Free Republic

OLYMPIA — U.S. Rep. Jennifer Dunn, Washington state's senior Republican in Congress and a favorite of the Bush White House, told The Associated Press tonight that she's retiring from politics. Dunn, 61, who had been courted by President Bush to run for the U.S. Senate this fall, said she has decided to serve out her sixth House term and then retire from public life. She cited family considerations — she's newly remarried — and a desire for one more career after politics. She endorsed no successor in her Republican-leaning 8th District in Seattle's eastern suburbs. "It's time for me to...

Former computer industry executive Alex Alben has launched a bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Jennifer Dunn in the 8th congressional district. Dunn has held the seat for 12 years. The 45-year-old Mercer Island resident said he'll emphasize jobs and economic growth in his campaign. Alben said he has the right combination of business sense and progressive values that will resonate in the 8th, which ranges from Bellevue to Mount Rainier National Park, including Issaquah, Sammamish, Mercer Island and part of Redmond and Renton. He's an intellectual property attorney who spent 10 years in the local high-tech industry, most recently as...