The County Executive contest may be fixed by tomorrow. Today we learned that Carl Weimer will not run for County Executive. Tomorrow, according to sources, Doug Ericksen will be announcing that he is running.

Will Tom Anderson be the only candidate who is a moderate and progressive? Right now it looks like it. There are - according to a good source - at least two other potential liberal candidates - but I've no idea who they might be. It looks like it may be Tom Anderson, Doug Ericksen and Jack Louws in the primary for County Executive.

How is Doug figuring this? Why would he file with Louws already announced and with all the small town mayors backing him? Will he and Louws devour each other? No. Doug is too smart for that. He has the name recognition and is a very good campaigner. Louws is strong only in the north part of the county. Hell, most voters in Bellingham have never heard of him. But Doug they know. Anyone in marketing will take name recognition even if it has baggage - and Doug is an excellent speaker. He will use the name recognition to change voters' minds.

While this is fun stuff for us political junkies, it is yet again a fork in the road for the future of our county. We will have real choices in August and November for how we want our county to work and develop over the next 10 or 20 years.