In a press release this afternoon, Governor-Elect Jay Inslee named three additional senior staffers, including a man who briefly reigned as one of Washington State's most influential political bloggers:

Washington Governor-Elect Jay Inslee today announced three new additions to his executive office staff. Joining Chief of Staff Mary Alice Heuschel will be Ted Sturdevant as Executive Director for Legislative Affairs and Policy, David Postman as Executive Director of Communications, and Joby Shimomura as Senior Advisor.

[...] David Postman began his career as a journalist in 1982 with Alaska Public Radio. He covered Washington government and politics for more than 15 years, first with the News Tribune and later with the Seattle Times. Postman most recently served as Director of Communications and Media at Vulcan Inc.

As the Seattle Times' chief political reporter, Postman adeptly left us pioneers in the dust, quickly transforming Postman on Politics into the most influential and well-read political blog in the state. It was a big loss for local journalism when Postman abruptly left the paper to take the Vulcan gig just weeks before the 2008 election, and it's good to see him back in the political game, if on the other side of the court.

Postman is a smart pick by Inslee, that should serve him well with our states daily newspaper editorial boards, all of which endorsed his Republican opponent. Hard to think of somebody who could jump into that communications role with more instant and well deserved credibility.