Four seats held by progressives were won by candidates running on an anti-crime platform. Two others are still up for grabs, with another vacancy to be filled next year by the next City Council. Including Councillor-at-large Sara Nelson, who wasn’t up for a vote this year, moderates will now hold at least five of nine seats on what was arguably the most progressive City Council in America before this vote.
Roy Hollingsworth campaigned on hiring more police and beat progressive Alex Hudson 53% to 47%. The seat was formerly held by radical socialist Kshama Sawant.
Rob Saka campaigned on “bringing our police back to full capacity and staffing levels” and defeated progressive Maren Costa 54% to 45%. He’ll replace Lisa Herbold, who had sought a legal pass for misdemeanors committed under the “duress” of poverty or substance abuse. Cathy Moore won in a rout over progressive ChrisTiana ObeySumner, who opposed prosecuting drug use. Incumbent Andrew Lewis, who had voted to cut police funding, conceded to moderate Bob Kettle.
One incumbent who held his seat is Dan Strauss, who voted in favor of a 2022 city budget that cut police funding for a second year in a row. But in campaign mailers this year Mr. Strauss admitted that “defund the police was a mistake,” and he defeated challenger Pete Hanning 52% to 47%.
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