The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has reserved $1 million in television advertising time in the Seattle media market, Roll Call has learned. The market covers all three competitive Congressional districts in the state: Democratic Rep. Rick Larsen’s 2nd district, the 3rd district open seat being vacated by Democratic Rep. Brian Baird and Republican Rep. Dave Reichert’s 8th district.

The reservation, placed last week, includes a cable buy in the 8th district and additional ad buys on broadcast stations across western Washington. It comes weeks after the committee reserved air time in the Seattle market as part of a $49 million, 60-district fall campaign ad strategy. The initial reservation targeted only the open-seat race in the 3rd district between Democrat Denny Heck and Republican Jaime Herrera.

The latest move sheds some light on Democrats’ thinking: that the 3rd district is at least as competitive as originally thought; that it’s worth spending money against Reichert, who’s being challenged by former Microsoft executive Suzan DelBene in a swing district; and that it looks like Larsen is facing an increasingly competitive race against former state Rep. John Koster, whom Larsen defeated in his first election to Congress in 2000.

The National Republican Congressional Committee is up with ads in 11 districts this week as part of a $24 million independent expenditure effort. The NRCC has so far left Seattle off its list of markets where it has reserved TV time.