He joins Jim Curdy of Mattawa and Martin Pederson of Ellensburg in a three-way Democratic primary battle to determine who'll challenge Rep. Glyn Chandler, R-Moses Lake.

Said, a naturalized U.S. citizen and native of Haifa, Palestine, has lived in Ephrata two years.

Expansion of foreign trade affecting Basin agricultural products and health care will be the primary issues addressed in Said's campaign.

While he's held a life-long interest in politics, he wants to assure his Ephrata patients that he's "not quitting" medicine.

"I feel I'll be able to use my free time to serve the public in politics and I will have a partner in the near future to cover for me during the legislative session if I'm elected," he said.

If elected, he said he'd like to use his background to develop agricultural markets and investment, particularly with Middle East countries.

Said says he has established good relations with oil producing countries during his 22 years in the west.  He said one of his first acts if elected would be to lead a delegation in the spring to explore trade possibilities.

He said apples, hay and wheat, all important products in the 13th District, are in great demand in oil producing countries.

Said lives on a farm south of Ephrata with his wife, Nadia, and three children.

Said thinks he may be the first candidate of Arabic descent and first of the Islamic faith to run for public office in the state.

"It is a live demonstration to the world that our democratic system, with its solid foundation of the First Amendment, is well and in practice - that any citizens, regardless of religious, racial or nationality, can run for any public office."