solution-oriented approach. Castillo wraps no-nonsense earnestness into conservative principles, which have room for compassion for people living in poverty. Childhood poverty is part of his own story.

This contest will be close. Voters would be wise to pick Heck and Castillo to clarify their strengths and weaknesses in the general election.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.