The reason I was talking to Democratic State Party Chair Paul Berendt today was this: I was tracking a rumor that he was planning to leave his post. Word was Gregoire had offered him a government job in Olympia.

The rumor also had it that Dwight Pelz, the Democratic brawler and soon-to-be ex-King County Council Member who lost his bid for a city council seat this fall against Richard McIver, was going to take Berendt’s place.

Survey says:
Berendt, who’s been Dem chair for 11 years, said the rumors that he may be leaving “are not without substance.” But he added that “nothing is imminent” and he “does not have any new job offer.” He said “some people have talked to me [about different jobs], and I’m keeping an open mind.”

However, Berendt repeated that “nothing is imminent, and the rumors [that he’s leaving] are premature.”

As for Pelz. He’s wind surfing in Vietnam right now. So I couldn’t reach him for a comment.