Lonergan runs with GOP

According to PolitickerWA, Tacoma city councillor Mike Lonergan will no longer run for Pierce County executive as an Independent and will instead return to his true party, the GOP. Lonergan had been a candidate with the GOP in the past for Congress but had previously attempted to shed the connection considering his position in safely-Democratic Tacoma.

This means both parties have two strong contenders for the seat, as Lonergan joins Pierce County councillor Shawn Bunney on the Republican side with Pierce County auditor Pat McCarthy and county councillor Calvin Goings on the Democratic side. Reading Lonergan's press release it seems like he's going to attempt to be the right-wing candidate in the race, claiming he follows the party platform 100% of the time. This is probably to contrast himself with the more pragmatic Bunney, but it will likely result in ceding Tacoma to McCarthy. That specifically is what I don't understand about this change, as at least while he ran Independent he could have probably contested Tacoma given his name recognition from city office. I just don't see him taking the suburbs when that's home field for both Bunney and Goings.