Embattled Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced on Monday that she will not seek re-election in 2021 after only one term in office.
In a video announcement Durkan said "We know stopping the spread of the virus, protecting jobs and focusing on the economic recovery—especially for downtown— is going to take everything we've got. As Mayor approaching the last year of my term, that meant a choice. I could spend the next year campaigning to keep this job or focus all my energy on doing the job. There was only one right choice for our city: doing the job. I have decided not to run for reelection because Seattle, we still have some tough months ahead," said Mayor Durkan.
Durkan was elected in 2017 after serving as the US Attorney for the Western District of Washington following an election against Cary Moon a local socialist activist, where Durkan was viewed as a moderate only in comparison to Moon.
In February of 2020, Durkan had filed paperwork with the city and state for a re-election campaign. But that was before the Mayor found herself at the center of controversy ranging from her handling of the outbreak of the coronavirus to armed militants seizing control of six blocks of the city this summer. Durkan denied that a march and vandalism of her house factored into her decision. Her home has previously been protected under the Address Confidentiality Program because of her time as US Attorney.
Durkan faced significant criticism, even from her closest allies, for the Seattle Police Department's handling of riots in the wake of the death of George Floyd and negotiations over defunding the police. Many of her own supporters joined activists in calling for her resignation. Durkan also faced a recall effort earlier this year.
The announcement sets the stage for the floodgates to open for candidates running in the Seattle Mayoral election. The worst kept secret in Seattle politics is that Seattle City Council Members Teresa Mosqueda and Lorena Gonzalez both have aspirations for the position. Both council members were actively involved in the budget negotiations this summer, with Mosqueda serving as budget chair and Gonzalez as city council president.
Mosqueda, a socialist and ally of Antifa, was also the writer of the "JumpStart" payroll tax aka the Amazon Tax, levied on big businesses at the start of the economic collapse in the wake of the outbreak of the pandemic. Both endorsed Marxist Kshama Sawant for her re-election campaign for city council in 2019. Gonzalez and Mosqueda are both up for city wide election in 2021 and were advocates for defunding the Seattle Police.
There is also speculation that King County Executive Dow Constantine, could scrap his re-election campaign for a fourth term and run for Mayor instead.
In her statement Durkan said: "I will focus on leading our city as we plan to re-open and distribute the vaccine, support our workers and small businesses, continue re-imagining public safety and addressing challenges like the West Seattle Bridge, homelessness and climate change."
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