POLL: 3 Candidates Garner Over 4,000 Nods For Congress on June 5

Note: This article was updated on Monday, May 14, and again on Wednesday, May 16, and Thursday, May 17.

As we reported the 2nd District North Coast Congressional race started out strong and has continued to build in intensity.

Voters in the June 5 primary election will narrow the field of 12 candidates down to the top two, who will then compete in the November general elections to represent the 2nd District in Congress.

It is considered likely that both top vote-getting candidates will be Democrats, resulting in a November intra-party faceoff.

With the same three Democratic contenders continuing to be the favorites in Sonoma County -- State Assemblyman Jared Huffman, entrepreneur Stacey Lawson and peace activist Norman Solomon -- county Democratic Party leaders have

However, the Press Democrat is reporting that Huffman, of San Rafael, is considered the favorite, based on his $865,000 in campaign funding.

All three of the top candidates however, according to the article. is banking on being on the candidate with legislative experience; on her skills in job creation and working with entrepreneurs; and on his liberal roots that have a stronghold locally and a national following.

Another "feisty" candidate contender, according to the Press Democrat, is  Democratic Marin County Supervisor Susan Adams.

The newspaper article calls the other eight candidates -- four more Democrats, two Republicans and two candidates with no party preference -- "long shots, their chances diminished by lack of funding, obscurity and Democrat domination of the district."

For an overview of the candidates at their appearance at one of the few all-candidate debates at the

The 2nd District -- or North Coast -- congressional seat, is a combination of the former 6th District seat vacated by the retiring , and portions of the former 1st District seat held by

The new district stretches up the North Coast and the 101 corridor from Marin County to the Oregon border -- with the exception of Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park, which are now part of Thompson's new 5th District.

To read the Press Democrat article, click here.