Murray says he won't run for Seattle mayor

By KOMO Staff & News Services

Summary

State Sen. Ed Murray was contemplating waging a write-in campaign to challenge Joe Mallahan and Mike McGinn, but decided to focus his efforts on getting approval for Referendum 71.

Story Published: Sep 1, 2009 at 10:50 AM PST

Story Updated: Sep 1, 2009 at 11:36 AM PST

Murray says he won't run for Seattle mayor

State Sen. Ed Murray

SEATTLE - State Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, is not running for Seattle mayor.

Murray had been considering a write-in campaign after T-Mobile executive Joe Mallahan and Sierra Club activist Mike McGinn advanced to the November general election in last month's primary.

In a statement released Tuesday, Murray says he needs to focus on the upcoming campaign to get voters to approve Referendum 71, which has qualified for the November ballot. The referendum puts the most recent expansion of the state's domestic partnership law - sponsored by Murray - up for a public vote.

Election officials are set to certify the referendum for the ballot on Wednesday. But a lawsuit in King County is seeking to block the referendum from the ballot.

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