Washington state lands commissioner Hilary Franz drops out of governor's race to run for Congress

SEATTLE — In a major political shake-up for Washington's 2024 elections, state Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz is dropping out of the gubernatorial race to run for Congress. In an announcement Friday morning, Franz said she's running to represent the 6th Congressional District — with the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, the Gig Harbor Democrat who abruptly announced yesterday he won't seek a seventh term. Franz, a Democrat who has served as state lands chief since 2017, said her decision was made after talking with voters around the state about their concerns, such as rising price...