I would also like to announce I am not running for Mayor.

@1 it's news because she's one of the most talented young politicians in the state and her advancement to higher office falls under "when, not if" (and maybe also "how high"). Also because the rumors of her possible mayoral candidacy had grown pretty substantial and can't go unaddressed.

Anyway, it's the right thing to do. Everybody who jumped in the race since the Murray scandal broke has to figure out how to shake being tarred as an opportunist and a vulture. (Though at least she would have already had a substantially larger campaign chest than everyone but Nikkita Oliver). Far better for González to keep her integrity and build up her record on the Council.

If only someone whose uncle is a Latino actor and who is an actual worker ran ...

I am weeping over this news.

She had to give up her council seat to run for mayor, and with no clear path (or even potential path) to victory, she would've been out of office next January. This was a decision that made itself.

Also, being former legal counsel to Ed Murray isn't a great thing to have on your resumé at the moment.

@1: Because for the last 48 hours, everyone thought she was for some reason?

So Durkan is "establishment," while Gonzalez is not? Gonzalez has taken maximum campaign contributions from Paul Allen, Tim Burgess, and Pacific Place developer Matt Griffin. Her campaigns are run by consummate insider Christian Sinderman. Durkan and Gonzalez literally practiced at the same firm as trial lawyers. I don't get the distinction.

A smart move on her part.

@11, the distinction is Gonzalez's skin tone. Many Stranger writers are unable to see past that.

@14
People like Brownstone and Hoover are young.
You have to expect white guilt with people at that age.
The people who need to be chided are the elders like Dan Savage -- but I guess it makes money so they let these young reporters keep babbling on

@7 talented in that she's good at balancing loyalty to different interest groups, gets along well with her fellow elected officials, and has found the right mix to please both progressive populists and Democratic powerbrokers. Some of the signature ordinances she's sponsored as a councilmember have reflected that--paid family leave, secure scheduling, etc.--reforms with a broad base of support, diluted just enough to get "establishment" approval, and passed unanimously by the Council.

A lot of other people to pass through City Hall have tended to overserve their base (Rasmussen and his nimbys, McGinn and his cyclists), alienate themselves from the council as lone crusaders (Licata, sometimes Sawant), or are just plain empty suits (Jean Godden, Bruce Harrell, etc. etc.). González is one of the few current or recent Seattle politicians that manages not only to pass her agenda with ease, but do it without anybody significant hating her. That's a talented politician, in my book.