Election 2013: Mayoral candidate Sen. Ed Murray speaks in West Seattle

With less than a week until voting ends and vote-counting begins in the August 6th primary, one of the 9 candidates for Seattle Mayor came to West Seattle tonight to speak to supporters. State Sen. Ed Murray, a former West Seattleite, campaigned tonight at the Alki Masonic Temple on the east edge of The Junction. We arrived mid-event, noting about 60 people on hand, so can only note a few points from his speech: Critiquing the incumbent mayor, Murray repeatedly referred to contentiousness – “frayed relationships with regional partners,” “arguing” with the City Council – and framed himself as someone who “brings people together.” Regarding a contentious issue from his last sessions in Olympia, Murray said he was hopeful an agreement for transportation funding would be worked out with legislators before year’s end, or, almost certainly in the next session of the Legislature, because Eastside legislators, he said, don’t need Metro cuts any more than we do on this side of Lake Washington. After he finished speaking, his former fellow state senator, this area’s King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, took the microphone to close the event.

So far as we know, Murray is the only mayoral candidate with a final-days-of-voting event planned in West Seattle (this one, by the way, was organized by local supporter Nils von Veh, not by the campaign); if you know of anyone else, please let us know so we can include it in the calendar and also cover it – even if it’s just informal campaigning, from doorbelling to sign-waving – editor@westseattleblog.com.

Whoever you’re voting for, next Tuesday night is the deadline to get your ballot in – and if you don’t want to mail it, as noted here two weeks ago, ballot dropoff vans will be available this Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday at West Seattle Stadium and Greenbridge – details here.

23 Replies to "Election 2013: Mayoral candidate Sen. Ed Murray speaks in West Seattle"

  • Mike July 31, 2013 (11:10 pm)

    Just looked over Ed’s stances on different topics. I really like what his site says about development of housing. His ideas make sense, unlike another candidate…

  • scubafrog August 1, 2013 (6:46 am)

    Ed’s great. McGinn will be a disaster (again) if he’s reelected – I WANT to believe that the people of Seattle are smarter than that. I hope Ed does well in this primary.

  • Nils von Veh August 1, 2013 (7:29 am)

    Want to thank my co-hosts for the evening, some of whom represent us as legislators and many of whom were department heads in former city administrations: Rep. Sharon Nelson, Rep. Eileen Cody & Tom Mitchell, Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, Rep. Joe McDermott, Virginia Anderson, Ken Bounds & Linda Gorton,, Patricia McInturff & Hunter Handsfield and Sarah Alexander & Bill Killien

  • onalki August 1, 2013 (8:57 am)

    … framed himself as someone who “brings people together.”
    Based on what? This is the Senate Democratic majority leader who couldn’t even hold his own caucus together, resulting in the Republicans taking Senate control and creating the utter disaster of the last Olympia session. In that case, his “bringing people together” skills were nonexistent.

  • james August 1, 2013 (9:32 am)

    +1 @onalki

  • JAT August 1, 2013 (10:32 am)

    +2 @onalki
    To say that MgGinn has been a disaster is a political opinion not an objective fact.
    I like Mike.

  • Ex-Westwood Resident August 1, 2013 (11:09 am)

    Although I don’t get a vote in the Seattle Mayor election, the choice of Mayor effects the entire region surrounding Seattle.
    I just can’t see the reasoning behind those that support Murray. He admitted that he didn’t read the bills that he sponsored and supported, nor did he write bills he introduced while he was in the WA legislature.
    He picks and choses which amendments of the Bill of Rights he supports; throwing the 2nd and 4th Amendment in the trash.
    Of course, the way Seattlites feel about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, he fits right in and will be elected.
    McSchwinn has been an unmitigated DISASTER as mayor.
    Time for the next uber-lib/progressive to run the city further into the ground.
    Seattle, if it keeps going as it is, will one day resemble Detroit/Chicago and any other “Big” city that has been run by Liberals/Progressives for YEARS.

