Christopher Hurst, the former police detective and current Democratic state representative from Auburn, just called to tell me that he definitely won't attempt to challenge Eastside Republican Congressman Dave Reichert in 2010.

Hurst had been mentioned as a potential Reichert-slayer, especially after concerns arose about the voting record of Democrat Suzan DelBene, the former Microsoft executive and political newcomer who announced her candidacy for Reichert's seat earlier this year.

“I gave it a lot of thought," Hurst told me. After consulting with his wife and family, he decided it wasn't the right time and that he's happy with his current position in the state legislature.

However, he had a lot to say about DelBene—much of it far more positive than his past statements.

“I did, interestingly enough, get a call from Suzan DelBene," he began. "She asked to have coffee with me.” He continued, recounting their recent hour-and-a-half coffee:

I was very surprised in sitting down and talking with her face to face. She’s no Darcy Burner. Suzan DelBene is not the Darcy Burner trainwreck, no question about it. But there still is the issue of that voting record, no question about it... But I will say that I was impressed by her substance and her character. I thought, if you took away the issue of the voting thing, she would probably be a significantly above-average candidate. If it wasn’t for that one thing, she falls into a very small category of very, very smart, very very motivated people…. She’s certainly a person of substance and quality.

He clarified, however, that he was not endorsing her at this time.