Happy Friday, all.

Republican legislators are steamed at state Sen. Cheryl Pflug, R-Maple Valley, for her decision to leave the Legislature and take a lucrative job with the Washington Growth Management Hearings Board. She did so after filing for re-election last week and then removing her name Monday -- and after becoming one of four Republicans in the Senate to vote for gay marriage.

"We got Pflug-ed,'' quipped Kirby Wilbur, state Republican Party chairman, who has been hoping his party might take control of the state Senate.

Republicans are outraged at what they consider a deal with the governor to award Pflug the $92,500-a-year growth management spot in exchange for her vote on gay marriage and willingness to vacate her seat at the last minute, leaving the GOP with an unknown candidate.

Pflug came out swinging against the allegations. She announced her support for the gay marriage law in early January, but says she had been in favor of gay rights for several years.

Pflug wrote an email to a friend/acquaintance in Olympia in very succinct terms and forwarded it to me: "The law required the governor to appoint a Republican to that opening, which I am whether I Kow-tow to every jot and tittle of doctrinal idiocy or not. I applied for the position online, along with many others -- including two other sitting Republican senators. I have completed my law degree and am a well-qualified applicant for this position, which fits well with a long and dedicated history of public service in a district that straddles the Urban Growth Line (meaning that these are familiar issues)."

Pflug has been studying law at Seattle University for three years. In other words, she was planning to do something new, either while in the Legislature or upon leaving.

The governor's office confirmed that a Republican was required to be appointed and denied any sort of deal.

Today's question. Is NPR feeding us smart stuff while FOX serves up weak info?

A survey by Fairleigh Dickinson University says yes.

For example, according to the chart below, NPR listeners answered correctly on domestic-topic questions more than those who watched FOX.

More on the jump.

Congressional candidate Suzan DelBene wrote the first of what is expected to be a series of personal checks to her campaign, donating $300,000 last month.

DelBene, one of five Democrats running for the 1st Congressional District, made the donation just days after first quarter fundraising totals were announced in mid-April. DelBene led the first-quarter fundraising race with $341,000 raised.

Her campaign spokesman, Viet Shelton, said DelBene waited until after the fundraising totals were released to show voters that she has a "broad base of support" - and not just a big personal bank account.

She largely self-financed a failed 2010 challenge to Rep. Dave Reichert in the 8th District with $2.2 million. She is a successful high-tech and bio-tech executive, and is married to Kurt DelBene, a Microsoft president.

Snohomish County councilman John Koster is the sole Republican in the race, and is expected to cruise past the top-two August primary.

The Democrats -- DelBene, progressive activist Darcy Burner, state Sen. Steve Hobbs, former state Rep. Laura Ruderman and high-tech businessman Darshan Rauniyar -- continue clawing for endorsements.

The state Democratic establishment is coalescing behind DelBene -- with backing from Gov. Chris Gregoire and U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen -- but it is still a toss-up of a race.

On Tuesday night, the King County Democrats ended a months-long endorsement process by backing only Ruderman for the race.

Good Morning.

Two weeks to go until June 6 when supporters of Referendum 74 are required to hand in 120,577 valid signatures to the Secretary of State's office. If successful, voters would be asked in November if they wish to affirm or repeal Washington's gay marriage law passed by the Legislature.

Word from ferry lines, grocery stores and other locations is that some signature gatherers are juggling clipboards, so to speak, handing potential signers two petitions at a time, one for Tim Eyman's anti-tax measure, Initiative 1185, and another for Referendum 74 that aims to undo the recently passed gay marriage law..

"We have been told of it happening occasionally,'' said Chris Plante, deputy campaign director for Preserve Marriage Washington. which is backing Referendum 74. "It's not a formal agreement in any way shape or form. The only way we know about it is because some people have reported it.''

Plante said referendum proponents have 116,253 signatures so far and have hired paid signature gatherers in the last 10 days to ensure the long-term goal of 150,000 signatures, the amount necessary to cover the requirement and padding for signatures that are not valid.

Plante said sometimes signature gatherers collect signatures in the hopes of being paid, on spec. And that may be happening in this case.

Tuesday, Secretary of State spokesman David Ammons released a guide to what happens next regarding gay marriage if the signatures are turned in on time --- or not.

Catholic groups are suing the Obama administration over parts of Obama health-care rules that say Catholic employers have to provide access to services they feel are contrary to their religious beliefs.

Today's question: Do people feel differently if the challenge on such coverage comes not from Republican presidential candidates but instead from Catholic dioceses, social service agencies and other institutions?

More on the jump.

Gov. Chris Gregoire has appointed Republican Sen. Cheryl Pflug, R-Maple Valley, to the Washington Growth Management Hearings Board.

