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Two days after Rep. Mary Skinner surprised both Democrats and Republicans with her retirement announcement, neither party has a clear favorite to replace her.

With a June 6 filing deadline looming, nobody has declared an intent to run. The only two who have publicly expressed any interest are Yakima Mayor Dave Edler, a Republican, and Yakima attorney Rod Nelson, a Democrat.

Skinner, a Yakima Republican, has held the 14th District state House seat since being elected in 1994. A month ago she publicly stated her intention to seek re-election, so Wednesday's news caught local politics-watchers off guard.

"We'll definitely have a candidate or two step up," said Jim Keightley, chairman of the Yakima County Republican Party. "That isn't a concern."

Keightley, who ran for the other 14th District state House seat when it was open in 2006, said he has no desire to run this time. But that could change, he said. The county party's central committee has a regular business meeting scheduled for Tuesday evening at which potential candidates could be discussed, Keightley said.

Edler was out of town Friday and unavailable for comment, but on Wednesday he said he would consider making a run.

Nelson said Thursday he is giving "very, very serious consideration" to running for the soon-to-be-open seat. Active for decades in the county Democratic Party, he said he's been contemplating a campaign for the past couple of years. He described himself a centrist and a fiscally conservative Democrat who would focus on quality of life and economic-development issues.

Before announcing a campaign, though, he plans to speak with county and state party leaders. The fact that 14th District voters have not elected a Democrat since 1992 will not deter him, he said.

"I think I could trust the people of this valley to elect the right person," Nelson said.

County Democratic Party Chairman Paul George said he had not heard of any other candidates, though he's sure the prospect of an open seat has piqued some people's interest. He also said the party is still seeking a candidate to challenge Charles Ross, the Republican incumbent in the other 14th District House seat.

"It's incumbent upon us as a political party to recruit," George said. "We're outnumbered in Yakima County to be sure, but we believe in a two-party system. ... Don't count us out."