UPDATE: Sims's office flatly denies the rumors. "It's not true," Sims's spokeswoman Natasha Jones says. "I don't know where they're getting that." King County Council member Larry Phillips, meanwhile, says he is officially getting in the race whether Sims is in or out; however, Phillips said he was confident the rumors were true. And Sims remains in Washington, D.C., three days after Obama's inauguration and several days after most county officials who attended the inauguration returned to Washington State. Sims has been back from D.C. for several days, according to Jones, and is currently on a retreat near the Hood Canal.

Rumors are swirling that King County Executive Ron Sims has taken a position in the Obama administration as undersecretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. If Sims does leave the county, his departure will set off a free-for-all among potential contenders for his position, which was made officially "nonpartisan" by voters last November.

Previously, Sims's successor would have been appointed by the Democratic Party; now that the job is "nonpartisan," the process for his succession is thrown into doubt. Technically, Sims is still a Democrat, because the position doesn't become nonpartisan until this November's election. Under the existing process for choosing a successor, precinct committee officers of the Democratic Party will recommend three candidates, from which the county council is expected to choose. However, the council can also ignore the PCOs' recommendation. Or the council could go with the new, "nonpartisan" succession process, under which an interim executive would chosen by a council vote. Although the council is also officially "nonpartisan," it is made up of five Democrats and four Republicans. The selection process would set off a flurry of lobbying and competition among council members and give new power to Republicans on the council.

The consensus Democratic candidate to succeed Sims might not be as obvious as it appears; both Dow Constantine and Bob Ferguson are possibilities (Julia Patterson is reportedly not interested in the position). Constantine is unlikely to run for county executive unless he's appointed to the position; Ferguson, probably the most palatable choice for Republicans, would be likely to jump into the race against Phillips whether or not he won appointment. Meanwhile, state legislators, one obvious pool of potential candidates, are barred by law from raising money before the end of the session; this year's session, a long one, ends in May.

Sims has raised just over $200,000 in his race for reelection, and has about $140,000 cash on hand. Candidates who pull out of a race can donate the money to charity or a political party.

More details as they emerge.