The job starts on July 1 and pays $92,500 per year. Pflug will serve a six-year term as the Central Puget Sound representative serving King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties.

Pflug withdrew her candidacy for the state Senate. Board members can't serve in the Legislature, according to the governor's office. And Pflug said she would not endorse the other Republican candidate who filed for the office, Brad Toft of Snoqualmie.

Mark Mullet, of Issaquah, is running for the 5th District Senate seat as a Democrat.

When asked if her withdrawal could give the seat to Democrats, Pflug said, "You know, it may."

Senate Republican Leader Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla, said he didn't have advanced warning it was going to happen. He didn't sound too happy about it.

Pflug was one of four Republicans who crossed party lines to support legislation legalizing gay marriage earlier this year. Pflug and the governor's office said that had nothing to do with her appointment.

The Growth Management Board was created in 1990 and rules on county and city growth-planning disputes. Pflug was elected to the state House in 1998 and moved to the state Senate in 2004.

Democrats currently hold a 27-22 split in the Senate and the GOP had been talking up its chances of taking control of the chamber.

Good Morning:

Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, now U.S. ambassador to China, must be breathing easier today. What looked like a serious snag in U.S.-China relations turned into a tale of seemingly successful diplomacy. Blind activist Cheng Guangcheng and his family arrived in the U.S. Sunday. He plans to attend law school on a fellowship at New York University.

An excerpt from a quick news conference.

Earlier, this incident had all the makings of an embarrassment for President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Locke.

You may remember, Mitt Romney, blasted the current administration over this story, calling the original episode in Chen's story "a day of shame."

Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, told CNN he is worried about Chen Guangchen's safety even in the U.S.

Today's question. Did Romney get ahead of himself or is diplomacy a longer process than the 24 hour news cycle? Please post answers in the comments section.

More items on the jump.

Like many candidate final filing days, Friday proved to be a giant she's-in-he's-out headache for candidates in the regular two-year 1st Congressional District race.

First Democrat Darcy Burner jumped into the special election to fill the last month of Jay Inslee's term. In doing so, she shattered an informal plan by the state Democratic Party to help candidates avoid the hassle and expense of running two different races before two somewhat different audiences. The newly drawn 1st District covers territory notably different from the old 1st.

Within hours, most better known candidates for the two-year term joined the special election free-for-all. Democrats Suzan DelBene, Laura Ruderman, Darshan Rauniyar were in, and, so, too, was Republican John Koster.

One candidate for the two-year term, Democratic state Sen. Steve Hobbs was, reluctantly, in for the one-month contest for about a minute before he decided against the idea.

He promptly issued a blistering press release chastising the others for trying to get around campaign finance laws, and, well, in some cases, carpet-bagging.

" I'm appalled that Suzan, Laura, Darcy, Darshan, and John are trying to manipulate and circumvent campaign finance laws. Just as bad, Suzan and Darcy don't even live in the district they're trying to represent now," said Hobbs. "This is exactly the kind of financial trickery and shifty politics that voters hate. Real middle class folks don't get to rely on financial sleight of hand like some people can."

Both contests are going to be highly competitive and expensive and, in the end, confusing for voters.

Sen. Joseph Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, the ranking Republican on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, sent out a surprise announcement Friday afternoon that he won't seek re-election.

Zarelli, who spent 17 years in the Legislature, played a lead role in the controversial, but successful GOP effort earlier this year to take control of the Senate budget with the help of three conservative Democrats.

"As the Bible tells us 'to every thing there is a season.' It's time for my season as a senator to end," Zarelli said in a statement. "I will move forward with no regrets, only a lot of fond memories, many strong friendships and the hope that I've left state government better than how I found it."

Zarelli in his statement said "the past few years in particular have been wearing, although they've also been rewarding. I will wind up 17 years in the Senate without having accomplished every single thing that was on my list, but at the same time, I'm not leaving just so I can sign up for something else."

You can read his full statement on the jump.

Corrected version

Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, is planning a fundraising stop in the Seattle area on June 4.

According to a "save the date" email from organizers, Romney plans a $2,500-a-person evening reception. Donors who pay $10,000 a person can attend a VIP reception and photo opportunity.

No other details of the event were immediately available from the Romney campaign or state Republican Party. The email pitch listed the venue as "TBD."

Romney last visited the area in March, rallying supporters before the Republican precinct caucuses, which he won. Romney also visited the area in October, criticizing President Obama on trade policy in a speech at Microsoft.

Although Washington isn't considered a swing state in the presidential election, Romney has a number of wealthy backers centered in the Eastside business community.

The visit could help the former Massachussetts governor narrow his political fundraising gap here.

Washington donors so far have contributed about $1.1 million to Romney's campaign, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Obama already has pulled in about $3.4 million in the state, according to the FEC.

Post corrected to note Romney's last local appearance was in March, not October.