Jarrett and Litzow in the 41st; Gibson and Upthegrove in the 33rd

Some seat openings and a little party switching make for fascinating legislative contests in South and East King County. Our endorsements:

• In the rapidly changing Eastside 41st Legislative District, voters should go with a veteran legislator and a very independent Republican. The Seattle Times recommends newly minted Democrat Fred Jarrett for the open Senate seat and Mercer Island City Councilman Steve Litzow for the open House seat.

Jarrett is well-known as a somewhat maverick Republican House member who decided to switch parties. His opponent, former Naval aviator Bob Baker, is equipped with a long military career and an active place in the region's aviation community as a pilot for Alaska Airlines. He lacks Jarrett's deeper understanding of state and local issues, but we encourage him to stay in local politics.

Litzow is the most-intriguing candidate in the race. He's a pro-choice Republican with an endorsement from NARAL. He also reached the Mercer Island City County through an intense interest in local issues.

His opponent, Democrat Marcie Maxwell, a member of the Renton School Board, is passionate about education but doesn't seem to have an original idea about the topic.

The 41st District, once solidly GOP, is emerging as a district experimenting with candidates of many variations. Voters of Mercer Island, Newcastle and parts of Bellevue and Renton are redefining their district, often with interesting results.

• Two seats are being contested in the 33rd Legislative District, which includes Des Moines, SeaTac, Normandy Park, parts of Kent and Tukwila.

In Position 1, we recommend Republican small-business owner Todd Gibson. Legislative shoes left by the retirement of Rep. Shay Schual-Burke are enormous. So too are the challenges facing the next Legislature, including a $3.2 billion budget deficit.

Gibson is a political newcomer who is a quick study of the changing landscape in Olympia. In the current economic downturn, Gibson's voice for limited taxes is a courageous and important one. He will have a steep learning curve but should be served well by his sharp instincts. Gibson is responsive to needs, such as for affordable health care, and some of his solutions — more-flexible insurance packages for employers and employees — will not empty state coffers.

State Rep. Dave Upthegrove, D-Normandy Park, is the hands-down choice for Position 2. Six years in office has produced a seasoned and well-informed lawmaker who deserves a fourth term. As chair of the House Select Committee on Puget Sound, Upthegrove promoted accountability measures and was part of the legislative force creating the Puget Sound Partnership.

Upthegrove can bring opposing parties together, a critical skill in Olympia. When officials in King County and the city of Burien couldn't agree on what to do with an empty apartment development called Lora Lake, Upthegrove was called in as mediator. The result was an agreement that saved 162 units of affordable housing. His opponent, Tan Lam, is not a serious candidate.

The information in this endorsement originally published October 16, 2008, was updated October 16, 2008. Mercer Island City Councilman Steve Litzow is running for the Eastside 41st Legislative District's open House seat. A previous version of this endorsement incorrectly reported Litzow's first name.