McGinn: I will stop money for waterfront tunnel
SEATTLE -- The front-runner in Seattle's primary election for mayor, Sierra Club activist Mike McGinn, said Wednesday that if you want to call him the underdog you can.
McGinn would be an underdog if either incumbent Mayor Greg Nickels, or challenger Joe Mallahan, support one another when the two final candidates are announced.
With about half the votes counted, attorney and Sierra Club activist Mike McGinn had a slim lead with 27 percent of the vote. Cell phone executive Joe Mallahan had 26 percent, while Nickels had 25 percent.
McGinn said he was outspent $1 million to $80,000 and still came in number one.
At a news conference Wednesday morning, McGinn said he believes his showing in Tuesday's primary is in part the response to his campaign criticizing the tunnel option for replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
McGinn said the tunnel would cost Seattle in excess of $900 million -- money for which he says "there are far greater priorities, from police to schools to transit."
He said the city can't afford an underground tunnel at a time of budget crisis, and vowed if he is elected mayor he will "stop the spending" of that $900 million.
McGinn said he welcomes debates with whoever the second candidate is, adding "I will debate as often as the other candidate wants."
On Tuesday, Nickels spokesman Sandeep Kaushik said the campaign was "in a wait-and-see mode at this point. Obviously the race is far too close to call. We've got a lot of ballots yet to be counted."
He noted that only a few hundred votes separate Nickels from Mallahan. "It's a very very tight race, and it may be a few days yet before we know the outcome," Kaushik added.
But the Mallahan camp was celebrating Tuesday night.
"We're thrilled," Charla Neuman, a spokeswoman for Mallahan, said after the results were posted. "We're in a packed house of supporters who are ecstatic. ... It's going to keep looking better for us. I think people have given their opinion and made it clear that they're looking for a new kind of leadership."
Mike McGinn said he was happy and really gratified with the early results.
"We knew if we put together the type of grass roots campaign we were capable of doing, we had a shot to be here," he said.
Nickels has been dogged locally by criticism of the city's response to a December snowstorm that paralyzed Seattle for nearly two weeks. His opponents have challenged sometimes heavy-handed style as too gruff in a city that prizes collaboration and civility.
McGinn would be an underdog if either incumbent Mayor Greg Nickels, or challenger Joe Mallahan, support one another when the two final candidates are announced.
With about half the votes counted, attorney and Sierra Club activist Mike McGinn had a slim lead with 27 percent of the vote. Cell phone executive Joe Mallahan had 26 percent, while Nickels had 25 percent.
McGinn said he was outspent $1 million to $80,000 and still came in number one.
At a news conference Wednesday morning, McGinn said he believes his showing in Tuesday's primary is in part the response to his campaign criticizing the tunnel option for replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
McGinn said the tunnel would cost Seattle in excess of $900 million -- money for which he says "there are far greater priorities, from police to schools to transit."
He said the city can't afford an underground tunnel at a time of budget crisis, and vowed if he is elected mayor he will "stop the spending" of that $900 million.
McGinn said he welcomes debates with whoever the second candidate is, adding "I will debate as often as the other candidate wants."
On Tuesday, Nickels spokesman Sandeep Kaushik said the campaign was "in a wait-and-see mode at this point. Obviously the race is far too close to call. We've got a lot of ballots yet to be counted."
He noted that only a few hundred votes separate Nickels from Mallahan. "It's a very very tight race, and it may be a few days yet before we know the outcome," Kaushik added.
But the Mallahan camp was celebrating Tuesday night.
"We're thrilled," Charla Neuman, a spokeswoman for Mallahan, said after the results were posted. "We're in a packed house of supporters who are ecstatic. ... It's going to keep looking better for us. I think people have given their opinion and made it clear that they're looking for a new kind of leadership."
Mike McGinn said he was happy and really gratified with the early results.
"We knew if we put together the type of grass roots campaign we were capable of doing, we had a shot to be here," he said.
Nickels has been dogged locally by criticism of the city's response to a December snowstorm that paralyzed Seattle for nearly two weeks. His opponents have challenged sometimes heavy-handed style as too gruff in a city that prizes collaboration and civility.