Elections in Seattle have a way of making everyone a little more progressive—at least until the ballots are counted. Today’s case study: King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg, who ran as a Republican in the past but now says he’s a Democrat.
The Seattle Times reported Tuesday that Satterberg made the clarification in an interview, citing in part his opposition to President Donald Trump. The Times‘ Jim Brunner wrote that Satterberg acknowledged it “was prompted in part by facing his first-ever re-election challenge this year.”
Soon after, Satterberg’s challenger Daron Morris issued this statement saying the move was “motivated by opportunism and fear.”
“Voters must reject fake progressive values,” Morris’s statement says. “This means rejecting a lifelong Republican who changes parties when it is politically opportune to do so.”
Satterberg’s party affiliation has come up before. He was first appointed prosecutor to replace another Republican and faced criticism in 2007 for taking money from the Republican Party. Satterberg ran as a Republican (without an opponent) in 2014, but says he stopped identifying with any party even before the prosecutor’s office became nonpartisan.
Morris is a public defender hoping to run to Satterberg’s left. He claims Satterberg’s office is too quick to pressure defendants to take plea bargains. Morris also opposes the county’s ongoing project to build a new youth jail and criticizes the prosecutor’s office for taking money from the anti-sex work organization Demand Abolition.
Satterberg will spend the election season defending his progressive credentials. He argues his office’s plea rates as in line with other cities and points to his work on issues like expanding diversion programs and opposing the death penalty.
