Clockwise, from top left: Bob Hasegawa, Nikkita Oliver, Mike McGinn, Cary Moon
Clockwise, from top left: Bob Hasegawa, Nikkita Oliver, Mike McGinn, Cary Moon WA Legislature, Timothy Aguero, Kelly O, Nate Gowdy

Mayor Ed Murray's decision not to run for re-election shakes up an already contentious mayoral race. According to media reports, former US Attorney Jenny Durkan could jump in the race as early as this week. City council members Lorena González and Bruce Harrell, along with deputy mayor Hyeok Kim, are also rumored to be mulling runs.

But as of now, there are four major candidates for mayor. Each reacted differently to Murray's announcement:

Educator and lawyer Nikkita Oliver said Murray's decision not to run for re-election should not distract the conversation away from finding solutions to Seattle's homelessness crisis.

Urban planner Cary Moon called on Murray to resign. A statement from her campaign website:

Thank you to Mayor Murray for his years of public service. I believe it's in the best interests of everyone - especially the many survivors of sexual assault re-experiencing their own traumas - for the Mayor to step down now so that City Hall can get back to work. An aggressive legal fight, where Mayor Murray feels compelled to use all the power of his position as a public official to demean and even silence his accusers, is deeply divisive to our community and triggering for survivors of sexual assault. Whatever the outcome of the judicial process, it’s not appropriate for a public official to do this while serving as the leader of our city.

Now is the time to focus on the tough problems resulting from Seattle's rapid growth - including skyrocketing housing costs, traffic congestion and transit shortages, economic disparity and surging homelessness. I look forward to engaging in meaningful discussions with voters and my fellow candidates about the best ways to solve Seattle's crises so that we do not become a city of haves and have nots.

Former mayor Mike McGinn also called on Murray to resign and donate his campaign funds to nonprofits that help sexual assault survivors:


State Senator Bob Hasegawa didn't write anything on his website or social media pages, but his spokesman emailed these two sentences as the senator's "official statement":

I would like to thank Mayor Murray for his service to the City of Seattle. I look forward to making my case to the voters of Seattle to be their next leader.