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Sportscaster Ventrella advances to general election, against his wishes

Most candidates celebrate when they win enough primary election votes to advance to the November ballot.

Not Tony Ventrella.

Ventrella dropped out of the race for the 8th Congressional District, but still placed second in Tuesday's primary election. Ventrella, a longtime Seattle sportscaster, actually encouraged supporters on social media to vote for another democratic candidate.

But that call wasn't answered.

He'll advance to the November election, running as a Democrat against incumbent Republican Dave Reichert.

Ventrella dropped out of the race when it was too late to change the ballot. Dave Ammons with the Secretary of State's Office says this isn't the first time something like that has happened.

Ammons: "There was actually a legislative candidate, I believe from the Tri Cities area, who moved to Oregon but his name was still on the ballot. We also had a state house seat where the voters actually elected a dead person."

That person was Roger Freedman, elected as a democratic state representative in 2014. He won about 53% of the vote in Federal Way, though he had passed away after a battle with colon cancer before the vote.

In Tony Ventrella's case, he says he'll serve if he wins the general election. But you won't find him actively campaigning, and don't donate to his campaign - he says you should donate to a local charity instead.

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