Obama for America

BREAKING: Barack Obama coming to Washington State this Friday Barack Obama's campaign has confirmed that the Illinois senator will be visiting Washington State this Friday in advance of the February 9th precinct caucuses, NPI has learned. We're not aware that any venue has been chosen yet, but we do know that Barack Obama will in fact be coming here to campaign in person.

Will Hillary Clinton follow suit? If we had to guess, the answer would be yes.

Governor Christine Gregoire and Secretary of State Sam Reed recently wrote a letter to the presidential candidates, urging them to pay a visit to Washington. The text of that letter is as follows:

Dear Presidential Candidates:

We urge you to visit Washington, the second-largest state in the west, for our delegate-rich Feb. 9 caucuses and our voter-rich Feb. 19 Presidential Primary. Both will have a profound impact on the nomination of the country’s next chief executive.

Washington’s Democratic and Republican Political Party caucuses are scheduled for Feb. 9 and will be the next opportunity to accrue significant delegates after Feb. 5.

Washington’s Presidential Primary is slated for Feb. 19, two weeks after “Super Tuesday” and 10 days after our state’s political parties hold their precinct caucuses. No other state primaries are scheduled until March 4.

Given the strategic timing of Washington caucuses and primary, this is a great place to earn national attention and prove you can win in a culturally and ethnically diverse region.

While the majority of Washington voters cast their ballots by mail, most will hold onto them until the final week.

During a visit to Washington, you have a chance to address the fundamental issues of the Northwest that merit national attention and commitment. Our state is home to military, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, and agriculture. We play a pivotal role in other defining national issues including international trade and the Bonneville Power Administration.

Washington is also the third-largest of the 25 states west of the Mississippi, with a sophisticated voting public that cares deeply about the future of this region and the path our nation will take to prepare for the future.

After “Super Tuesday,” many Washington voters will decide which presidential candidate is most deserving of the nomination. A personal visit to Washington will demonstrate your dedication to the west and to each and every American voter.

The State of Washington commends you for your momentous decision to run for President of the United States. Your courage to embrace the demands of a campaign for the presidency is remarkable, and is the foundation of this democracy.

Gov. Christine Gregoire
Secretary of State Sam Reed

As for the Republicans, don't be surprised if Mitt Romney, John McCain, and Mike Huckabee also decide to show up in Washington. They're all in need of delegates, and a win in Washington would be a boost for any of them.

View maps, graphs, and additional Super Tuesday headlines at Pacific NW Portal.