Elsewhere in the Upper Left...

...there's big news in WA-5.

An endorsement by the Tri-Cities Herald dominates the front page at BarbieriforCongress.com today, as well it should.

It's easy to dismiss endorsements, but in a race like this they can have a real effect. It's invigorating for Tri-Cities Democrats, who are a real key to winning back Speaker Tom's seat, and it gives independent voters a good reason to take a second look at a great candidate in Don Barbieri.

The endorsement itself is focused directly on those independent voters, concluding that "Barbieri gets the nod for his astute insights into what makes the district tick and his fresh ideas about how to tackle its most pressing problems."

Are newspaper endorsements of marginal value at best? Well, in this case, the best candidate is likely to win in the margins, so Hurrah for the Herald!

It's not quite enough to insure victory, of course, but it's not all we've got. This is another race where the DCCC's been helping out, so it's another reason to help the DCCC.