Congressman Dave Reichert will reveal Friday whether or not he will run for governor next year, his office said.
Reichert's plans will be announced to the media through email in the late morning or early afternoon, his office said Thursday. He is then expected to speak with media about the decision later in the day.
The six-term incumbent has been rumored to be considering a challenge to incumbent Gov. Jay Inslee. A moderate Republican whose district includes much of suburban King County, Reichert is viewed by some as one of the few GOP politicians who could win a statewide contest in Washington.
Inslee won the 2012 governor's race over former Attorney General Rob McKenna, carrying 51 percent of the vote (less than 100,000 votes separated the two candidates once all the votes were tabulated). A Republican able to peel off more of King County's traditionally liberal voters stands a higher chance of winning statewide.
Washington voters have favored Democratic candidates in most statewide races over the past decade, particularly in presidential election years. Popular Sen. Patty Murray will also be on the ballot next year.
If Reichert runs, he will face Port of Seattle Commissioner Bill Bryant in the race for the Republican nomination.
Last month, Reichert told KING 5 that he's been urged to run.
"I'm getting calls from the (Republican) National Governor's Association. I'm getting calls from governors around the country and from other people in the state," he told KING's Natalie Brand in September. "Even Democrats are calling me and telling me that I need to run. I had one Democrat tell me the other day, 'If you don't run, you're really going to be breaking a lot of hearts in this state.'"
Not ruling out a run for reelection to the U.S. House, Reichert said at the time that his goal is to "serve where I can make the most impact."
Currently, he serves as a senior member on the Ways and Means Committee and chairs the subcommittee on Select Revenue. He also recently launched a law enforcement task force intended to support improved training for police and better community relations.
Reichert was one of just a handful of Republican House members who voted in 2009 for a cap-and-trade bill supported by President Obama, a proposal that then-Congressman Inslee also voted for.
