Endorsements roll in for Seattle mayoral, council races

Consents from unions, corporate groups, politicians, advocacy groups, and news agencies don’t always make elections, but they can start a race one way or the other and make a difference in a crowded primary election.

In Seattle, job support candidates often fight against business support candidates, and candidates who are supported by both tend to win.

This year looks a little different because the city’s largest group of companies, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, has not given its approval in the race for mayor, councilor and city attorney.

Still, there is evidence from the memos that were distributed prior to the August 3 primary.

Mayor race

In the race for mayor’s office, city council president M. Lorena González received almost all of the major union recommendations, including the MLK labor council and a union that represents 2,700 of the city’s own employees. Former city council president Bruce Harrell has secured some worker support.

The Downtown Seattle Association, a business-oriented organization with policies similar to the Chamber, issued candidate reviews last week, describing Harrell and former Deputy Mayor Casey Sixkiller as “an outstanding direction.”

Meetings of the city’s democratic district organizations mostly led to blockades without consent. The Democrats of the 11th district have agreed on a candidate and voted for González. The King County Democrats did not support the race, while the King County Young Democrats support González and Colleen Echohawk.

Resources for the 2021 primary elections

For more information on voting, ballot boxes, accessible voting and online voting slips, please contact your district election office. The ballot papers are due on August 3rd at 8 p.m.

For more information on your voting slip, visit each district at: myvote.wa.gov

González has also received support from current elected leaders, including US MP Pramila Jayapal, Senator Rebecca Saldaña, and four of González’s fellow councilors: Lisa Herbold, Tammy Morales, Andrew Lewis and Teresa Mosqueda. Julián Castro, Obama administration’s housing secretary and 2020 presidential candidate, and Jorge Barón, executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, also supported González.

Harrell’s endorsement list includes the Washington Technology Industry Association, MP Marilyn Strickland, State Senator Reuven Carlyle, former Governor Gary Locke, former Mayors Norm Rice and Wes Uhlman, Black Panther Party legend Elmer Dixon, and the Rev. Harriett Walden, a longtime advocate of police responsibility.

Harrell was also assisted by the Seattle Times editorial team (the Times news operations are independent of the editorial staff) while The Stranger assisted Gonzalez.

Echohawk, who recently ran the Chief Seattle Club, was supported by The Urbanist and a list of people including Tim Harris, founder of the Seattle street paper Real Change; City Councilor Dan Strauss; former Mayor Mike McGinn; former city council member Sally Bagshaw; and Esther Lucero, president of the Seattle Indian Health Board.

Former State Representative Jessyn Farrell has relied on individual supporters, including Strauss, Washington State Commissioner for Public Land, Hilary Franz, State Representative David Hackney, Andrea Caupain of Byrd Barr Place, and Dominique Davis, who leads the Community Passengerways youth program.

Andrew Grant Houston, an architect, includes the Transit Riders Union, 350 Seattle Action for Climate Justice, the Washington Stonewall Democrats, and Real Change director Tiffani McCoy. The University of Washington Young Democrats support González and Houston.

Sixkiller is supported by US Representative Derek Kilmer and the neighborhoods for Smart Streets facing a bike path on 35th Avenue Northeast.

Lance Randall, a business development specialist, and Art Langlie, a construction manager, do not disclose support on their campaign websites.

The Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility plans to support races in Seattle later this week, a spokesman said. The Seattle Chapter of the Sierra Club decided not to support the mayoral election. The Washington Conservation Voters did not support the race either. The Progressive Voters Guide compiled by Fuse Washington recommended González.

City Council Race

Virtually every union and organization in the Democratic Party has supported incumbent Teresa Mosqueda for the 8th seat of the city council, along with a number of elected leaders, the Seattle Chapter of the Sierra Club and the Washington Conservation Voters.

The race for the 9th position vacated by González is more open, however, as educator and lawyer Nikkita Oliver competes against González’s chief of staff Brianna Thomas and Fremont Brewing co-owner Sara Nelson.

Oliver has built himself a head start with workers, supported by the MLK Labor Council and unions that represent public school teachers, supermarket and hotel workers. Thomas is supported by the Teamsters and the home care workers union, while Nelson is supported by the Fire Fighters Union and the Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council.

Thomas is endorsed by most of the Democratic Party organizations, including the King County Democrats and the 11th, 34th, 36th, and 46th Districts as supporters. Oliver is supported by the 11th District Democrats, King County Young Democrats, 350 Seattle Action, and the Seattle Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.

The Downtown Seattle Association ratings describe Nelson as “an outstanding direction,” and it was endorsed by the editorial staff of The Times. The Stranger has endorsed Oliver, while the Progressive Voters Guide recommends both Oliver and Thomas.

Oliver’s individual supporters include Morales, Mosqueda, current King County Councilor Girmay Zahilay, and writer Ijeoma Oluo. Thomas is supported by González, Herbold, Strauss and Lewis. Nelson is supported by former city council members Jean Godden and Tom Rasmussen, and restaurateur Ethan Stowell.

City attorney race

Acting City Attorney Pete Holmes is assisted by Attorney General Bob Ferguson, King County Attorney Dan Satterberg, several city council members, and travel writer Rick Steves, among others.

Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, a former public defender, doesn’t list any recommendations on her campaign website. Ann Davison, who ran for Washington lieutenant governor as Republican last year, is backed by former Governor Dan Evans, former King County Attorney Chris Bayley, and former Seattle City Court Judge Ed McKenna. The stranger supported Thomas-Kennedy; The Times editorial team did not endorse the race.

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that City Attorney Ann Davison’s candidate website was unrecorded. Their website lists annotations.

Daniel Beekmann:
206-464-2164 or dbeekman@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @dbeekman. Seattle Times reporter Daniel Beekman covers the Seattle city government and local politics.