Post updated at 2:33 p.m. with comments from Koster interview.

Republican Snohomish County Councilman John Koster, who narrowly lost a bid to unseat Democratic Congressman Rick Larsen last year, says he'll run again for the U.S. House in 2012.

In a news release Thursday, Koster said the U.S. has reached a "critical juncture in our history where the expectations of government must now change. Government simply cannot be all things to all people."

He blamed "liberal progressives in Washington D.C." for the soaring national debt and said Republicans need to finish what they started in 2010 by expanding their U.S. House majority, capturing a Senate majority and winning the presidency.

In an interview, Koster said he's announcing now so he can get an earlier start on fund-raising and organization this time around. (In 2010, he waited until January to announce.)

Koster, who lives in Arlington, said while he expects to be running again in the 2nd Congressional District represented by Larsen, that could change as political maps are redrawn in this year's redistricting process.

If the new map lines fall right, Koster could wind up running in a new 10th district, or even in the 1st District now represented by Democrat Jay Inslee. "Obviously an open seat is more attractive than running against an entrenched incumbent," Koster said.

Another interesting snippet: Koster has not ruled out a campaign for U.S. Senate against Democrat Maria Cantwell, saying some supporters have urged him to consider it.

But Koster's announcement said running for the U.S. House is "where his heart is."