Governor's race gets stranger as three candidates named Fergusons enter the running

The field of candidates vying to become Washington's next governor expanded to three individuals named Bob Ferguson on Friday. A conservative Republican activist, Glen Morgan, caused a stir in the race by recruiting two Democratic contenders with the same name as the presumed Democratic front-runner, Attorney General Bob Ferguson. The last-minute addition of these two new candidates, one from Yakima and the other from Graham, adds further complexity to the Aug. 6 primary ballot, which now features a total of 30 contenders. Morgan, known for his efforts in conservative politics, reached out to various Washington residents named Bob Ferguson, eventually convincing two to run for governor. He admitted that the decision was somewhat impulsive, and he had to quickly raise funds to cover their filing fees. The Yakima candidate is described as a retired state worker, while the Graham candidate is a military veteran, although neither has prior political experience. According to Morgan, both share a disapproval of the attorney general. Attorney General Bob Ferguson declined to comment on the matter, while former governor Christine Gregoire, speaking on behalf of his campaign, criticized the move as "highly deceiving and potentially illegal," alleging it was an attempt to mislead voters. Now, the Secretary of State, Steve Hobbs, faces the task of determining how to differentiate the candidates on the ballot. State law allows for additional information to be included on the ballot if candidates' names are similar enough to cause confusion. Hobbs is considering adding candidates' occupations to distinguish them. The ballot order was decided through a random drawing, placing the newly entered Bob Fergusons as the second and third listed candidates, with Attorney General Bob Ferguson appearing 13th on the ballot. More at:www.ninaworldnews.com.