Challenger Mitchell Earns Times, Muni League Endorsements Over Hague

The Seattle Times newspaper has endorsed Mercer Island resident  Monday over incumbent Jane Hague and two others in the race for the King County Council District 6 seat.

District 6 includes Kirkland, Redmond, Beaux Arts, Bellevue, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Medina, Mercer Island and Yarrow Point. Another candidate for the seat is Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton of Kirkland.

In the endorsement, the newspaper makes no bones about why they're picking Mitchell for the race before the Aug. 16 primary. After complimenting him for his "quick mind and grasp of detail," the opinion criticized Hague for her 2007 DUI arrest and alleged that she intentionally concealed it because she was seeking re-election.

"Four years ago, Hague was stopped for drunken driving, was ill-mannered to police and blew an alcohol reading of 0.135, more than two-thirds above the legal limit. She was running for re-election but kept her arrest quiet during the filing period so that she had no credible opponent.

Now she does."

According to the King County Election pamphlet, Mitchell is former general counsel to the Office of the Governor, a trial and real estate lawyer who serves as a trustee for the Legal Foundation of Washington, a regent at Seattle University, and a commissioner on the King County Housing Authority. Mitchell, Hague and two other challengers are running for the seat, which will be whittled down to two after the Aug. 15 Primary Election ballot. 

The endorsement comes on the same day the Municipal League — a non-profit, non-partisan voter information organization — offered Mitchell their highest rating, "Outstanding".

The Municipal League rated former Bellevue City Councilwoman Patsy Bonincontri "Very Good", while Jane Hague and Creighton both received "Good" ratings. Click here to see the Muni ratings for the King County Council Races.

Hague, who joined the King County Council in 1994, has been active in many recent issues involving Kirkland, including the annexation of three northern neighborhoods that had been part of unincorporated King County until June 1.