  • stephanie August 1, 2013 (11:58 am)

    Go Murray!

  • BWD August 1, 2013 (11:58 am)

    The Seattle mayoral race is bleak indeed this year. I hate voting the anyone but McGinn platform but needs must.

  • Mike August 1, 2013 (11:59 am)

    To ex-Westwood res. Well said! McGinn would give us more bike lanes, potholes and less parking.

  • JAT August 1, 2013 (1:06 pm)

    Mayors don’t give us potholes, trucks do.

    (I didn’t say cars, but I wanted to…)

  • Mike August 1, 2013 (1:22 pm)

    I’m going to assume Ex-Westwood Resident is only voting for GOP candidates when available? I actually read what he did regarding the 2nd and 4th amendments, he didn’t seem to throw them in the trash. If anything he kept them from the trash when other political leaders tried to put them there. If you’re not able to lock up your guns, maybe you’re not responsible enough to have them…just a thought.

    Love, Mike. (hunter, gun owner)

  • Ex-Westwood Resident August 1, 2013 (6:06 pm)

    Well Mike you are WRONG on ALL counts above.
    I IGNORE the letter after a candidates name, Unlike 98% of Seattle voters, who would vote for Stalin if he placed a ‘D’ after his name.
    Murray was the PRIME sponsor of Senate Bill 5737; the “Gun Control” bill this year that WOULD HAVE infringe on the rights of people to own guns, AND had the following clause:
    “In order to continue to possess an assault weapon that was legally possessed on the effective date of this section, the person possessing shall … safely and securely store the assault weapon. The sheriff of the county may, no more than once per year, conduct an inspection to ensure compliance with this subsection.”
    (yes I know it was removed AFTER he was called on it)
    NO SEARCH WARRANT REQUIRED!!!
    His reason was that he didn’t read it fully. He even admitted that he DIDN’T write it.
    I’m sorry, but I think that one of the reasons we send people to the Legislature is to PASS laws that THEY have read AND wrote.
    Murray is ONLY concerned with the amendments that he supports, NOT the Bill of Rights as written!!!
    LoveEWR

  • candrewb August 1, 2013 (6:19 pm)

    Actually cold rain and freezing gives us potholes. Trucks and cars just beat on them.

  • West seattleite August 1, 2013 (6:39 pm)

    I’d vote for the Easter bunny before mcginn

  • Mike August 1, 2013 (6:43 pm)

    Ex, you described every politician ever. IMO, they all lack qualification to be in office.

  • alki forever August 1, 2013 (6:46 pm)

    I don’t like either McGinn or Murray. Looks like I won’t be voting.

  • Fingers crossed August 1, 2013 (11:28 pm)

    I voted for Murray for a number of reasons, 2 of which are that he is not McGinn or Steinbrueck.

  • Ex-Westwood Resident August 2, 2013 (5:36 am)

    Mike, THAT we agree on!!!

  • JS August 2, 2013 (8:29 am)

    I opened my ballot last week, looked at it, and “for the first time in my adult life” tore it up and threw it in the garbage (I mean recycle – don’t send the recycle police to my place to check my garbage!!!!!).

  • G August 2, 2013 (8:31 pm)

    In my opinion, most politics is all about herding people into their respective ideological pens.

  • alki forever August 3, 2013 (12:43 pm)

    Whoever you vote for, you’re getting screwed anyways!!

  • Westiwhynot August 3, 2013 (1:20 pm)

    @alki forever – Most people don’t like McGinn or Murray, but that’s no reason not to vote. It’s more of a reason TO VOTE. And may I suggest voting for Bruce Harrell? When it comes to common sense, community concerns, social services, human rights (all, not just special interests or catch phrase politics)… then Bruce is the man!!! We all saw his army of supporters at the parade. West Seattle loves Bruce. The powers that be are throwing every dollar and political favor at getting you to focus on Murray or McGinn… But the people are saying Go Bruce Go!

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