Port Angeles native and 6th Congressional District candidate Derek Kilmer received endorsements from 35 current and former elected officials, including Clallam County Commissioner Mike Doherty, in his quest to replace 18-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, who is not seeking re-election.

Kilmer, a Democratic 26th District state senator who represents Bremerton, announced the nods in a single mass email this week.

“Some people called me; some people I called,” Kilmer, 38, of Gig Harbor said Thursday.

Doherty said he has known Kilmer, vice president of the Economic Development Board of Tacoma-Pierce County, since Kilmer’s high school days.

“He’s respected in the Legislature for his economic development day job,” Doherty said, noting that community college workforce training is a priority for him.

“To me, that’s the right set of priorities in these times,” Doherty said. “Basically, he’s just a very articulate young man.”

Kessler also endorsed

Other endorsements came from nine current and former state legislators, among them Lynn Kessler, who represented the 24th District, which includes Clallam and Jefferson counties, and was the House majority leader before retiring in 2010.

Endorsements also came from the Tacoma area, Kitsap County and the Gig Harbor area.

Democratic 24th District state Sen. Jim Hargrove of Hoquiam, Democratic Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland and Democratic Kitsap County Commissioner Josh Brown have said they are considering running.

Republicans Doug Cloud, Jesse Young and Bob Sauerwein have already announced their candidacies for Dicks’ seat.

Cloud is a Tacoma lawyer, Young a Gig Harbor senior business technology consultant, and Sauerwein is a Port Orchard businessman.

Filing week for the Nov. 6 general election is May 14-19.

_________

Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.